Philly inmates ‘scared for their lives’

With little opportunity to socially distance, the coronavirus is spreading in Philly's four jails. There are more cases in those facilities than in all of Pa.'s state prisons.

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The county correctional complex on State Road in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

The county correctional complex on State Road in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

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So far, more than 130 incarcerated people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Philly’s four jails and at least one inmate has died. That’s more than the number of cases in every state prison in Pennsylvania combined. Now, the ACLU is suing the Philly jails for their handling of the pandemic, which may mean they have to release more inmates.

Guest: Max Marin, reporter for WHYY’s Billy Penn

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