Three Steps of Social Distancing in Corrections … Interview Restrictions and Extended Probation

Check-in 2020.12.31 10:00

The Ministry of Justice is raising the social distancing of correctional facilities across the country to three stages for two weeks to prevent the outbreak of a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) that began at the East Detention Center in Seoul. Inmate interviewing, work and education will be completely restricted and probation will be extended.

On the morning of the 31st, the Ministry of Justice announced the current status and countermeasures of the corona19 infection group in the correctional facilities of the Seoul Government Complex. That day, the briefing was led by Yong-gu, Vice Minister of Justice.

Vice Minister Lee apologized for the COVID-19 outbreak at correctional facilities. He said, “I apologize to the public once again that the same situation has occurred as in the Seoul East Detention Center due to prison limitations and lack of preventive quarantine measures.”

Vice Minister Lee announced that the social distancing of correctional facilities across the country will be upgraded to three stages for two weeks through January 13 of next year to prevent further corona 19 infection from occurring in correctional facilities. During this period, interviews, work and education are completely restricted. This is to minimize contact between prisoners. Interviews with attorneys are also limited.

Correctional facility employees also maintain an emergency work system and, in principle, outside activities are prohibited.

Treatment for patients confirmed by corona19 in prisons will also be strengthened. Additional transfers will be made to increase the treatment of confirmed patients through the establishment of correctional facilities and life treatment centers in the local community, and to reduce the housing density at the Seoul East Detention Center. The East Seoul Detention Center transferred 175 unconfirmed prisoners who were negatively tried to three institutions, including Seoul South Prison on the 19th, and an additional 126 people on the 30th to Gangwon North Prison.

He also decided to increase probation for inmates, those with underlying illnesses, and model prisoners. Measures are also taken to detect asymptomatic infections through rapid antigen testing of all prison staff and prisoners.

The cause of the COVID-19 group infection at the East Detention Center in Seoul, which drew attention, cannot yet come up with a clear cause. Vice Minister Lee said that the epidemiological investigation is being carried out by the quarantine authorities and that the entry route investigates both the entry of personnel and the possibility of entry of new asymptomatic prisoners.

However, ▲ the facility structure in which each floor is connected to five buildings in the form of a high-rise building ▲ Poor ventilation system ▲ A housing environment where a large number of prisoners live in a confined space ▲ Predict the possibility of infection by asymptomatic patients after the third pandemic was revealed to be the presumed cause of the failure.