BOSTON (WHDH) - Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced Thursday that she is working on a plan to release low-risk prisoners who are vulnerable to being infected with the coronavirus.
“District Attorney Rollins is working to make sure that individuals held in custody who are vulnerable because of their health, age, socio-economic status, or circumstances, but pose no meaningful risk to public safety are released from custody,” Rollins’ Office said in a statement.
There will be circumstances where the risk to public safety outweighs any justification for release, she said.
“While Americans across the country are being encouraged to self-isolate, members of our incarcerated population are, by definition, doing the exact opposite with no alternative options,” the statement read. “We need to seriously consider pathways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for our incarcerated populations, the overwhelming majority of which will return to our communities at some point in the future.”
At this time, Rollins says her office is in contact with the criminal defense bar to identify individuals whose release is urgent and necessary for public health reasons.
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