Advocates call for release of prisoners
At least 75 inmates, 2 officers have died from COVID-19
State lawmakers and prisoner advocates are calling on Florida Department of Corrections officials to take action in response to the growing threat of coronavirus in its state prisons, where at least 75 inmates and two officers have died of COVID-19 complications, and more than 16,000 inmates and staff have tested positive.
“The numbers have continued to climb since March,” said Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, who pointed out that corrections leaders have not used any options to release a portion of the state’s massive prison population to allow for some distancing in the crowded facilities. More than 90,000 people are incarcerated in Florida’s vast network of prisons.
Hart spoke Thursday at a virtual press conference with other lawmakers and advocates who have continued to push for some kind of compassionate release since March.
Prisoner advocates want Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration to prioritize commuting sentences or pardoning cases for the elderly or medically vulnerable, for FDC Secretary Mark Inch to utilize a furlough program for temporary releases during the crisis and for the Florida Commission on Offender Review to expedite compassionate medical release or parole cases.
There has been no
response from the administration.
“We’re currently asking for this once again after we’ve seen the number of prisoners with COVID-19 explode massively,” said Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach. “Each individual who is incarcerated is someone’s family, and someone’s loved one.”
Many other states have taken steps to release certain prisoners to minimize the threat of coronavirus, and the federal prison system has done this on a wider level, though many argue it’s still not enough.
DeSantis, however, has repeatedly said he does not think releases are a viable solution, and Inch has said he thinks “accelerated early release creates significant risk.” The Sentinel has reported that the review commission, an appointed three-person board that reviews medical release, has rarely utilized the option, even during the pandemic, and continued to lag in granting parole. At least 14 people eligible for parole in Florida have died of the virus, the Sentinel re