As spring approaches, faith leaders and advocates are raising alarms about inhumane heat conditions in U.S. prisons, especially in southern states such as Mississippi, where extreme temperatures threaten the lives of incarcerated individuals and staff.
During a recent webinar, “85 to Stay Alive: Answering the Call,” hosted by Texas Prison Community Advocates and the Climate and Incarceration Research Collective, panelists shared harrowing stories and urged action before summer heat arrives.
The Rev. Joseph Clark, assistant imam at the 5th Ward Islamic Center for Human Development in Texas, recounted his own prison experiences, describing dangerous conditions caused by extreme heat.
“It would be so hot on the unit that we would break out the windows on the turn roller so air can come through the window,” he said, “and the warden would not fix the window purposely for when it got cold, so during winter conditions we would freeze to death.”
The problem is severe in Mississippi, where many prisons lack air conditioning. Reports frequently expose extreme heat at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, where cell temperatures often exceed 100 degrees. The Justice Department has found conditions at Parchman and two other state prisons unconstitutional.
Amite Dominick, founder and president of Texas Prison Community Advocates, warned that climate change is causing longer, hotter summers, escalating risks in prisons. She urged leaders to act quickly to protect human rights.
“We do consider it to be cruel and unusual punishment and a violation of an individuals 8th Amendment rights,” she said. “Essentially, what we’re asking for is that temperatures are maintained between 65 and 85 heat index within all of our Texas prisons and within all of our prisons across the nation.”
Advocates also emphasized the toll on prison staff, who endure the same sweltering conditions. As Mississippi and other southern states face growing pressure to address prison conditions, advocates are urging policymakers to invest in air conditioning and other cooling measures, arguing that current practices are inhumane.
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