Work

"You're an inmate just deal with it": experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed uniquely dire challenges in New York City's jails. Rates of infection and fatality well exceeded those of the general population as the virus spread through congregate residences, heightening the city's status as an early epicenter. Using an inductive, grounded theory approach, we conduct 12 in-depth interviews with persons incarcerated in these jails early in the pandemic to elicit their perspectives on the carceral system's ability to deliver healthcare services and a safe residence. Participants describe concerns of overcrowding, insufficient protective equipment, and difficulty accessing healthcare through a lens of interpersonal hierarchy, illustrating how their relationships with one another and with jail staff determined their access to public health measures. The data highlight how incarceration revokes individuals' autonomy and imposes a power dependent, hierarchical relational structure. That context complicates or precludes the development of mutual trust needed for effective public health interventions. We posit entrusting external entities with health communication during a disease outbreak as a mitigation strategy.

Source: Health & Justice

DOI: 10.1186/s40352-025-00391-z

Authors: Erinn Bacchus, Sergio Rivera Rodriguez, Keith Gordon, Naomi Zewde

Institutions: The Graduate Center, CUNY, City University of New York, Lehigh University, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, University of California, Los Angeles

Language: English

Topic: Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,790