inmates
Newsletter
Prisoners across the US face life-threatening heat as climate change worsens
Inmates in prisons without air conditioning, especially in regions unaccustomed to extreme heat, are increasingly at risk as temperatures rise due to climate change.
In short:
- Prisons in many states lack universal air conditioning, putting inmates at serious risk during heat waves.
- Research links extreme heat with higher mortality rates in prisons, yet many heat-related deaths go unreported.
- Advocates push for improved cooling measures in prisons, but progress remains slow and inadequate.
Key quote:
“The Earth is getting hotter, and IDOC, and corrections, in general, is not adjusting, not doing anything to make sure that prisoners are safe.”
— Anthony Ehlers, incarcerated at Stateville Correctional Center
Why this matters:
Rising temperatures pose a growing threat to the health and safety of prisoners, especially in facilities unprepared for such conditions. Without intervention, the human cost will likely increase as climate change accelerates.
Related coverage:
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Newsletter
Prisoners fight back against extreme heat on former slave plantation
Inmates at Louisiana's Angola prison, working in extreme heat on a former slave plantation, have filed a lawsuit for relief from dangerous conditions.
Margie Mason and Robin McDowell report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Prisoners at Louisiana State Penitentiary work long hours in extreme heat with minimal protection.
- A federal judge issued a restraining order against the state, demanding better heat-related policies for prisoners.
- Inmates, advocacy groups and a judge argue the conditions are cruel and unusual punishment.
Key quote:
"I saw guys collapse. There were dudes that got heat stroke. There were dudes with underlying conditions, older or had some sort of disability, but they had to go out there, too."
— Lamont Gross, inmate
Why this matters:
Extreme heat poses severe health risks to prisoners, exacerbated by climate change. This lawsuit highlights ongoing issues of prison labor and inmate welfare in the U.S.
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Newsletter
Texas prisons face lawsuit over dangerously high temperatures
Advocates seek judicial intervention to manage life-threatening heat in Texas prisons this summer.
Pooja Salhotra and William Melhado report for The Texas Tribune.
In short:
- A legal complaint challenges the lack of air conditioning in most Texas prisons, labeling it as cruel and unusual punishment.
- The suit represents all inmates in such conditions, citing past deaths and ongoing risks during the intense summer heat.
- Despite some new air conditioning installations, most facilities remain uncooled, raising health and safety concerns.
Key quote:
“What is truly infuriating is the failure to acknowledge that everyone in the system — all 130,000 prisoners — are at direct risk of being impacted by something that has a simple solution that has been around since the 1930s, and that is air conditioning.”
— Jeff Edwards, attorney.
Why this matters:
Excessive heat in prisons threatens inmates' health and survival and exacerbates tensions and violence, impacting staff and operational safety.
David Pellow argues that powerful institutions are criminalizing populations by locking people up and deeming them undeserving of clean air, water and healthy housing.
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