North Carolina: Call for Phone-Zap to Demand Action Around COVID-19

Call for phone-zap to address conditions related to COVID-19 across prisons in North Carolina.

On Monday, February 1st, we are calling the NC Select Committee on Prison Safety for a phone zap around statewide COVID-19 concerns that have been reported by multiple inmates at multiple facilities.

Who to call:

Senator Bob Steinburg (chair), (919) 715-8293

Senator Danny Earl Britt, Jr., (919) 733-5651

Senator Jim Burgin, (919) 733-5748

Senator Warren Daniel, (919) 715-7823

Senator Kathy Harrington, (919) 733-5734

Senator Ralph Hise, (919) 733-3460

Senator Tom McInnis, (919) 733-5953

Senator Norman Sanderson, (919) 733-5706

Senator Toby Fitch, (919) 733-5878

Senator Mujtaba Mohammed, (919) 733-5955

Senator Natalie Murdock, (919) 733-4599

Senator Joyce Waddell, (919) 733-5650

Script:

“My name is XXX and my phone number is XXX (if you feel comfortable sharing). I am calling on behalf of Solidarity Beyond the Walls, a faith-based organization that advocates for incarcerated individuals. We are calling to protest the complete lack of action from the NC Senate Select Committee on Prison Safety in addressing the COVID-19 crisis raging through our state’s prisons. In our communication with inmates we have heard multiple instances of not enough masks or PPE, unsanitary conditions, crowding, lack of social distancing, and mixing blocks and groups of people, leading to further spread. One inmate recently informed us of a block being sent to another prison where there was a known outbreak, without any protective measures being put in place.

Solidarity Beyond the Walls and our allies demand the following:

• Comply with social distancing protocols, including reducing crowding in dorms and increasing yard time to reduce spread of COVID-19

• Avoid the mixing of inmates from different blocks or facilities, which increases spread

• Adequately test all inmates regularly, not just those who recently arrived, or who originally tested negative

• Provide inmates with adequate masks, soap, handwashing stations, and other PPE to reduce spread

Inmates across the state are in urgent need of safety as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

photo: Антон Дмитриев on Unsplash