An Examination of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Prisons and Jails Throughout Asia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article highlights regional variation in the extent of COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons throughout Asia. Stark differences in the utilization of front-end, in-prison, and back-end mitigation strategies designed to prevent and control COVID-19 outbreaks in these prison systems are identified. We conclude by offering our assessment of the nature and (true) extent of COVID-19 outbreaks within countries and across the region; and in the process, we offer a tentative explanation for the large variation we have found in the response to reported COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons and communities across Asia.