Most states don’t have universal air conditioning in prisons; stifling heat hurts prisoners and staff. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

By Amanda Hernández
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — While sweltering heat in prison has long been an issue in the South, extreme heat waves worsened by climate change are expanding the problem into Northern states.

In recent years, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin have seen extreme heat in prisons. Many of these states lack the necessary infrastructure for ventilation or cooling systems capable of managing extreme heat.

Some advocates have argued that hot conditions in prisons constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. The conditions have led to lawsuits and protests across the country.

The lack of air conditioning amid rising temperatures creates challenges for prisons: possible heat-related illnesses, increased violent incidents and high staff turnover, according to experts and advocates. Indiana prisons have partial air-conditioning.

To address these problems, some states are offering alternative cooling methods such as cooling beds and increased access to water stations or ice; others have allocated funding toward upgrading or building new facilities with air conditioning.

Most states, however, have taken little to no action, advocates say.

A study published in March by PLOS One and written by researchers affiliated with Brown University, Boston University and Harvard University suggests that extreme heat is causing fatalities within prisons across the United States, offering one of the first pieces of epidemiological evidence linking the climate crisis to prison mortality. The study also revealed elevated rates of mortality in the Northeast region.

The researchers analyzed deaths in both state-run and privately run prisons during June, July and August from 2001 to 2019. They found that a 10-degree temperature increase above the average correlated with a 5.2% increase in deaths or a 6.7% increase in deaths related to heart disease.

The study also found that a two-day heat wave correlated with a mortality increase of 21% in the Northeast, compared with 0.8% in the Midwest, 1.3% in the South and 8.6% in the West.

The prison population is aging, and about 40% of incarcerated people report having a chronic medical condition, according to estimates released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Mental health problems are also prevalent across the prison population. Psychotropic drugs, which are used to treat some mental illnesses, can exacerbate heat sensitivity because they “reduce the body’s ability to naturally regulate heat and cool down,” David Pellow wrote in an email.

Inmates’ limited financial means, often constrained by wages ranging on average from 14 cents to $1.41 per hour, according to a 2017 analysis by the Prison Policy Initiative, further complicate their ability to access cooling resources. Fans sold in some state prison commissaries can cost about $20.

Some prisoners resort to extreme measures to seek relief, Rogers said, even opting for solitary confinement in segregated cells with cooler temperatures.

Moreover, the scorching conditions can create a volatile atmosphere that fosters aggression and escalates potentially violent incidents.

Some advocates say extreme heat is fueling staff turnover and staffing shortages in state prisons.

A report released in 2022 by the New Jersey Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson said around 3,500 prisoners were housed in units with no air conditioning, while 3,000 correctional officers were assigned to work in those areas.

At least 44 states lack universal air conditioning within their prison facilities, even in regions known for sweltering summer temperatures, according to a 2022 USA Today investigation. This includes Indiana.

In some instances, non-air-conditioned areas include living quarters, while air-conditioned spaces might be designated for correctional officers, heat-vulnerable individuals or specific units like solitary confinement. Alaska is the only state without air conditioning across any of its facilities.

An article published in 2022 in the Fordham Urban Law Journal found that chronic understaffing in correctional facilities will worsen because of climate-induced hazards and economic pressures. It also said deteriorating facilities pose heightened dangers as they’re more susceptible to extreme heat, flooding and other catastrophic climate and weather events.

Some states, including those in northern parts of the country, are taking steps that range from cooling system installations to temporarily lifting uniform policies.

South Dakota installed air conditioning in some of its newer facilities, including the women’s prison and work release centers, and is planning the development of a new men’s prison equipped with air conditioning. Uniform restrictions were lifted in Florida, allowing inmates to don shorts and single-layer shirts. State authorities have also undertaken repairs on broken water fountains and provided cool water kegs as measures to alleviate the effects of heat.

The Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge will receive $200 million in infrastructure upgrades. The funding, approved by the state legislature, will go toward upgrading low-security housing and updating technology such as locks and video surveillance systems.

The prison, which was built in the 1970s, did not have air conditioning installed when it was built, according to the Montana Department of Corrections. Any necessary HVAC or air conditioning upgrades will be evaluated during the prison’s remodel of its D-Unit and low-security housing rebuild, the department said.