Prisons Aren't Remotely Ready for Extreme Weather
07/08/2023 23:42
The Texas heat dome showed how vulnerable incarcerated individuals are to heat waves. In a warming world, that’s becoming an increasingly deadly problem.
A guard escorts a detainee at a detention center.
Photographer: John Moore/Getty ImagesTexas was among the hottest places on Earth last week as a heat wave brought misery from Mexico to Florida. While residents across the region struggled to stay cool, the extreme heat took a particularly severe toll on those who could least protect themselves, particularly incarcerated people.
According to the Texas Tribune, at least nine people in Texas prisons died as temperatures in the state reached triple digits. These deaths illustrate the unique dangers incarcerated people face when extreme weather hits, dangers that will only grow as heat waves, droughts and hurricanes become more frequent due to climate change.