Data Collection and Reporting
Using jail population data, county-level aggregate data, and policy intervention data, this study examines the association of jail decarceration and anticontagion policies with COVID-19 rates. This study adds a unique contribution to the discussion of incarceration and disease spreading, as it is the first to examine the effects of decarceration on population-level community health outcomes. The authors compare anticontagion policies within jails throughout the United States to other community policy interventions such as stay-at-home orders, nursing home visitation bans, school closures, and mask mandates. Additionally, the study analyzes four demographic subsets including income, population density, and median proportion of populations identifying as Black. The results showed that an 80% reduction in jail incarcerations would decrease disease spreading in both the prison system and the community, and was more effective than any other community policy intervention.