Question 1

The ideal of the estimated 11 million prisoners worldwide having the same right to health as anyone else is almost a reality given worldwide efforts.

Accepted Answer

While there have been efforts to improve the healthcare rights of prisoners, the ideal of equal healthcare rights for all prisoners worldwide is not yet a reality. Many countries continue to struggle with providing adequate healthcare to incarcerated individuals.

Question 2

Prisons in Canada have been effective in providing masks and hand sanitizer, as well as conducting timely and accurate testing.

Accepted Answer

Despite efforts, there have been significant challenges in Canadian prisons regarding the timely provision of masks and hand sanitizer, as well as conducting accurate and timely testing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question 3

In Hungary and Latvia, new detainees were confined for a period of time to avoid spreading the virus.

Accepted Answer

Both Hungary and Latvia implemented measures that involved the confinement of new detainees to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Question 4

For those who cannot afford cash bail, incarceration is used as a noncarceral management for those arrested for suspected offences that do not pose a continuing threat to public safety.

Accepted Answer

Incarceration, even for those who cannot afford cash bail, is a form of carceral management, not noncarceral, as it involves detaining the individual in a jail or prison.

Question 5

There is already strong evidence that decarceration is an ineffective way to control COVID-19 in prisons.

Accepted Answer

Decarceration, which involves reducing the number of people in prisons, can actually be an effective measure to control COVID-19 spread within these facilities. Prisons are high-risk environments for the transmission of infectious diseases due to their crowded conditions, making social distancing difficult. By reducing the prison population, it becomes easier to implement measures that can control the spread of the virus, such as isolating infected individuals and providing better healthcare.

Question 6

Many European countries have implemented sentencing reforms such as early release, sentence postponement, increased electronic surveillance, and house arrests.

Accepted Answer

Many European countries have implemented these sentencing reforms in an effort to reduce prison overcrowding and improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Question 7

Controlling COVID-19 in prisons is critical for the protection of a medically susceptible group as well as the wider public.

Accepted Answer

This is true because prisons often have a high concentration of individuals with underlying medical conditions and limited access to medical care, making them vulnerable to COVID-19. Additionally, outbreaks in prisons can spread to staff members and their families, as well as the general population if inmates are released without proper testing and quarantine measures. Controlling the spread of COVID-19 in prisons is therefore important for protecting both the inmates and the wider public.

Question 8

Prisoners' rights should not be abused by extended solitary confinement or other methods that isolate them from the outside world.

Accepted Answer

It is a basic human right to have access to human interaction, mental stimulation, and basic needs such as food, water, and medical care. Extended solitary confinement or other methods that isolate prisoners from the outside world can have a severe impact on their mental and physical health. As such, prisoners' rights should not be abused by these methods.

Question 9

Vaccination plans don't need to prioritize the prison population, as they are already isolated.

Accepted Answer

While it is true that the prison population is isolated, they are still at risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 due to close quarters and lack of resources for proper sanitation. Therefore, some experts argue that they should be included in vaccination plans.

Question 10

What are the health conditions for prisoners and staff within Correctional Service Canada (CSC)? How do these conditions put them at risk for acquiring infectious diseases such as COVID-19?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the health conditions for prisoners...

Question 11

What is meant by an 'epidemiological pump'? How are prisons and correctional facilities at higher risk of being 'epidemiological pumps'?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is meant by an 'epidemiological pump'?...

Question 12

How can public health strategies give rise to human rights violations? How are the rights of prisoners affected by this?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can public health strategies give rise...

Question 13

Describe table 20.1. What does this represent for Indigenous and Black populations in Canada?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe table 20.1. What does this represent...

Question 14

What social inequities have come to light with the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic? How were prisons affected by it and what can be done to prevent disease outbreaks in prisons?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What social inequities have come to light...

Question 15

What are the 'Nelson Mandela Rules'? How do they protect prisoners? Explain one of these rules.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the 'Nelson Mandela Rules'? How...

Question 16

What was the reasoning behind Canadian human rights groups and a current federal prisoner filing a legal challenge against Correctional Service Canada (CSC)? What were the consequences and lessons learned from this experience and the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the reasoning behind Canadian human...

Question 17

What is your perception of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) when it comes to their treatment of prisoners? What are changes that you would like to see happening?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is your perception of Correctional Service...

Question 18

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has a large number of employees. What are your thoughts on their pre-Covid measures and current circumstances? What do you think should change for them in the near and far future?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has a large...

Question 19

What do you think of the lessons learned and policies moving forward presented in this chapter? Is there anything that you would do differently if you were in a position to do so?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do you think of the lessons...

Quiz 20: Covid-19 and Prisons: a Perfect Storm of Illness, Isolation, and Inequality