UNITED STATES (1st)

Front-End — Suspension of visitation and prison transfers; New intakes for federal prisons only if offender being held for federal government in a state or local facility; Preventative screening for prison staff

Within — Federal system-wide and state-level lockdowns; Widespread testing; Disbursement of masks, dispersal of hand sanitizer and other PPE among staff and inmates; increased sanitation; Isolation of confirmed or suspected inmates; remote legal counsel; Use of ‘field-ready’ tents to maximize social distancing; “Stay at home” policy for prison staff manifesting COVID-like symptoms, coming in contact with individuals (including inmates) that have, or are suspected of having, COVID-19

Back-End — Appx. 4.29% (N = 7,000) inmates in the federal system released to home confinement; Inmates in states such as CA, AL, CO, and MA have implemented early release (for inmates with low-level offenses or who are high-risk in terms of health)

CHINA (2nd)

Front-End —
Supplemental funding from federal and local governments to financially support prison responses to COVID-19; Suspension of family visitation; Sentence deferment (in some cases)

Within —
Dispersal of PPE; Testing; Increased efforts in providing medical care (including mental health services); Establishment of a formal reporting system (for prison staff); Suspension of alternating shifts among prison staff and replaced with consecutive periods of up to 14 days of work, followed by 14 days off; Grid-management approach; Isolation of inmates in contact with suspected cases; Quarantine of inmates with symptoms; Daily disinfection of surfaces; Maintained ventilation by opening windows; Mandated mask-wearing among prison staff; Suspension of certain prison activities

Back-End —
None

BRAZIL (3rd)

Front-End —
Suspension of family and attorney visitation; Suspension of transfers and temporary exits

Within —
Daily sanitation of cells; Increased exposure to sunlight; Isolation of symptomatic inmates; Isolation of vulnerable inmates

Back-End —
Appx. 4.6% (N=32,500) released on house arrest or electronic monitoring

RUSSIAN FEDERATION (4th)

Front-End —
Suspension of in-person court hearings (in some cases); Suspension of visitation (in some regions); Reduction in the use of pre-trial detention; Preventive screening of prison staff and visitors before admission to facility

Within —
Lockdowns (quarantining); Aggressive testing; Daily preventive sanitation and disinfection; Mask-wearing by prison staff and visitors; Isolation of infected inmates; Rotations of 14 consecutive days on and off work among prison staff; Newly admitted inmates in isolation for 20 days prior to assimilation with the general prison population

Back-End —
None

INDIA (5th)

Front-End —
Formation of high-level committees to create processes and guidelines for early release / release on bail; Prison staff preventive screening

Within —
Inmate and staff testing; Prison staff remaining on prison property to reduce the likelihood of contraction (i.e., not entering the community at large); Quarantining; Proper handling of food; Mandating daily medical check-ups for inmates above 60 years old (in some cases)7 newly admitted inmate testing and isolation

Back-End —
Appx. 14.3% (N = 68,264) inmates temporarily released either on parole for 4 – 6 weeks or on interim bail for those being held on pre-trial with offenses worth a sanction of 7 years or less8

PHILIPPINES (10th)

Front-End —
Use of videoconferencing for hearings

Within —
Improved sanitary conditions in facilities; Expanded access to medical care; Strengthened testing and contact tracing; Established isolation centers for infected inmates

Back-End —
Eased the rules on parole granting and executive clemency; Expanded compassionate release for most vulnerable inmates

MEXICO (11th)

Front-End —
Suspension of transfers; Reducing or eliminating visits; Suspended work-related activities that occurred outside of custody

Within —
Implemented policies for early detection, isolation, identification of severity, and evacuation of the seriously ill; Testing of inmates and staff; Restricted movement of people and staff inside the 525 state-level prisons, as well as suspended work and/or educational activities; Use of videoconferencing to reduce inmate trips to court

Back-End —
Amnesty for first-time, low level inmates, and/or inmates whose crimes were driven by poverty

SOUTH AFRICA (12th)

Front-End —
Reconsidering the sentencing of certain offenses and those awaiting pre-trial to incarceration; Non-arrest for certain offenses, particularly those that are lockdown-related

Within —
Designation of facilities to quarantine sick incarcerated individuals; Enhanced testing protocols for inmates and staff; Provision of PPE for inmates

Back-End —
Early release; Alterations to current sentencing policies; Engagement with community-based support

ARGENTINA (16th)

Front-End —
Suspension of educational and work activities occurring outside of prisons; restriction for on-site prison visitation; restriction on transfers

Within —
Restriction on staff per unit; controls for at-risk groups; testing for inmates and staff; health kits and PPE for inmates and staff; designated areas for isolation

Back-End —
Appx. 13% early release to probation, parole, house arrest, or other exceptional mechanisms

COLOMBIA (17th)

Front-End —
Suspension of educational and work activities occurring outside of prisons; restriction for on-site prison visitation; restriction on transfers

Within —
Restriction on staff per unit; educational campaigns regarding COVID-19; testing for inmates and staff; health kits and PPE for inmates and staff; designated areas for isolation

