Roanoke Jail Solidarity Efforts During Covid-19
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the so-called U.S. in March 2020, we’ve outlined a case & made a firm call for decarceration (releasing all incarcerated workers) of all jails, prisons, & detention centers in Virginia, we’ve co-sponsored a petition pushing 5 *ESSENTIAL* demands for people to survive during this pandemic (including freeing the prisoners), and we held a “Free Our People Solidarity Caravan” around Roanoke City Jail on May Day (as part of the Strike 4 Our Lives Virginia effort) to let those inside hear that people care about them and to bring more attention to the urgent & serious threat to public health that jails are especially right now.
RCJ Incarcerated Worker Testimonies
We’ve also done our best to be in contact with folks locked up in RCJ and Western Virginia Regional Jail. This past week we heard back from a few of them about current conditions in RCJ and what, if any, preventative measures the pigs have been taking to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in there (names have been changed to protect identities):
Joe – “they are supplying us cleaning supplies but no mask and I am a hall trustee so am basically on the front line. we only have gloves to work in, and my time here is very short I was sentenced to 15 months and I have 10 months in already, I have 2 more months left so I’m trying to make it thru this, I have a son at home that my mom is taking care of for me, he is almost 2 yrs old. So I’m trying to get thru this, I was hoping for early release but who knows..”
Kim – “they don’t give us no type of mask at all nor do they wear any type of mask. now it is Ramadan and they don’t feed us proper portions or at the correct time which is wrong. since this crisis we are not allowed no type of movement at all. which means we can get no law library to try and fight our cases or anything..”
Bobby – “The deputies don’t always come thru to spray bleach in the bathroom. We might see them do it one time a month. I have seen only like five people in the whole jail wear a mask and they was medical personal. I think everyone should wear them that comes into this jail from the streets. Don’t cha agree?”
Yesterday, the same day local news reported that 1 person in the New River Valley Regional Jail is now confirmed to have Covid-19, we got another report from someone in RCJ, along with a couple photos, that incarcerated workers at least on the 3rd floor in pod F have finally (2 months deep into this Coronavirus pandemic) been given masks:
“Today around 9:30am we were handed a disposable mask by an officer that was not wearing a mask himself.. long overdue!! There is no social distancing. Evaluators have 10 inmates shoulder to shoulder during trustee work plus whoever is transporting and some nurse staff. There are 20 inmates in 3F. None have been tested at this point as of 10am, 5.13.20.”
Mass Release NOW!
Though we’re glad that at least some incarcerated workers at Roanoke City Jail have finally been given masks (we don’t know if everyone has), that is the bare minimum and nowhere near enough to protect public health & prevent an outbreak of Covid-19 in that inhumane institution. Even the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office website (last updated 4.9.20) highlights their serious neglect of incarcerated workers and inability to keep people safe:
“The jail is in possession of (PPE) personal protective equipment should the need arise.” [apparently the local jail doesn’t think the “need” had arisen to give people masks until 2 months deep into the Coronavirus pandemic, while all Virginia prisons already did so (via forced/slave labor of their own incarcerated workers) at the end of March 2020]
“Regarding the 10 person limitations, unfortunately with the design of our facility and the population count, that cannot be done per pod.” [they even admit they can’t follow public safety & health protocols put out by the CDC and state of Virginia for ALL PEOPLE TO FOLLOW]
“It is recommended to them if they have a cell mate, to sleep head to toe in the bunks.“ [they absurdly think this is a preventative measure]
What is needed to protect public health, as we’ve continued to call for, is mass release of all incarcerated workers, NOW!
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