Research Proposal

Alexandra Niblo
11/4/20

The Treatment of Prisoners Due to COVID-19

Introduction
A fever, a cough, a loss of taste and smell, and shortness of breath are likely
symptoms of having COVID-19. Being traced back to Wuhan, China, in December of
2019, it has become a pandemic and has affected everyone around the world (CDC,
2020). As COVID-19 continues to spread, each country is trying to control the spread in
their own way. COVID-19 spreads fast when one comes to close contact with a carry of
the virus, and due to prisons holding people in tight quarters, prisons around the world
have started to release inmates in an effort to slow and contain the spread of COVID-
19.
This has caused outrage over the certain types of inmates released, with some
being the releasement maximum security inmates. Inmates that are released from
prison have now been placed on house arrest and it has caused problems with the
supervision and control of inmates while at home. Not only are inmates being released,
but the intake of inmates and trials have decreased. Court systems are backed up and
with everyone having the right to a speedy trial, suspects of crimes, including those of
rape, civil liberities are being violated dropping the suspects alleged crimes. While
COVID-19 continues to affect the world, it should not suspend the justice system and
inmates convicted of maximum security crimes should not be released.
Literature Review
As COVID-19 continues to strike all over the world, more and more inmates are
being released. In Italy, depending on one’s age or length left to serve determines which
inmates may be released from prison and put on house arrest. As this did bring the
number of inmates within prison walls down, maximum security prisoners were being
released due to age. Mob bosses Francesco Bonura, Vincenzino Iannazzo, and
Pasquale Zagaria were all granted house arrest due to their age. While in prison, all
three were in isolation under the “41-bis” program. This caused rage due to the fact that
the program was designed to have no contact to the outside world and other inmates
while serving time behind a bulletproof glass. This secured the health of all three
inmates and protected them from possible exposure, but they were still granted house
arrest (Povodelo and Bubola, 2020).
After a suspect's arraignment, a trial must take place within the next six months.
Due to COVID-19, the court system was put on hult and is now backed up, but is behind
on trials, going against one's right to a speedy trial. With this right being violated,
suspects cases have been dropped no matter the offense including those of rape
(Gazette, 2020).
Research Questions
This research will serve to answer three main questions:
● How have prison systems worldwide been affected due to the outbreak of
COVID-19?
● Why is there outrage over the releasement of certain inmates due to COVID-19?
● How has COVID-19 affected the justice system?
Method
This research will be about how prisons all over the world have been dealing with
the spread of COVID-19 and how the justice system has been struggling. Through
databases and credible sources, information will be gathered to show the struggles and
worries created from this virus. Findings will be reviewed and summarized in three
sections:
● How prison systems have been affected worldwide due to COVID-19
● Why there is outrage over the releasement of certain inmates
● How COVID-19 has affected the justice system
Discussion
By researching how the prison system is being affected due to COVID-19, why
there is outrage due to the releasement of certain inmates, and how the justice system
has been affected by COVID-19, it shows how the treatment of inmates is taken into
consideration. While the health of inmates has been cared for and certain inmates have
been released, there seems to be a lack of thought on how the safety of the public is
being compromised due to the backup of the justice system and releasement of
inmates. This research is necessary in order to shine light on an issue that has not been
publicized to the public eye as much as it needs to be while COVID-19 has affected
everyone worldwide.
References
CDC. (n.d.). About COVID-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved
September 1, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/cdcresponse/about-COVID-19.html
Crider, B., & Drysdale, B. (2020 Apr 30). Prisoners Deserve Attention to Health, but Not
Mass Release. Yakima Herald-Republic.
Povoledo, E., & Bubola, E. (2020 May 13). In Italy, Some Fear the Virus Is a Get-Out-of-
Jail Card for Mafiosi. New York Times (Online).

Grade Exceeds Meets Approaching Lacking

Components Expectations Expectations Expectations

Overview/ Paper has a The opening The intro vaguely The introduction
Introduction (10) descriptive title. introduces introduces the doesn’t really
The overview everything but topic. A title is match the topic
captures the lacks an attention- missing or and focus of the
reader’s attention, grabbing opening. generic. rest of the paper.
indicates the The title is a little
intended vague.
audience, and
provides a brief
overview of the
proposal.

Literature The literature The literature The literature The literature

Review (20) review is very review is relatively review is simplistic review covers
(Information on the comprehensive comprehensive and describes irrelevant material
topic) and describes and describes some relevant or is missing.
relevant material. most relevant material
material.

Research Specific research Research Some research No research

Questions (10) questions are questions are questions are questions are
included in the included in the included in the included in the
proposal and they proposal, and their proposal, but they proposal.
are directly connection to the are unconnected
connected to the material reviewed to the material
material reviewed in the introduction reviewed in the
in the introduction. is good. introduction.

Methodology A methods section A methods section A methods section No methods

(10) clearly presents is present, and is present, but section is included
(procedure clearly the researcher’s only a few numerous in the proposal or
described, a plan, and the elements of the elements of the many key
comprehensive list of section is missing methods are methods are elements of the
source material none of the key absent or absent or methods are
provided, method(s) of elements of the described described absent.
analysis discussed, methods. insufficiently. insufficiently.
ethical issues
considered)

Discussion (10) A broad range of Some important Some implications No potential

implications are implications are are discussed, but implications of the
discussed that discussed, which they are not proposed study
connect directly to are connected to strongly are discussed.
the proposed the proposed connected to the
study and why it is study. proposed study.
necessary.

Works Cited: A properly An MLA Works An MLA Works No MLA Works

(10) formatted MLA Cited is attached Cited is attached Cited is attached
(2 database sources Works Cited which which meets all but it does not or only URL’s are
+ 1 other credible meets all requirements, but meet all source listed.
source) requirements is it contains 1 or 2 requirements and
 attached. formatting issues. contains
formatting issues.

Quality of Proposal exhibits Proposal exhibits Proposal exhibits Proposal exhibits

Diction/Writing sophisticated adequate diction, simplistic diction inappropriate
diction, clear and is easy to with little sentence diction, sloppy
(20) concise writing understand, and variety. writing and
with effective includes some sentence structure
sentence variety. sentence variety. issues..

Grammar, Writing observes Writing generally Writing has Writing poorly

Usage, & the grammatical observes the several observes the
conventions of grammatical mechanical errors grammatical
Mechanics (10) standard written conventions of and readability conventions of
English. Paper is standard written problems. standard written
free from English. Paper English.
distracting has a few
mechanical errors distracting
(grammar, mechanical errors.
spelling, and
punct). One or two
minor typos exist
but are not overly
distracting.

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