BRIEFING: What the Justice System Should Do in Response to Covid-19 (in 6 languages)
International guidance on Covid-19, human rights, justice and prisons
Guidance on how to respond to Covid-19 in detention and in the community for governments from UN bodies, transnational organisations and major international medical NGOs
UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS and OHCHR joint statement on Covid-19 in prisons and other closed settings: https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/20200513_PS_covid-prisons_en.pdf
ICRC: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/protecting-prison-populations-infectious-disease
UNODC: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/covid-19.html (general) and https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/MoS_Children_in_detention_COVID-19.pdf (specific focus on children in detention)
UNICEF/Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action: https://alliancecpha.org/en/child-protection-online-library/technical-note-covid-19-and-children-deprived-their-liberty
OHCHR: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/COVID19Guidance.aspx
Council of Europe (Europe only): https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/covid-19-pandemic-urgent-steps-are-needed-to-protect-the-rights-of-prisoners-in-europe
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT): https://rm.coe.int/16809cfa4b
Worldwide Prison Health Research & Engagement Network: https://wephren.tghn.org/covid-19-prisons-and-places-detention/
Universally applicable guidance & resources
Universally applicable policy tools for justice administrations and planners working on responding to Covid-19 in their jurisdiction
Expert Report: Covid-19 and prisons in England and Wales by Professor Richard Coker MB BS, MSc, MD, FRCP, FFPH commissioned by The Howard League for Penal Reform and Prison Reform Trust (England & Wales): https://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020_04_01_COKER_Report_HL_PRT.pdf
Policy Briefing: Reducing the Prison Population from the Jesuit Centre for faith and Justice: https://www.jcfj.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/FINAL-COVID-19-Reducing-Remand-Population-.pdf
Statement by Professor Andrew Coyle at teleconference on Covid-19 in prisons in Latin America: https://www.prisonstudies.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/20.03.23_ac_introduccion.pdf
Justice for All and the Public Health Emergency by Pathfinders: https://bf889554-6857-4cfe-8d55-8770007b8841.filesusr.com/ugd/6c192f_1e8d8e91cfec4098b7b26db9cd296d30.pdf
The Expert Network on External Prison Oversight and Human Rights: https://files.constantcontact.com/d0a15046701/d8da3387-95af-4d84-a29d-0dd09efe7359.pdf
COVID-19: Why Are Prisons a Particular Risk, and What Can Be Done to Mitigate This? from Social Science for Humanitarian Action Platform: https://www.socialscienceinaction.org/resources/covid-19-prisons-particular-risk-can-done-mitigate/
Reducing Overcrowding in Pre-Trial Detention and Prison in the Context of COVID-19 from DignityDK: https://www.dignity.dk/en/nyheder/reducing-overcrowding-in-pre-trial-detention-and-prison-in-the-context-of-covid19/
Summaries of international activity
Some of the most comprehensive summaries of news, data and policy developments in justice systems with regard to Covid-19 around the world
Justice Project (Pakistan based): https://www.jpp.org.pk/covid19-prisoners/
World Prison Brief at ICPR (UK based): https://www.prisonstudies.org/news/news-covid-19-and-prisons
Europe Prison Observatory (Europe only, Italy based): http://www.prisonobservatory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32:covid-19-what-is-happening-in-european-prisons
International Corrections and Prisons Association (Belgium based): https://icpa.org/covid-19-information/
Prison Insider (France based): https://www.prison-insider.com/en/articles/coronavirus-la-fievre-des-prisons
EuroPris: European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services (Europe only, Netherlands based): https://www.europris.org/covid-19-prevention-measures-in-european-prisons/
Las prisiones ante el COVID-19 (Spain based): https://covid19prisons.wordpress.com/
University of Helsinki (Finland based): https://blogs.helsinki.fi/gulagechoes/2020/04/01/coronavirus-in-prisons-a-global-perspective-tracking-policy-responses-releases-and-riots/#more-311
Global Access to Justice Project (Global): http://globalaccesstojustice.com/impacts-of-covid-19/
Harm Reduction International (Global): https://www.hri.global/covid-19-prison-diversion-measures (summary of prison population reduction schemes, promise vs reality)
International campaigns
Global NGOs campaign activity around human rights in the context of Covid-19 in places of detention
Human Rights Watch (with reference to Asia): https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/06/asia-reduce-prison-populations-facing-covid-19
Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2020/03/covid-19/
Medicins Sans Frontieres: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/content/covid-19-coronavirus
International Drug Policy Consortium (with reference to SE Asia): https://idpc.net/publications/2020/04/covid-19-prisons-and-detentions-in-southeast-asia
Dignity – Dansk Institut Mod Tortur: https://dignity.dk/en/nyheder/global-guidance-and-recommendations-on-how-to-prevent-and-manage-covid-19-in-prisons/
OMCT – World Organisation Against Torture: https://www.omct.org/files/2020/04/25784/omct_covid19_prisonsresponse_en.pdf
A Call to Action from Former Ministers, Attorneys-General, and Senior Judges – Justice Leadership in a Pandemic: https://www.globaldashboard.org/2020/04/29/a-call-to-action-from-former-ministers-attorneys-general-and-senior-judges/
Case studies of justice system responses to Covid-19
The purpose of this section is to illustrate the kinds of actions justice administrations have taken, rather than be any kind of exhaustive news summary
Selected examples of judicial leadership (sentencing changes / reduction of custodial remand / bail)
Kenya: https://www.justice-defenders.org/news/clients-released-during-kenya-judiciary-review-of-sentences
India (Maharashtra): https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/article31183492.ece
USA (Ohio): https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2020/03/9573002/coronavirus-in-jail-prisoners-released
USA (Tennessee): https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21124588/tennessee-supreme-court-orders-local-judges-to-reduce-jail-populations
Australia (Victoria): https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/justice-dispensed-swiftly-as-magistrate-moves-with-interesting-times-20200325-p54dr8.html
Selected examples of early release / alternative community supervision
Northern Ireland: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-ireland-prisoners-release-staff-shortage-a9435626.html
Republic of Ireland: https://www.thejournal.ie/prisoners-released-coronavirus-charlie-flanagan-5052634-Mar2020/
USA (Pennsylvania): https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-department-of-corrections-to-establish-temporary-program-to-reprieve-sentences-of-incarceration/
USA (New York): https://www.courtinnovation.org/publications/Rikers-early-release
Selected examples of amnesties
National guidance & resources
The resources gathered here are from national organisations. It’ll be added to and expanded as time goes on. As it stands, most of these resources are based on principles which are applicable internationally.
Irish Penal Reform Trust (Ireland): https://www.iprt.ie/latest-news/iprt-and-covid-19/
Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté (France): https://www.cglpl.fr/2020/covid-19-en-prison-des-mesures-gouvernementales-insuffisantes/
Howard League for Penal Reform (England & Wales): https://howardleague.org/our-response-to-covid-19-and-prisons/ and https://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/YA-Covid-19-Briefing-FINAL.pdf (young adults in prison)
Nacro (England & Wales): https://www.nacro.org.uk/news/nacro-comments/nacro-covid-19-and-keeping-people-in-the-criminal-justice-system-safe/
Prison Policy Initiative (USA): https://www.prisonpolicy.org/virus/index.html
The Marshall Project (USA): https://www.themarshallproject.org/tag/coronavirus
The Justice Collaborative (USA): https://thejusticecollaborative.com/2020/04/report-polling-bipartisan-support-juvenile-detention-covid-19-pandemic/
Think Justice 