On April 21, over 120 Columbia University scholars, researchers, and educators released an open letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, urging his use of executive powers to immediately reduce the number of people incarcerated in New York’s prisons and jails, emphasizing the need to release elderly and infirm people and other groups of readily releasable people from New York State prisons to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus to incarcerated people and prison staff.In urging swift action, the letter also highlights disproportionate risks faced by people of color, who are more likely to be incarcerated and also work as essential staff in correctional facilities.
