The Arkansas Board of Corrections enacted a Department-wide mask mandate effective through May 31, 2021, which includes masking for the following groups:

• Offenders under the custody or supervision of the Department of Corrections (to include while being transported to or from a facility);
• Employees of the Department of Corrections while on duty (to include while transporting offenders to or from a facility); and
• Contractors, volunteers, and visitors entering all Department locations.

Additionally, the Board directed the Department to also maintain the following actions:

• The continuation of all COVID-19 response measures currently in effect; and
• The implementation of any further recommendation or guideline from a federal or state public health official for the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19 within correctional facilities, which do not compromise the safe and secure operations of a facility.