BEACON – The grassroots group Beacon Prison Action, Tuesday, praised the Beacon City Council’s action calling for the state to impose safeguards on prison inmates to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Group lead member Laurie Dick said they are concerned about the inmates, staff and the Beacon community at-large.
“We come in contact with quite a few families that have incarcerated loved ones,” she said. “This has been an incredibly stressful period for those people not being able to see their incarcerated loved ones in person knowing that the infection rates have gotten quite high, knowing that their loved ones can’t control their own space, their own privacy, their own healthcare due to the limitations on their rights put upon them while incarcerated.”
The Beacon City Council resolution recommends COVID-19 testing for all prisoners and staff in accordance with recommendations of the public health profession; giving consideration to granting additional clemencies based on the age of the petitioner, the amount of time served, and the record of rehabilitation rather than automatic bars based on the category of conviction; increasing the release of elderly and medically vulnerable prisoners; and fully staffing the state parole board as soon as possible.
