No New Coronavirus Cases At Barnstable County Jail

BOURNE, MA — Halfway into June and Barnstable County Jail hasn't seen a single new case of the coronavirus among its inmate population.

So far, the jail has been able to avoid major outbreaks of COVID-19 with just two correctional officers and a staff member testing positive for the virus since April 5, according to state officials. No inmates at Barnstable County Jail have contracted the coronavirus.

The number of inmates at the state's correctional facility in Barnstable County has dropped 17 percent to 162 from 195 on April 5, when a sweeping court order allowed the release of nonviolent offenders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. There were no releases under the order in the most recent report.

The ruling said people charged with most crimes should be released without bail "unless an unreasonable danger to the community would result, or the individual presents a very high risk of flight." The ruling lets people currently serving sentences of 60 days or fewer to file motions to have their sentences revised or revoked.

Across Massachusetts, 1,030 prisoners have been released from county jails under the order, including 20 in Barnstable County. The court order also said most inmates should be released on personal recognizance while awaiting trial, which factors into the 19.9 percent drop in Essex County's three holding facilities.

The ruling also ordered the Department of Corrections and parole board to speed up the process for paroling prisoners "and to identify other classes of inmates who might be able to be released by agreement of the parties, as well as expediting petitions for compassionate release."