February 1, 2021
Contact: Angelica Moody | amoody@skdknick.com
NYUJ: Total COVID-19 Positive Cases in New York State Prisons Climbs to Over 5,000; Still No Action from DOCCS
Latest DOCCS COVID-19 Data Show an estimated positive rate of 16% in the last week with total positives at 5,016
NYUJ Coalition Calls on State Officials to Join Nearby States Connecticut, Delaware, and Massachusetts and Prioritize Incarcerated People in State’s Vaccination Distribution Planning
NYUJ’s Analysis of DOCCS Data (Jan. 22 – 29, 2021)
| Total positives (all time) | 5,016 |
| Total estimated tests (all time)* | 58,973 |
| Total new positives | 321 |
| Estimated new tests | 2,684 |
| Estimated positive rate of returned tests (new positives/new positives + new negatives) | 16% |
| New deaths | 0 |
| Total deaths | 30 |
* Prior to Dec. 21, 2020, DOCCS reported the status of individuals and not tests. Following Dec. 21, 2020, DOCCS now reports in its negative column up-to-two test results per individual as well as “any test results from the Department’s routine surveillance testing.” Due to this incomplete reporting from DOCCS, NYUJ is limited to providing an estimated number of tests.
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About New Yorkers United for Justice (NYUJ)
New Yorkers United for Justice is a statewide coalition of local and national non-profit organizations committed to supporting a movement that will bring much-needed criminal justice reform to New York State and ensure that policies promote safety and fairness. NYUJ aims for legislative urgency to fix a broken criminal justice system that punishes the poor and communities of color, tears families apart, and makes New Yorkers less safe. NYUJ believes that a system that ensures equal access to justice for anyone accused in New York State, regardless of age, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or religion, must be the standard.