COVID-19 Inmate Deaths in Prisons

target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/people/495064735/meg-anderson">NPR's Meg Anderson dug into those those records. Many high risk inmates applied for compassionate release, or Home Confinement, where they could live at home while being monitored by the prison.

But since the beginning of the pandemic nearly 300 prisoners have died from COVID-19, and almost all of them were elderly or had pre-existing conditions. What went wrong?

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The U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo., where Waylon Young Bird was when he applied for a compassionate release from prison in the spring of 2020. He had underlying medical conditions and was worried about the coronavirus pandemic. John S. Stewart/AP hide caption

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John S. Stewart/AP

The U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo., where Waylon Young Bird was when he applied for a compassionate release from prison in the spring of 2020. He had underlying medical conditions and was worried about the coronavirus pandemic.

John S. Stewart/AP

This episode was produced by Mia Venkat and Monika Evstatieva. It was edited by Fatma Tanis and Barrie Hardymon. Our executive producer is Cara Tallo.