The lawsuit, filed in Jefferson County by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and attorneys for the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, takes aim at a Department of Correction's policy that barred visitors from prisons in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic swept the state.

The global coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has disrupted every type of Christian ministry. This article considers the particular impact on prison chaplaincy, which relies so heavily on the idea of physical presence. The prison preaching and wider theology of Karl Barth are explored as a possible framework to help practitioners adapt their ministry approaches with integrity in this era of social distancing.

This body of research implications is discussed: the restrictions imposed by the pandemic and the overcrowded conditions at this facility have impeded the Baldwin State chaplain's ability to adequately provide the pastoral care and counseling required for this facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. This lack of pastoral care and counseling results in moral issues and increased mental health challenges throughout the facility.

Restrictions related to the COVID-19 outbreak have made observing Ramadan more difficult for Muslims in prisons and jails.