Judge orders Texas to lower temperature in sweltering prison

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Michael Graczyk, Associated Press

 Updated 4:39 pm, Wednesday, July 19, 2017


HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge Wednesday gave state prison officials 15 days to come up with a plan to lower the temperature to 88 degrees (31.11 Celsius) inside a Southeast Texas prison where attorneys for inmates say the sweltering summer heat is endangering their health.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison's preliminary injunction applies to about 500 "heat-sensitive" inmates at the Pack Unit, about 65 miles (104.6 kilometers) northwest of Houston. Those prisoners, among about 1,450 held in the prison, already have a variety of health conditions or are at least 65 years old.

Attorneys for six inmates who filed suit seeking emergency relief argued the intense heat violated their constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment. Evidence showed the heat index at the prison, the combination of temperature and humidity, topped 100 degrees during 13 days in 2016, and was between 90 and 99 degrees on 55 days. The heat index Wednesday was 104.


Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials contended they provide prisoners with showers, fans and ice water, other ventilation, unlimited rest periods in air-conditioned areas and education concerning heat precautions. The prison infirmary is air conditioned along with administrative offices, visitation areas, the education department, the barbershop and a small portion of the prison craft shop. Housing areas are not.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Judge-orders-Texas-to-lower-temperature-in-11300253.php

[whathehell]

1. LOWER it to 88 degrees?

He's not doing them any BIG favors, is he?

[elleng]

2. Yes he is, tho it doesn't sound like it to we the un-incarcerated.

'the combination of temperature and humidity, topped 100 degrees during 13 days in 2016, and was between 90 and 99 degrees on 55 days. The heat index Wednesday was 104.'

[barbtries]

3. that is cruel and unusual punishment.

88 degrees is too hot for me.

[ananda]

6. It is rather warm.

But it won't kill you.

[sammythecat]

8. That should be the standard?

Pulling all your fingernails out with pliers isn't lethal either. 88 is more than "rather warm", it's hot. It doesn't need to be that hot. What purpose does that serve?

[barbtries]

9. i wondered

if the judge had gotten expert input on the max degrees.

[LanternWaste]

12. I don't think anyone expressed the argument it would.

"it won't kill you..."

I don't think anyone expressed the argument it would.

[Igel]

10. It's outside Houston.

It's been in the mid 90s during the day, 60% humidity, so far in July. There was a freakishly cold day with a high 83 F a few weeks ago. Been hoving around 90, sometimes 89 or 92, since early June. (Note to self: Must remember to schedule that appointment to get the AC fixed.)

You get used to it. Fans, ventilation, and cold beverages. The good news it sometimes dips below 80 at night.

It could be worse. I've heard tell that in West Texas gets hot.

[LanternWaste]

13. Some do get used to it, while others die from it

"You get used to it..."

Some do get used to it, while others die from it (e.g., From 2003-2008, there were 263 deaths reported among Texas residents with exposure to excessive natural heat as the underlying cause of death).

(Source: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/chs/vstat/Hotcolddths/hotcolddths.shtm)

[jmbar2]

4. DOn't know if it still applies, but they used to make them buy the fans from the commissary

...at a hefty profit. Bastards.

[LittleGirl]

5. That is cruel and unusual punishment! n/t

[broadcaster90210]

7. Only in a dump like TX does this need a court order.

nt

[Solly Mack]

11. K&R

[tblue37]

14. A lot of our public schools also fail to provide reasonable temperatures for the "inmates."

Here in Kansas, where temperatures are often truly awful, until fairly recently many of the older buildings used in our local public schools did not have AC, and the kids often had to miss school because of being unable to tolerate the sweltering conditions in their classrooms.

I don't know when they added AC to the schools that were not air conditioned, but when I had kids (my own and also a bunch of daycare kids) in the schools in the 1980s and 1990s, some of the older school buildings--which were mostly used for the elementary grades--were not air conditioned. Since school starts in mid-August here, and the summer heat starts by the middle to end of May, when school is still in session, the temperatures were intolerable.