Locked up in lockdown: the devastating effect of Covid on the prison population
18 May
Confined to their cells for 23 hours a day and curbs places on education and therapy sessions. The pandemic has taken its toll on prisoners and staff, and prompted renewed warnings that many of Britain’s jails are not fit for purpose.
One thing we have learnt about Covid-19 in the last year is that it thrives in cramped, indoor spaces – and nowhere is this more the case than among jail populations.
The statistics are stark. There were 7.6 confirmed cases of the virus per 1,000 prisoners in England and Wales during the first wave, compared to 4.9 per 1,000 in the community, according to research published in