The number of “third-grade” prisoners who are serving their sentence at home has more than doubled due to the COVID-19 crisis. Before the crisis, there were 2,000 prisoners who were given home confinement rather than being imprisoned. As a result of the pandemic, another 2,200 have also been sent home full-time over the course of eight days. Since there are no tracking bracelets or other electronic means to follow their movements, oversight is performed by phone with an official making calls to check their whearabouts.
There are still another 4,000 “third-grade” detainees who must report to their prisons daily and who could, therefore, be given full home confinement to further reduce prison congestion.
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