Preventing Coronavirus in Overcrowded Prisons in Indonesia

DOI

10.2991/assehr.k.210506.022How to use a DOI?

Keywords

prevention, coronavirus, overcapacity prisons, correctional official, Indonesia

Abstract

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a very dangerous virus that is classified as a respiratory disease. The spread of the Covid-19 is so rapid that more than 530.000 Indonesian people have been infected by the end of November 2020. Various methods are used by the Indonesian Government to avoid the spread of the Covid-19, but in fact the cases of the coronavirus have continued to increase drastically. The Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the nation’s prison system, causing higher rates of infection and death compared to the general population. Prisons are amplifiers of infectious diseases such as the Covid-19 because social distancing is impossible inside and movement in and out of facilities is common. Quick action is necessary for some reasons such as prison overcapacity and the fact that correctional staff and incarcerated populations are already testing positive. Some people behind bars are known to have health conditions, which makes them to be more vulnerable, and the resources required to make policy changes would have been depleted long before the pandemic peaks. Criminal justice officials have the power to reduce the number of deaths by Covid-19 by taking meaningful steps to protect people behind bars. This research analyzes the strategy taken by the correctional official in preventing the spread of the Covid-19 into overcapacity prisons in Indonesia. This is descriptive qualitative research through literature studies and articles related to Covid-19. Based on the research, 7 (seven) strategies are found in preventing the spread of Covid-19 into prisons; ceasing external visits to the prison, providing booths for spraying antibiotics and disinfectant fluids for visitors, postponing the admission of new prisoners, postponing trials, releasing the number of prisoners during the assimilation period, eliminating unnecessary face to face for coaching activities for inmates, and prohibiting the transfer of prisoners. However, there are still problems encountered in implementing these strategies such as lack of prison facilities, lack of awareness of prisoners and prison officers, and lack of community support.

Copyright

© 2021, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Ejo Imandeka
AU  - Zulfikri
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/05/08
TI  - Preventing Coronavirus in Overcrowded Prisons in Indonesia
BT  - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Law and Human Rights 2020 (ICLHR 2020)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 153
EP  - 159
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210506.022
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.210506.022
ID  - Imandeka2021
ER  -