Title
A RESOLUTION urgently requesting the Washington state Legislature to hold a hearing on the management of COVID-19 prevention and outbreaks in Washington state Department of Corrections facilities and to initiate an independent investigation of allegations about mismanagement of COVID-19 precautions and the impacts on people currently incarcerated.
Body
WHEREAS, on June 18, 2020, the King County Board of Health adopted Resolution 20-08 declaring racism a public health crisis and committing to work to advance a public health approach in addressing institutional and systemic racism, and
WHEREAS, Resolution 20-08 expressed the Board of Health's commitment ongoing work around race and equity and being responsive to communities and residents impacted by racism, especially Black and Indigenous and People of Color, and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance on management of coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") in correctional and detention centers including a recommendation to implement a fourteen-day quarantine period, and
WHEREAS, Black, Indigenous and People of Color are incarcerated at higher rates than white communities in King County and across the nation, and
WHEREAS, Black, Indigenous and People of Color experience higher rates of COVID-19 infection than white communities, and
WHEREAS, as of February 17, 2021, throughout Washington state Department of Corrections ("WSDOC") facilities, there have been 6,117 confirmed COVID-19 cases, which is 39 percent of the average population of incarcerated people, and 14 COVID-19 deaths of incarcerated people, and
WHEREAS, in King County, WSDOC facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks included 36 cases at Bishop Lewis Work Release accounting for 73 percent of the residents, and 8 cases at Reynolds Work Release, and
WHEREAS, community advocates and families have actively organized to address the needs of incarcerated individuals in WSDOC facilities and concerns over mismanaged and de...
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