A group of U.S. senators are urging the Department of Justice to explain the processes it is taking to prevent the youth inside juvenile detention facilities from contracting the rapidly spreading COVID-19 disease. In a letter sent to Caren Harp, the administrator in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the senators expressed their concerns over safety and health risks to the young people under custody in detention centers across the nation. They also claimed parents of incarcerated young individuals were not receiving information about their child's health. 

The senators requested for the justice department to observe transparency and publicly disclose the health measures they have taken in detention facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The letter, which was organized by Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Kamala Harris, is expecting a response by June 12. Other senators include 11 Democrats and Senator Bernie Sanders. 

Possible Outbreak

As of May 19, 2020, over 463 incarcerated youth and 534 personnel in multiple juvenile detention centers in the nation tested positive for the respiratory illness. On Wednesday, six youth and four staff were confirmed to be infected with the virus at Volusia Regional Detention Center. Miami Youth Academy has reported a total of 10 cases. In Broward Regional Juvenile Detention Center, over 12 staff members and three youths tested positive for COVID-19. 

At the Bridge City Center, the detainees are prohibited from receiving visitors as a measure to curb the virus. Since cutting off family visits in March, the center has reported over ten youths and nine staff to be infected with the virus. The facility refused to disclose information on the steps it has taken to ensure the safety of the children and to address the rapid spread of the virus. 

In Louisiana, twenty-seven youths contracted the virus as of April 14. The facilities include the Acadania Center, the Swanson Center in Columbia, and the Swanson Center in Monroe. The communal living arrangement in juvenile detention facilities makes it nearly impossible for the detainees to observe and maintain the social distancing and self-isolating guidelines recommended by federal health agencies such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The senators also claimed the spread of the virus within the facilities might further disparate the impact of COVID-19 as the majority of the youth living in detention facilities are members of the black or the Hispanic community.

Calls for Release

Defense attorneys and advocates for youth and parents have continuously called for the release of the children from the detention centers. Many medical professionals and health experts claim releasing the youth from the facilities is the "only way" to prevent an outbreak. According to health reports, children are less likely to develop severe complications. However, the youth living in the detention centers are more likely to develop pre-existing medical conditions which can lead to life-threatening coronavirus reactions. 

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