One inmate used an alcohol pad that a barber had given him after a haircut to sanitize a frequently used Rikers Island jailhouse phone. A third said he and others have used diluted shampoo to disinfect cell bars and table tops. Public officials have been working to release hundreds of people in jail, but while that effort is moving forward, law enforcement officials concerned about public safety have urged caution. Inside the jails, meanwhile, inmates — including some of those waiting to be released — have been struggling to protect themselves from the virus. “You’re on top of one another no matter what you do,” said one man who was released from Rikers Island recently, who asked to be identified by his first name, Jimmy, because he feared retribution from law enforcement officials.

Source: New York Times March 30, 2020 18:52 UTC