Covid-19 has infiltrated Maryland’s prisons and some of its county jails. The wife of one inmate told reporters, “They are all scared. They feel like they are sitting ducks,” waiting for the virus to spread through crowded cells. A coalition of public-health experts, lawyers and families has petitioned the state’s highest court to release inmates who are not a danger to society.
We hear from Caitlyn Raiford, a former inmate who works for the Maryland Prisoners Rights Coalition, and Oluwadamilol Olaniyan, a shop steward for AFSCME Council 3, the union that represents correctional officers in Maryland. Plus, WYPR's Rachel Baye shares how COVID-19 is affecting Maryland's correctional system.
Since this program aired, the Baltimore Sun reported that the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional services confirmed 57 cases of COVID-19 in the state’s prison as of Wednesday afternoon.
