1 in 5 prisoners in the US has had COVID-19; 1,700 have died Beth Schwartzapfel And Katie Park Of The Marshall Project And Andrew Demillo Of The Associated Press Associated Press Tags: A no trespassing sign is displayed outside the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Ind. (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Marshall Project exploring the state of the prison system in the coronavirus pandemic. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as high as the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.