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One of the largest single-site jails in the US grapples with 134 coronavirus cases
ABC "News" / Disney ^ | March 31, 2020 | By Bill Hutchinson

Posted on 03/31/2020 4:46:11 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

The number of detainees testing positive for coronavirus at the Cook County Jail in Chicago skyrocketed over the weekend, leaving Sheriff Tom Dart grabbling with a dilemma that runs against the very grain of a veteran lawman and former prosecutor: whether to free alleged criminals instead of keeping them locked up.

As of Monday afternoon, one of America's largest single-site jails had 134 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19, up from just 38 on Friday, Dart told ABC News. Of all the inmates tested so far only nine were negative, he said.

“This is beyond complicated," Dart said. "There was zero playbook for this stuff."

With roughly 75% of his jail's inmates there on suspicion of violent crimes, Dart said he's been working around the clock with Cook County officials, judges, probation officers and the State's Attorney's office to devise a plan from scratch on how to keep dangerous people locked up and still create space in the jail without jeopardizing the community.

Since crime hasn't been put on quarantine with the bulk of the population, Dart has also had to juggle the daily intake of more inmates while thinking of ways to secure the health of those already under his watch.

"It's like I'm running this cruise ship, but we can't disembark people. It's quite the quandary because we know we have the coronavirus, but we keep embarking more people. And I've told people you don't have the option of just shutting the door and saying, 'We're not taking any people in.' That's where the juggling part of this is so incredible. I can't tell you how many configurations and different iterations I've come up with in just the last week, let alone the last month."

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: china; jails; prisons; virus
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1 posted on 03/31/2020 4:46:11 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Best to let them all out and take law abiding citizens guns away!!!


2 posted on 03/31/2020 4:47:55 AM PDT by albie
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It’s Cook County. They’re going to let all if them out. And they’re going to do it very soon.

L


3 posted on 03/31/2020 4:48:06 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
This is beyond complicated," Dart said. "There was zero playbook for this stuff."

The people running a public facility have never planned what to do in the event of an epidemic of a contagious disease?!

That's on you and your fellow Crook County bureaucrats, Dart. Every single one of your happy @$$es should be fired.

4 posted on 03/31/2020 4:50:45 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

You mean to tell me that inmates, both the guys and the “gals”, were not practicing Social Distancing, staying 6’ away from each other, and refraining from group gang... err... congregating in large groups?


5 posted on 03/31/2020 4:52:23 AM PDT by C210N
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To: mewzilla

Note to Crook County: If you lot didn’t have a plan, you are likely in gross violation of countless federal regulations.

And I hope to God that Fedzilla makes your lives a living hell.


6 posted on 03/31/2020 4:53:04 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Is it not an excellent test site for the “let the virus run its course” scenario? For learning about reinfection? Is it not an epidemiologist’d gem?

Is it not another possible result of breaking the law and landing in jail?


7 posted on 03/31/2020 4:55:09 AM PDT by polymuser (It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and so few by deceit. Noel Coward)
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To: mewzilla

Warm weather coming, tents work.


8 posted on 03/31/2020 4:57:12 AM PDT by Mogger
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Reducing the surplus prison population


9 posted on 03/31/2020 4:57:55 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: polymuser

Some of them likely are awaiting trial, so presumed innocent, right? :-)


10 posted on 03/31/2020 5:03:09 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: Lurker

the left is insane. they want society ran over with filth and rot and those who cause it. they take EVERY chance to do this.Why? votes.


11 posted on 03/31/2020 5:04:28 AM PDT by snarkytart
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Take a large park or piece of land and build temporary cheap shelters that are separated apart fenced off. You cannot release criminals enmass. Otherwise it’s going to be civil unrest. Two more weeks and people are gonna flip out.


12 posted on 03/31/2020 5:06:18 AM PDT by HighSierra5
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

There was a story on the local Boston news last night saying that the usual suspects are filing lawsuits all over the place to get prisoners (all of whom are claimed to be in grave danger)released as a matter of racial justice. It was also revealed that the same lawsuits are seeking to have wetbacks currently being held by ICE be released as well.Knowing Massachusetts politicians...and judges...as well as I do I’ll bet that they’re successful.


13 posted on 03/31/2020 5:06:34 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (The Rats Can't Get Over The Fact That They Lost A Rigged Election)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

A desert island far out in the Pacific?

Air-drop them into China?

Just some options.


14 posted on 03/31/2020 5:08:24 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Slo-Joe Biden... puts the DEM in Dementia.)
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To: mewzilla

Well this situation is not good. I wonder about other prisons. This has the potential to be catastrophic.


15 posted on 03/31/2020 5:08:53 AM PDT by redshawk ( I want my red balloon. ( https://youtu.be/V12H2mteniE))
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To: Gay State Conservative

NYS is already releasing child rapists.


16 posted on 03/31/2020 5:09:08 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: redshawk

We need to privatize the prison system.


17 posted on 03/31/2020 5:09:42 AM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Hate to be callous about this, but sick violent criminals are probably not our principal concern right now. Heck, being sick should make that population more manageable.


18 posted on 03/31/2020 5:11:18 AM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Give them hydroxychlorquine and ZPack now! Stop the spread by curing people.


19 posted on 03/31/2020 5:13:57 AM PDT by Antipolitico
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To: Gay State Conservative

When they’re released, they can claim unemployment and get their $660+ per week too. Don’t forget their $1.200 too.


20 posted on 03/31/2020 5:16:14 AM PDT by redshawk ( I want my red balloon. ( https://youtu.be/V12H2mteniE))
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