Manistee County Jail releases inmates amidst coronavirus prevention

Manistee County Jail releases inmates amidst coronavirus prevention 

Manistee County Jail releases inmates amidst coronavirus prevention 

Pierce County demands more strident coronavirus prevention at long-term care centers No result found, try new keyword!Pierce County Health Department on Thursday issued an advisory and guidance to providers about the growing number of COVID-19 cases at local health care facilities. On Friday, in response to questions ...

By Arielle Breen, Staff Writer Published 2:36 pm CDT, Friday, April 3, 2020 "By releasing these inmates early, (we) will not only help mitigate the spread, but will free up valuable quarantine space for new inmates coming into our facility," Manistee County Jail Administrator Lt. Chris Banicki said in an email Thursday. less "By releasing these inmates early, (we) will not only help mitigate the spread, but will free up valuable quarantine space for new inmates coming into our facility," Manistee County Jail Administrator Lt. Chris ... more "By releasing these inmates early, (we) will not only help mitigate the spread, but will free up valuable quarantine space for new inmates coming into our facility," Manistee County Jail Administrator Lt. Chris Banicki said in an email Thursday. less "By releasing these inmates early, (we) will not only help mitigate the spread, but will free up valuable quarantine space for new inmates coming into our facility,"

 Manistee County Jail Administrator Lt. Chris ... more Manistee County Jail releases inmates amidst coronavirus prevention   MANISTEE COUNTY — Lt. Chris Banicki, Manistee County Jail administrator, said in an email Thursday that the jail is in the process of releasing inmates to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19. As of Thursday, the jail had released four inmates and Banicki said he would anticipate another five to eight more would be released over the next few days. “We are currently working with Manistee County (19th) Circuit and (85th) District courts along with the Manistee County Prosecutor’s Office and Public Defenders office to expedite early releases of certain inmates,” Banicki said. He said the inmates being released are “classified as nonviolent, nearing the end of their sentence or with underlying health issues.” “By releasing these inmates early, (we) will not only help mitigate the spread, but will free up valuable quarantine space for new inmates coming into our facility,” Banicki said. “We have been working close with our jail’s medical provider and have developed a procedure that all new subjects being lodged into our facility will go through a 14-day quarantine before being classified to general population.” The Manistee County Jail can hold 80 inmates and had usually seen between 30 to 50 at a time, he said. Banicki said the jail is also looking at the potential of reduction in bonds for certain inmates who are currently unsentenced. Sunday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an executive order that deals with jail and juvenile detention center populations and protecting inmates from COVID-19 in close quarters. It also gives more flexibility for jails to release “vulnerable populations who do not pose a threat to public safety,

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and orders the State Budget Office to immediately seek a legislative transfer so that jails may be reimbursed for lodging prisoners who would have been transferred to MDOC if not for that suspension of transfers.” The order encourages protocol for risk reduction for jails based on what Michigan Department of Corrections facilities had adopted. “In addition, to combat the spread of COVID-19, the order also temporarily suspends transfers into and from MDOC facilities until risk-reduction protocols are adequately in place, suspends provisions of the Jail Overcrowding Emergency Act to allow local officials more flexibility in releasing vulnerable populations who do not pose a threat to public safety, and orders the State Budget Office to immediately seek a legislative transfer so that jails may be reimbursed for lodging prisoners who would have been transferred to MDOC if not for that suspension of transfers,” reads part of a news release on the order. “The order also makes strong recommendations for juvenile detention centers across the state to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 in those facilities.” As of Thursday afternoon, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services had reported one case of COVID-19 in Manistee. That person had earlier been identified last month as a staff member for Manistee Catholic Central Schools and priest for Divine Mercy Parish. In the release from Whitmer’s office, certain protocol were emphasized such as: • Screening everyone who enters or leaves a facility, including staff, offenders and vendors. • Restricting all visits, except for attorney-related visits. • Limiting off-site appointments except for urgent or emergency medical treatment. • Developing and implementing a protocol for incarcerated persons with COVID-19 symptoms. • Providing appropriate personal protection equipment to all staff as recommended by the CDC to the fullest extent possible. • Instituting stringent cleaning of all areas and surfaces on a regular and ongoing basis. • Ensuring access to adequate personal-hygiene supplies. • Practicing social distancing in all programs and classrooms. • Minimizing crowding. Whitmer said, “The health and safety of all Michiganders remains our top priority during this public health crisis and that includes those incarcerated in our jails and juvenile detention centers. … It is challenging for inmates and employees to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, and this Executive Order will put commonsense protocols into place to protect our jail and juvenile detention center populations.” Prior to press time Thursday afternoon, the News Advocate had not learned if any inmates at the Manistee County Jail had tested positive for COVID-19.

Pierce County demands more strident coronavirus prevention at long-term care centers
No result found, try new keyword!Pierce County Health Department on Thursday issued an advisory and guidance to providers about the growing number of COVID-19 cases at local health care facilities. On Friday, in response to questions ...