Prayer for Fair Treatment of Inmates in US Jails

Lord, let there be justice.

Welcome back to Weekly Prayer, a newsletter for today’s rapidly changing world. Today, we will cover Reuters’ investigation into death rates in US jails and pray for the fair treatment of inmates.

News Item: Reuters Report Reveals Death Rate is Rising in US Jails

Two days ago, Reuters published a rather alarming report. Using data from all US jails with more than 750 inmates plus the top 10 jails or jail systems in most states, the Reuters team concluded that the death rate at jails surveyed rose by 35% over the decade ending last year.

One of the points that was especially surprising about this report was that about two-thirds of the deceased inmates were still waiting for their day in court; in other words, they had not been sentenced as guilty for their crimes. Peter Eisler from US News articulates the situation well by saying “The toll of jail inmates who die without a case resolution subverts a fundamental tenet of the US criminal justice system: innocent until proven guilty.”

According to US News, “there are no enforceable national standards to ensure jails meet constitutional requirements for inmate health and safety. Only 28 states have adopted their own standards to fill the gap. And much of the oversight that does exist is limited by a curtain of secrecy . . . The secrecy has a cost: Local policy makers can’t learn if their jails’ death rates are higher than those in similar communities. Groups that advocate for inmates’ rights can’t get jail-by-jail mortality data to support court cases.”

Prayer: Fair Treatment of Inmates in US Jails

“Lord, upon recognizing many of the injustices that happen in our jail system, today we want to pray for the fair treatment of inmates. Illuminate our political figures so we can begin to ensure health and safety for our less fortunate brothers and sisters, many of whom are innocent, who currently find themselves incarcerated. Let there be justice. Amen.”

Thanks for reading Weekly Prayer. If you enjoyed reading this newsletter, share it with your friends and ask them to subscribe.

See you all next week.

Hernán