Prisons Are Overwhelmed With COVID-19. Why Aren’t Governors Doing More?
JULY 17, 2020 – Read more about the urgent need for governors to decarcerate prisons in this op-ed in The Appeal by San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky. Over half of our nation’s COVID-19 deaths and infections among people incarcerated and working in local, state and federal correctional and detention facilities in the United States are in state prisons, and these facilities are hot spots for the pandemic. This op-ed underscores the universal failure of governors to address this crisis, and the need for immediate action to avoid further illness and death.
“How governors respond to this pandemic will define their legacy. They all face a choice: save lives in prisons now, or hand down potential death sentences with their inaction and watch harm ripple through communities and exacerbate inequities into future generations.”
As Pandemic Continues, Safe Injection Sites Could Save More Lives
JULY 8, 2020 – In this op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss the urgent need for the lifesaving services provided by overdose prevention sites (OPS) in the wake of multiple public health crises that our nation is now facing. An OPS like Safehouse in Philadelphia is a proven harm reduction strategy that saves lives, promotes trust in the justice system, and reduces the adverse impact of substance use disorder.
“America is facing three deadly epidemics: the opioid overdose crisis, COVID-19, and the systemic assault on Black lives. And as we collectively seek to envision a more humane and equitable response to substance use, overdose prevention sites are an important place to start.”
Tragedy of COVID-19 in Prisons Shows Need for Decarceration
JULY 1, 2020 – The rapid spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons is a racial justice issue. In this San Francisco Chronicle op-ed, 16th Circuit Court of Mississippi (Columbus) District Attorney Scott Colom and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss the importance of continued decarceration in order to protect Black lives both behind bars, as well as the entire community. As the explosion of infections within San Quentin Prison demonstrates, the cost of inaction is catastrophic.
“As countless Americans take to the streets in defense of Black lives and call for the transformation of policing, we must not neglect the threat that COVID-19 continues to present and the urgent need for immediate decarceration.”
Criminal Justice Reform is on the Ballot Across America
MARCH 25, 2020 – In recent years, a growing number of reform-minded prosecutors have been elected to lead long overdue change in the justice system. In just a few short years, they have had a significant impact by deferring and deflecting cases that needn’t be in the justice system, moving away from past “tough on crime” approaches, and creating a new vision for what justice looks like in the 21st Century. In a Los Angeles Daily News op-ed, Director of the Prosecutors and Politics Project Carissa Byrne Hessick and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss a new report that underscores the immense impact a relatively small number of prosecutors can have on reform and why voters must not ignore these critical down ballot races.
“More than a quarter of the US population lives within just 35 prosecutor districts, and more than half the population lives in just 147 districts. We do not know how the 2020 prosecutor elections will play out in November… [b]ut races lower down the ballot will be the ones to chart the future of criminal justice policy for millions of Americans.”
COVID-19’s Threat to Millions of Incarcerated People Must Be Addressed
MARCH 21, 2020 – As our nation grapples with the global pandemic of COVID-19, it is imperative that we not forget the 2.3 million adults and children detained by local, state and federal authorities in America’s prisons, jails and immigration detention centers. In this Salon op-ed, Portsmouth, VA Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Morales, District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss why these populations are so vulnerable during this public health crisis and the commonsense reforms that can be implemented – and should be championed by elected prosecutors – to ensure the health and safety of the entire community.
“It is in times such as these that our moral compass is tested; let us hope – for the health and safety of our entire community – that we pass that test.”