Action on COVID-19 for South Carolina Prisons and Jails

Gov. Henry McMaster

Please sign the below petition to demand action to stop the rampant spread of COVID-19 in South Carolina’s prisons.

As the COVID-19 death toll rises the South Carolina Department of Corrections has now reported 21 prisoners who have died after testing positive for COVID-19. This high COVID-19 rate reflects a violation of prisoners’ human rights and poses a threat to public health.  

Reducing the number of people behind bars must be the number one priority. Non-violent offenders should be released. The parole process should be expedited. Another priority is improving the health conditions within South Carolina’s prisons.

The petition will be delivered to the Governor, South Carolina Department of Correction, and the State Attorney General. While the Center for Disease Control has acknowledged the danger in prisons, South Carolina has fallen short of advocating the level of decarceration that is needed to truly implement its guidelines.


Many of our jails and prisons have become hotspots of Covid-19. Research from Johns Hopkins and UCLA shows prisoners are 550% more likely to catch COVID-19, and 300% more likely to die from it than the general population.


To: Gov. Henry McMaster
From: [Your Name]

As the COVID-19 death toll rises the South Carolina Department of Corrections has now reported 21 prisoners who have died after testing positive for COVID-19 we demand immediate action.

The State of South Carolina must take immediate action to reduce COVID-19 related deaths inside our jails and prisons. This includes requiring prison staff to wear masks at all times and take other measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 among prisoners.

Legislation must be passed to guarantee adequate healthcare and testing for those already ill and those who display symptoms. In addition to providing adequate healthcare, South Carolina. We call for:

Creation of a testing protocol for prisoners and staff.

Mandate protective equipment for all staff in contact with prisoners.

Expand medical coverage to cover those in our jail and prisons.

During the pandemic we must not forget about all the people who are detained and incarcerated in correctional facilities across our state and we most work for a just and humane system.