TX Prisons, Jails Labeled ‘Worst Covid-19 Hotspots’ in the U.S.

According to a report released by the University of Texas, inmates and staff who have been infected or have succumbed to Covid-19 in Texas correctional facilities are higher than that of any other state’s criminal justice system in the country.

With 231 deaths attributed to Covid-19 among inmates and staff in Texas correctional facilities, the statistic shows that the infection rate for those behind the walls is 490% higher than that of the state’s general population.

The report also states that nine inmates who were approved to be released on parole died from Covid-19 before they could reach their conditional release date.

“Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on prisons and jails across the country and especially in Texas,” said Michele Deitch, the study’s lead author and a criminal justice policy expert at the University of Texas. He says the report shows “the urgency of taking steps to reduce the risks of additional COVID deaths in Texas prisons and jails.”