Read or listen to the final segment of the WBUR investigation Dying on the Sheriff's Watch: Powerful Sheriffs Rarely Held To Account As Families Fight For The Truth. When people die in a jail or prison, their family members are often left in the dark, lied to, or given incomplete information. Families’ search for truth and justice is thwarted by the legal resources of sheriffs. Holding sheriffs accountable—through lawsuits and other means—is a challenge.
COVID-19 is spreading in our nation's jails and prisons, and the health care system will not be able to handle the cases. This is the Week of Action to demand release of incarcerated people. Today’s action is to post up photos and videos using #FreeOurFamilies - take a picture or a video of yourself with a #FreeOurFamilies sign letting everyone know you want loved ones released from incarceration. If you have an incarcerated loved one, lift them up! If you are formerly incarcerated, lift up your experience and how important it is that we free our people during this crisis. If you’re an ally, lift up the message that incarcerated people are an important part of our communities, and incarcerated people deserve dignity and well-being regardless of accusation or conviction. For more info on the Week of Action and why this action is necessary, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/maweekofaction.