Rising heat indexes are killing incarcerated populations
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It is now imperative to assess the impact of climate change on all of society, including those often overlooked. Negligent prison policies in the United States have prompted numerous experts to scrutinize the policies of the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Corrections and the correctional facilities themselves.
On May 22, 2023, a report revealed that Lawshawn Thompson, who is incarcerated in Fulton County, Georgia, suffered a horrifying fate; he was eaten by insects due to extreme neglect. This distressing incident sent shockwaves across the nation, prompting a significant shift in focus toward reevaluating both national and state prison policies. Advocacy groups and grassroots organizations swiftly mobilized, amassing growing public outrage that sparked Thompson’s tragic demise. His death was one of the first to expose the alarming degree of neglect experienced by incarcerated individuals within the U.S. prison system.
As the world is experiencing extreme heat on a more frequent basis, growing caution about the rise in global average temperatures is following. In the state of New York, we have seen some of the hottest summer days. For Syracuse and upstate NY, many heat advisories have been issued to tell the public to be vigilant towards the dangers of extreme heat conditions.
A comprehensive case-crossover study investigation found a between soaring extreme temperatures, scalding heat waves and a surge in prison mortality rates. What’s particularly alarming is the dramatic uptick in deaths linked to heart disease and suicide.
The study also delves into the personal and geographical variables at play. Age, duration of incarceration and prison location all enter the picture as modifiers of these dire effects. Astonishingly, this research marks the pioneering milestone of shedding light on the previously uncharted territory of heat-related mortality spikes within the incarcerated population.
These inhumane conditions have prompted lawsuits to be filed, and judges in several states have declared subjecting incarcerated populations to extreme temperatures as unconstitutional, but have not mandated any relief measures. In Texas prisons, the lack of air conditioning has already led to a noticeable increase in heat-related deaths and illnesses, with 271 deaths reported between 2001 and 2019.
These conditions are recognized to be inhumane, yet resources to manage them have not been implemented. Minor comforts such as fans or towels are rare in prisons and often unaffordable through the prison commissary. In one federal prison, a fan costs over $30, making it out of reach for the majority of those incarcerated who earn meager wages.
Most correctional facilities in the state of New York use fans for cooling as opposed to air conditioning. Advocacy groups have raised concerns that these fans alone are not sufficient for incarcerated individuals, but in response to this, The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said using fans as ventilation for extreme heat is adequate.
Neglect of incarcerated populations is not the only issue at these prisons as prison staff lack the necessary training to deal with emergencies that can arise due to extreme heat conditions as well. According to a survey by the Ella Baker Center, most incarcerated individuals were unaware of any emergency procedures for extreme heat, extreme cold, wildfires or flooding in their prisons.
This concerning situation highlights an urgent need to reevaluate how incarcerated individuals are cared for in adverse weather conditions.
But it wasn’t just the case studies and surveys that shook the foundations of complacency and neglect. It was the faces and stories behind those numbers — incarcerated individuals who had been abandoned to face the merciless heat without relief. As the nation’s conscience awakens to the injustice, further policy reform within the prison system is necessary to ensure that prison populations do not suffer at the hands of extreme temperatures.
Rainu George is a junior studying Policy Studies and Political Science. She can be reached at rcgeorge@syr.edu.
