The Legal Aid’s Society COVID-19 Infection Rate Tracker was featured on MSNBC’S The Rachael Maddow during a segment about the virus exploding at jails and prisons around the country.

In March, Legal Aid began tracking and publishing regular updates on the spread of COVID-19 on Rikers Island and other NYC jails. Our analyses compare the rate of infection on Rikers Island to other communities hard-hit by the virus.

Demonstrating the rapid pace at which the virus spreads within carceral settings, in New York City, as of April 21, 2020, 367 incarcerated New Yorkers have likely been exposed to COVID-19. Already, 9.3 percent of people incarcerated in City jails have confirmed COVID-19 infections, a percentage 5.6 times higher than New York City, 7.2 times higher than New York State, and 38 times higher than the rest of the country.