Virtual press conference: COVID-19 in Santa Rita Jail: What County Officials Can do Now
Watch a recording of the press conference here.
APTP Policy Director James Burch's talk at the press conference:
Thanks to everyone.
I'm James Burch, Policy Director of the Anti Police-Terror Project. Today I don't really feel like talking to yall as the policy nerd that I am, I feel like talking to yall as the human being that I am.
Because what I am witnessing here, and now, as a human being, is a societal lack of empathy that will lead to numerous deaths not only here, at Santa Rita Jail, but at all facilities used to warehouse human beings under our current carceral and immigration detention systems.
And I know this because while our national media is glued to what is happening in New York City, the media is not fixated on New York City’s jails, jails that are currently reporting nearly 40 infections per 1,000 people. In comparison, New York City, the epicenter of the crisis, is reporting about 5 infections per 1,000 people. That speaks directly to the inability for those behind the walls to socially distance. I am certain we will see these numbers increase, dramatically, as time moves forward.
Further, reports coming out from across the country are showing us that Black communities, communities who live in areas with high air pollution, communities who are unable to receive proper medical treatment, communities who are unable to properly nourish their bodies are all at higher risk for severe complications related to coronavirus.
So what does that tell us? For those who work in solidarity with those currently incarcerated, it tells us what we already know -- that every day we are not able to dramatically reduce the population of those facilities used to detain or incarcerate means many, many more deaths
And, more specifically, with the information we already have, that there are already confirmed cases of coronavirus inside Santa Rita, we know that a failure of DA Nancy O’Malley, the Sheriff Ahern, and all those who fail to demand immediate decarceration will lead to the deaths of our loved ones.
So while California, and the Bay Area itself have been hailed as leaders when it comes to taking decisive action when it comes to preventing the harm from this pandemic, I reject any leader who fails this test of empathy. I heard public defender Brandon Woods on KPFA this morning calling for a dramatic reduction in the Santa Rita population. We need more of the same, all day, every day, until change is brought about.
One more point I think deserves to be underscored is that the threat to those in Santa Rita remains whether we flatten the curve or not. The rate of death reported for folks with access to clean air, healthy food, and adequate medical care is dramatically lower than what we are beginning to see out of jails and prisons. So the logic that those on the outside are following regarding flattening the curve as not to overwhelm the healthcare system does not apply at all to those behind bars who face a significant chance of dying if they contract COVID-19.
So alongside the necessary sense of urgency I feel here, it is up to us to maintain this fight to decarcerate as long as it takes to get the job done.
This is a new era, and the stakes have been raised. The contradictions inherent within our criminal justice system are being laid bare before our very eyes. We, as advocates and supporters of those behind the walls have been given a sacred responsibility to fight for those behind the walls as we would our own kin, and my heart has been lifted to see so many of you rise to the challenge.
And still, with all the fight we have brought to the fore, we still have a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in front of us. So I ask you all to be kind to yourselves as we continue to put one foot in front of the other on the road to liberation.
Thank you.