TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – A study led by Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada, published in GeoHealth, highlights the growing threat of extreme heat in U.S. prisons, emphasizing public health and environmental justice concerns.
The research analyzed data from 1,614 state and federal prisons across the country from 1990 to 2023. It found that over 98% of these facilities experienced at least 10 days each summer hotter than any previous summer on record.
Prisons in the Southwestern U.S. were identified as the most heat-exposed. Those in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and Midwest showed the largest temperature anomalies compared to historical averages.
Dr. Ovienmhada’s study also highlights that prisons with higher heat exposure tend to have larger proportions of non-white and Hispanic populations, pointing to systemic racial disparities in environmental health risks
Facilities with limited inmate mobility, inadequate staffing, and insufficient mental health services exacerbate the vulnerability of incarcerated individuals to extreme heat, according to the study.
Dr. Ovienmhada, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, continues to use satellite imagery and environmental data to advocate for improved safety in carceral facilities.
The full study can be found below or accessed through GeoHealth.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
