COVID-19: Implications of the Pandemic within the Criminal Justice System

NC CRED presents an interactive roundtable webinar with leading experts in the North Carolina public health and criminal justice systems.

The impacts of COVID-19 on the North Carolina justice system are significant, as law enforcement, jails and prisons, courts, and probation and parole are being required to shift programs and policies. People involved in the justice system are uniquely vulnerable to the virus due to crowding typical inside correctional facilities, the lack of adequate health care and access to basic sanitizing products, and higher rates of medical conditions that make them more susceptible to infection. National data indicate that African Americans are experiencing higher mortality rates due to the virus and face a double disparity as they are also disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system. African Americans represent 50% of the prison population even though they comprise 22% of the general population. It is urgent that policymakers take the public health case for criminal justice reform seriously and make necessary changes to protect people from the virus.

The webinar will explore current conditions in North Carolina and discuss actionable steps to help mitigate the adverse effects on people in North Carolina who are involved with the criminal justice system.

Presenters:
Evan Ashkin, MD, UNC School of Medicine, Director of NC Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program
Daryl Atkinson, Co-Director, Forward Justice
Ben Finholt, Director, Just Sentencing Project, NC Prisoner Legal Services
Kristie Puckett-Williams, Statewide Campaign for Smart Justice Manager, ACLU of NC
Jim Woodall, District Attorney, Orange & Chatham Counties

Moderator:
Thomas Maher, Executive Director, Center for Science & Justice, Duke Law School

Host:
Stephen Raburn, Executive Director, North Carolina Commission on Racial & Ethnic Disparities