People incarcerated in West Virginia’s jails and prisons are always among the most marginalized in our society, and now they are at increased risk of infection from the COVID19 virus.
ACLU-WV opposes the concept of cash bail on principle. This system was sold to the public as a way to ensure that people show up to court, but over the decades it has morphed into a system that criminalizes poverty.
People locked up right now in West Virginia’s jails and prisons are sitting ducks for infection, and many of them are there only because they cannot afford to purchase their freedom. Wealthy people accused of the same crimes are able to exercise social distancing as they await trial at home as health experts recommend.
For this reason, ACLU-WV is publicly calling on state officials to immediately consider releasing pre-trial detainees on personal recognizance.
It is inhumane and a mockery of liberty to expose people who have not yet been convicted of a crime to a deadly disease simply because they cannot afford to purchase their freedom.
ACLU-WV also reached out to officials at the state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation this week to request a meeting to determine what, if any, plans have been enacted to protect incarcerated individuals from the virus.
ACLU-WV is urging officials to immediately develop and implement evidence-based and proactive plans to prevent and manage the spread of the disease.