Inmates in Santa Clara County's Main Jail went on a hunger strike this week to protest the jail's largest COVID-19 outbreak since the pandemic's start in March.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office reported 109 new COVID-19 cases. That same night, the hunger strike began in the Main Jail's 7B wing to protest unsanitary living conditions and lack of policy that prisoners believe have led to the outbreaks.
One of the 40-plus inmates participating in the hunger strike in 7B, Ceaser Torres, said the hunger strike is the only way to get the change inmates so desperately need.
"It seems that the jail and the facility to the Sheriff's Office doesn't really take us seriously unless we do something extreme," Torres said.
The 7B unit was the site of a COVID-19 outbreak in December, which coincided with an indoor private party of multiple unmasked correctional deputies and supervisors that surfaced on Facebook.
"I think the outbreak is the result of utter negligence of jail administration and staff. That or just institutional ineptitude to do the basic responsibilities," Raj Jayadev, co-founder of grassroots community organization Silicon Valley De-Bug said. "And the thing I'll point to is these photos of correctional officers throwing a party."
Jayadev said all the jail outbreaks likely originate with staff since they are the only ones leaving and entering the jails.
Valle said the latest December outbreak in 7B was the second outbreak in that housing unit since March. Wednesday's new report showing 109 active positive cases is comprised of all the county's jails.
By Friday, the active case count jumped to 127 new cases in the county since Jan. 5 — accounting for a quarter of the 501 cumulative jail infections since March.
In response to the significant outbreaks, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has been working with public defenders to facilitate additional releases that could start as early as next week.
"When COVID first happened in March, we put together a team that actually really quickly ended up with about a one-third reduction in the jail population," Assistant District Attorney David Angel said. "So we've kind of pulled the same team together again now."
Angel said the releases were a success because they were able to significantly reduce the jail capacity without seeing an increase in recidivism rates or spikes in crime.
— Bay City News