Back-End —
Appx. 20% released to house arrest or other exceptional mechanisms

UNITED KINGDOM (22nd)

Front-End —
Temporary suspension of visits; Suspended educational programs and non-essential work; Halted inter-prison transfers; Movement from courts to prison effectively stopped – court hearings were held remotely by video and by phone; lockdown of facilities with only essential staff permitted access to facilities

Within —
Establishment of hand washing stations and adequate supplies of soap and cleaning supplies; Distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to staff; Routine testing of prison officers; Isolated confinement of inmates for social distancing purposes; Movement from prisons to courts effectively stopped – court hearings were held remotely by video and by phone

Back-End —
Early release of some prisoners (if deemed necessary); Addition of temporary accommodations across prisons; Implementation of a “cohorting” strategy

PAKISTAN (23rd)

Front-End —
Release of pre-trial detainees on bail/surety; Police discretion to not use arrest for less serious offenses’ Pre-entrance screening for all visitors

Within —
Mass testing1; Contact tracing2; On-site containment2; Quarantine suspected cases2; Restricted mobility within jails2; Distribution of PPE to staff (e.g., Hazmat Suits, surgical gowns, surgical gloves, respirators, eye protection goggles, caps, hand sanitizers, gloves, blankets and drip sets)2; Close monitoring and distribution of high-nutrition meals to infected patients2

Back-End —
None

SPAIN (32nd)

Front-End —
Suspension of visitation, but free telephone and videoconferencing with families and attorneys; Use of pre-trial and sentencing alternatives; Electronic monitoring; Decline in the number of offenders remanded to prison by courts during the pandemic – drop of over 50% in first part of 2020 when compared to same period in 2019

Within —
All external communications and all leave exits suspended, except for reasons of force or extreme necessity; Prohibition of access to prisons of any person (volunteers, collaborating entities, etc.) who are not part of the prison staff, unless their work inside was considered essential; Suspension of teaching activity and production workshops; Suspension of inmate transfers, except for health or judicial reasons; Authorization for the inmates to stay voluntarily in their cells; Staggering of mealtimes in dining areas; Communication of mitigation efforts to inmates; Provision of PPE to inmates and staff

Back-End —
Extensive release to community– an increase of over 400% of the number of offenders on home confinement

GERMANY (33rd)

Front-End —
Courts limited their work and mainly dealt only with cases of alleged offenders being sent to pre-trial detention, reducing new prison admissions; Elimination of incarcerations for nonpayment of fines; Restricted visits by suspending all visits with personal contact; Implementation of video telephone calls

Within —
Provision of masks, hygiene products and other PPE to inmates; Establishment of quarantine areas in facilities; Restriction of inmates to cells for more hours per day; Suspension of activities such as work, re-entry programs, and recreation

Back-End —
Early release or non-execution of short-term prison sentence since March (i.e., Germany’s prison occupancy level has decreased from 83.3% to 78.7% since March 2020)

REPUBLIC OF (SOUTH) KOREA (37th)

Front-End —
Reduction of new incarceration-based sanctions; Restrictions placed on visitation

Within —
Provision of the prison population protective eyewear, clothing, and hand sanitizer; Isolation and medical examinations of those newly entering facilities

Back-End —
Modest reductions in prison populations via early release, particularly in facilities that had outbreaks

ITALY (38th)

Front-End —
Restricted access into and out of prison facilities; Substitution of phone calls or other available technology in lieu of in-person visits with relatives or third parties (other than defense lawyers)

Within —
Temporary suspension of treatment programs that involved participation from people in the local community; Curtailment of work related activities serving the facilities that involve people coming in from outside; Extended release time for those already out on leave

Back-End —
Eligible persons with 18 months or less of their sentence to serve remainder of sentence at home or at other private healthcare facilities; Expanded use of electronic monitoring for those released to the community; Measures resulted in a decrease of nearly 10% of the incarcerated population

KENYA (39th)

Front-End —
Temporary scale down of services and activities in the justice sector to curtail the number of offenders entering the system—the National Council on the Administration of Justice discouraged the arrest and detention of minor offenders; Suspension of visitation

Within —
Mandatory screening for all prison officers; Sanitization at all entry points; Regular disinfection of prison facilities; Mandatory quarantine of symptomatic inmates; Testing of all new inmates entering the prison system; Use of PPE; Maintenance of a well-organized shift system for officers

Back-End —
Aggressive program of deinstitutionalization implemented—an estimated 12,000 persons had been released from prison within a span of five months since March 2020

AUSTRALIA (43rd)

Front-End —
Suspension of visitation

Within —
Screening of inmates, visitors, and staff implemented early in pandemic; Specialized medical facilities established in some prisons; Mandatory testing of inmates and staff; 14 day quarantine of all new intakes; Physical hygiene and social distancing encouraged; Staff required to use PPE where a person was suspected of having COVID-19; Programming conducted with smaller inmate groups; Increased access to telephone and video calls

