– By Gabriel Pietrorazio
What’s it like living inside a state prison during a global pandemic?
Are incarcerates informed about current events with frequent updates surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? Are they rendered invisible, out of sight and out of mind? Are prisons a safe space, especially for health immune compromised inmates inside ?
Joyce Smith-Moore, the spouse of Jim Moore, an 85-year-old, is presumably the longest serving inmate in New York State history – serving 58-years and counting. She talks about her husband’s lived experiences while being bedridden inside Coxsackie Correctional Facility, which is located just outside of the state’s capital in Albany.
Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.