COVID-19 in American Prisons: Solitary Confinement is Not the Solution*
Nicole B. Godfrey** & Laura L. Rovner*** Full Article. Introduction I. Solitary Confinement and its Harms II. The Harms of the COVID-19 Pandemic to Incarcerated People III. Solitary and the COVID-19 Pandemic A. The Muddled Eighth Amendment Doctrine B. Deference to Prison Officials C. Resistance to Release Conclusion Introduction As of November 12, 2020, at least 182,593 people incarcerated in American prisons, jails, and detention centers have tested positive for COVID-19; 1,412 incarcerated people have died.[1] As the disease spread rapidly across the country (and world) in March 2020, public and prison health experts warned that jails and prisons could become incubators of the highly infectious disease.[2] Recognizing the risk posed to the nation’s incarcerated population, public health officials issued interim guidance meant to assist prison officials seeking to…