Coping with prisons? COVID-19 and the functioning of the Polish prison system

Purpose - The aim of this article is to explain the phenomenon of low incidence of COVID-19 in Polish prisons. I am trying to answer three questions: was the Polish prison system ready to respond to the threats posed by COVID-19, what action has it taken against this, and with what effect. Design/methodology/approach - I conducted an analysis of the current condition of the Polish prison system, the facts signaled in the prisoners' complaints, the interventions of the Ombudsman, and the bulletins of the Central Board of the Prison Service. I have juxtaposed this knowledge with the opinions of experts in epidemiology and medicine and the changes introduced in the law on prisoners. Findings - During the COVID-19 epidemic – despite serious chronic problems in the Polish penitentiary system – the statistics indicated 24 infected, and no one died. With regard to the statistics of non-prison cases, the result was extremely low. Research limitations/implications - Given the newness of the problem, the conflicts of different interests, the "double" isolation of prisons (penal and epidemiological) and the reluctance of their administration to provide information about what is happening behind prison walls, researchers must rely on statistics and subjective contacts with prisoners, for example by investigating their complaints. Practical implications - As a result of the research, I believe that the transparency of institutions such as prisons should be ensured, which is primarily expressed in the provision of information to convicts and the public on the methods adopted to prevent epidemics and deal with convicts. Originality/value - The value of this paper is to show how prisons have managed in a new, exceptional situation to balance the right to health and personal safety of convicts and warders with the right to contact with the outside world and humane living conditions in a closed and doubly isolated space. The findings presented will add value to the knowledge of the ways and effectiveness of the prison administration's reactions in the emergency state of epidemics.