The growing coronavirus pandemic has taken a devastating toll on lives throughout the world. Now, the United States is working to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus--cities all over the country including cities in Northern and Southern California are instituting lockdowns to try to stop the virus from spreading. The seriousness of the virus has impacted arrests and led to concerns about currently incarcerated prisoners.

Many civil rights advocates and health professionals were worried about the impact a Covid-19 outbreak could have in prison and immigration detention centers--the virus could spread quickly and there would not be adequate medical care to meet the needs. So, according to the Los Angeles Times, “deputies and police officers across the county have been directed to cite and release people whenever possible, instead of arresting them, and to seek medical clearance before booking anyone who shows symptoms [of the virus].” Additionally, the county has reduced the current prison population to try and prevent exposure to the virus.

Prisons have also taken other efforts to prevent the spread of the virus including suspending in person visits and quarantining of sick prisoners. Public defenders have asked judges to protect medically at-risk inmates from exposure by considering early release or pre-trial diversion.

There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the impact of the current coronavirus outbreak. We certainly hope you and your loved ones can stay healthy and safe. If you do have a loved one that has been arrested, the skilled criminal defense attorneys at the Kann California Law Group are still available by phone or online at any time to talk to you about your options. Contact us for a free consultation about how we can help your loved one with their defense by calling (888) 744-7730 or by filling out our online form.