Activists call for increased transparency on how Sac Co. Jail keeps inmates safe from virus outbreak

A group of activists say the Sacramento County Jail isn’t taking enough precautions to protect inmates from the coronavirus. People gathered outside the jail Sunday to call for transparency in how the facility is making sure inmates are safe. The activists say the inmates are not provided with soap and masks, and social distancing is not followed. “We are here today to make sure that the public is aware that this is a safety hazard, that this is a health hazard, that this is a violation of human rights,” said activist Sonia Lewis. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office sent KCRA 3 a statement in response to the demonstration. The statement read in part: “Our jails continue to be COVID-19 free, and our protocols and procedures for testing inmates as well as keeping them quarantined upon coming into our facilities has proven effective. Those protocols remain in place. Sheriff’s deputies are protectors of human rights, inside and outside the jail.”