Back-End —
Accelerated rate of inmate discharges at beginning of the pandemic

CANADA (44th)

Front-End —
Provisional suspension of arrests and court proceedings for minor offenses; Preparation of protocols for the transfer and hospitalization of inmates with severe cases of COVID-19
Within —
Isolation of persons who are, or are suspected of being, COVID-positive;
Enhanced hygiene measures and of PPE; Increased training for staff to perform their roles while COVID-19 is a threat

Back-End —
Release from prison of persons with the lowest risk of recidivism, of older inmates, and of persons with health problems; Identification of infected and recovered staff who may have acquired greater immunity and could therefore be assigned to duties related to the hygiene and care of COVID-positive inmates; Release of inmates with mental health problems

CHILE (45th)

Front-End —
Expanded non-custodial sentences, to stem the flow of offenders entering Chilean prisons (e.g., probation, parole, house arrest, suspended sentences, electronic monitoring, and work release); Restriction of in-person visitation (replaced with video calling capability); suspension of educational/work activities taking place outside of prison grounds

Within —
Suspension of educational and work-related activities (in prison); Controls for at-risk groups; Prison authorities conducted preventative informational campaigns about the contagion of COVID-19; Designated spaces inside the prison for medical isolation; Implementation of in-facility testing; Restriction on staff per unit

Back-End —
Appx. 15% (N=5940) early release

EL SALVADOR (47th)

Front-End —
Family visitation and transfer rates to other facilities have decreased

Within —
Extensive use of lockdowns; Restriction of programming and activities; Early in the pandemic, the Salvadorian government renewed the focus on “sanitary protocols to prevent Coronavirus in the prison population”

Back-End —
None

GUATEMALA (57th)

Front-End —
Visits from court authorities to prison were suspended at the first report of an outbreak; suspension of family visitation

Within —
Inmate use of masks; Created a separate isolation unit with a capacity for housing nearly 500 inmates; thorough cleaning / disinfection of certain facilities; Isolation and recovery site (i.e. a hotel) established for infected prison staff

Back-End —
Early release after risk assessment based on criminal profile, age, medical conditions,
and conduct reports while in custody; 140 were approved for early release and the applications for the remaining 380 persons under consideration were still being processed

HONDURAS (66th)

Front-End —
Family visitation and transfer rates to other facilities have decreased

Within —
“Rapid testing” and quarantine of new inmates coming into facilities; Isolation of staff to prevent spread both into facilities and into their communities; PPE provided to staff; staff remain in facilities leaving only once per month;

Back-End —
Early release of high medical risk and elderly prisoners. In mid-June 2020, 1,624 prisoners as part of the measures being implemented to prevent the spread of the virus

ROMANIA (70th)

Front-End —
Restriction of new intakes during the first weeks of the pandemic; Court hearings through videoconferencing or rescheduling upcoming hearings

Within —
Certain penitentiary units were specially designated to serve as quarantine units; Monitoring and isolating of those inmates who, after an epidemiological screening, had symptoms of coronavirus infection and/or were new to a facility; Reducing staff that come into contact with inmates by 30%. Those staff remained home while accomplishing professional tasks; psychological services provided only in critical situations; Informational campaigns for inmates; disinfection of accommodation-based areas

Back-End —
None

PORTUGAL (88th)
Front-End —
Temporary suspension of visitation; Restriction on outside goods coming into facilities

Within —
Creation of specific facilities for COVID-positive inmates; Quarantine of new inmates coming into facilities; Suspension of transfers between facilities, other than in cases of security; Work activities with external entities and leisure activities suspended; Reassignment and differentiation of inmates’ daily routines to try to separate, as much as possible, inmates considered most vulnerable (e.g., aged more than 60, with immunosuppression or chronic disease such as respiratory ailments, hypertension, or diabetics); Increased testing and monitoring of staff and inmates

Back-End —
Partial pardoning of sentences for those whose sentences were less than two years, 65+ years old, having mental or physical diseases, or with degrees of autonomy that are incompatible with life in prison (N=1,289)

NEW ZEALAND (101st)

Front-End —
In person visitation suspended; Court hearings conducted by videoconference to limit inmate and staff movement

Within —
Staff regularly undergoing health screenings, temperature checks, and using PPE; New prisoners, and those who had been transported outside the facility, isolated for 14 days upon entry into the institution; Social distancing aided by lockdown protocols; Government quickly responded with mitigation strategies, such as hygiene, social distancing, and interaction procedures before any reported cases occurred in the NZ correctional system

Back-End —
None

SWEDEN (117th)

Front-End —
Cancellation of furloughs and visitation

Within —
Isolation and quarantine of new intakes; Minimizing the size of the custodial and treatment staff; Use of PPE by staff; Elimination of face-to-face contacts in probation and parole when possible; No-charge phone calls to compensate inmates for the loss of visitation and furlough as well as a way to maintain the treatment plans of many inmates who need prosocial contacts as a part of their rehabilitation; Communication with inmates to keep them informed of safety protocols

Back-End —
None