Abstract

SOUTO, Verena Souza; CASTELAR, Marilda; SEMEDO, Carla  and  DALTRO, Mônica Ramos. Care Strategies for the Incarcerated Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psicol. cienc. prof. [online]. 2026, vol.46, e286601.  Epub Apr 10, 2026. ISSN 1414-9893.  https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-3703003286601.

Despite the National Policy of Healthcare for Incarcerated Individuals (PNAISP), Brazilian prisons are constantly plagued by rights violations: overcrowding, violence, unsanitary cells, proliferation of diseases, among others. Given this scenario, analyzing the possibilities of accessing healthcare within the prison system during the COVID-19 pandemic is paramount. Thus, this study analyzed the strategies developed to care for inmates during the pandemic by discussing the policies for combating COVID-19 in the prison system. Using content analysis, this research examined 56 documents (decrees, laws, recommendations, ordinances, resolutions, informative notes, technical documents, and position papers), seven international and 49 national ones, produced during the pandemic with regulations regarding COVID-19 in the prison system . Analysis identified guidelines and strategies outlined in these documents for conducting prevention actions during the pandemic within the prison system. But despite the planned strategies, no coordinated action responded to the pandemic in the prison system. Notably, the pandemic exacerbated existing problems that were compounded by new issues arising from the pandemic crisis. PNAISP remained ineffective during the pandemic, even after Recommendation 62/20 was issued by the National Council of Justice. Amid a social structure built upon and reinforced by power hierarchies through markers such as gender, race, social class, and generation, what we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic was a worsening of the violations and vulnerabilities to which incarcerated individuals are already subjected.

Keywords : Prison, COVID-19, Health Strategies; Public Policies.

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