Texas Inmates Sue Over Lack of Air Conditioning

[LAGC]

(CNN) -- Claiming that even the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is air conditioned, prisoners in Texas have filed a federal lawsuit over soaring temperatures in state prisons that they say have killed at least 12 prisoners in the last three years.

The suit, filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project and the University of Texas School of Law Civil Rights clinic on behalf of the prisoners, isn't seeking monetary damages. It seeks cooler temperatures for the prisoners. Eighty-eight degrees to be exact.

The lawsuit, broadly concerned about the lack of air conditioning across state facilities, centers on a facility in Navasota, Texas, known as the Wallace Pack Unit. Located about 70 miles northwest of Houston, the facility houses about 1,400 men. As of January, the compliant said, 114 men over the age of 70 were housed there. They have no air conditioning, and the windows which do open provide little relief, the suit claims, leading to temperatures inside that often exceed those outside.

And outside it's hot.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/20/justice/texas-prison-heat-lawsuit/index.html

Sounds like a possible Eighth Amendment violation to me. Even if you don't care about the prisoners dying, guards have to work in such extreme environments too.

Maybe miketx or Prometheus168 can chime in on how conditions are for correctional staff.

[Oswald Bastable]

Trying to recall...does the right to air conditioning for convicts come before or after the 5th?

[miketx]

There aint no honky tonks in jail...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVI-SRgGz9w

[miketx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9xP3strmDw

[LAGC]

Trying to recall...does the right to air conditioning for convicts come before or after the 5th?

That would be after... ;)

Seriously though, I've lived in a unit without air conditioning (one of the original buildings when the main Idaho prison was built back in 1979) and even though it rarely gets hotter than 100°F here in the south Idaho desert, it was pretty damn unbearable over 90°F: everyone stripped down to their underwear, laying on their bunks, sweating to death.

I can only imagine in that intense Texas heat...

[Oswald Bastable]

There's a fairly simple cure for that...comes in two parts...

Don't break the law...pay your electric bill.

What's that saying? If you can't do the time...?

[ltorlo64]

All I know is that there is no air conditioning in the engine room of an aircraft carrier. The average ambient temperature when operating in cool water (50F) is about 85F and when on deployment the average temperature was well over 100F. The temperature, even with AC, throughout the rest of the ship when deployed is 80+F. My stateroom temperature was regularly 90+F. I think this is a bigger issue than making convicted criminals comfortable.

[Dan Morris]

So, the don't get a 5 star rating.....simple, don't stay there!
Dan

[Sherman]

They canceled their rights when they were incarcerated. Suffer. They caused someone some pain so they endure pain.
When your name is now a number, you have no rights because you abused them.

[5.56NATO]

There is a part in the constitution banning cruel and unusual punishment. Cooking old men might be considered such.

[Kadmos]

A couple factors, do most public buildings that size have AC in the area? When was the facility built...was it designed before AC was common? Old buildings used tall ceilings and high vents to mitigate that. If a new style squat building was designed for it but doesn't have it, then it's worse.

Oddly enough, the prisoners have more potential "right" to it than the guards do. We have some right to decent prison conditions in the constitution, but no right to decent working conditions....let that sink in ;)


In truth, they will likely win this...on the grounds of global warming.

[LAGC]

All I know is that there is no air conditioning in the engine room of an aircraft carrier. The average ambient temperature when operating in cool water (50F) is about 85F and when on deployment the average temperature was well over 100F. The temperature, even with AC, throughout the rest of the ship when deployed is 80+F. My stateroom temperature was regularly 90+F. I think this is a bigger issue than making convicted criminals comfortable.

That lawsuit is only asking that the housing areas be cooled to 88 degrees. Not exactly comfortable, just not so severe that people die of heat stroke.

They aren't asking for monetary damages or anything. Doesn't seem too unreasonable to me.

And I agree with you, conditions on aircraft carriers should be improved as well.

[LAGC]

They canceled their rights when they were incarcerated. Suffer. They caused someone some pain so they endure pain.
When your name is now a number, you have no rights because you abused them.

You have to keep in mind, our justice system isn't perfect. Innocent people do end up convicted sometimes, if not by actual jury trial due to trumped up evidence, then by taking a plea "bargain" for 5 years because the prosecutor threatens them with 20+ years should they take it to trial and lose.

And even those who are dead-to-rights guilty, most are in there for non-violent, victimless crimes.

Unless you think getting caught for possessing a little bit over 3 ounces of pot is worthy of a potential death sentence...

[Sherman]

You have to keep in mind, our justice system isn't perfect. Innocent people do end up convicted sometimes, if not by actual jury trial due to trumped up evidence, then by taking a plea "bargain" for 5 years because the prosecutor threatens them with 20+ years should they take it to trial and lose.

And even those who are dead-to-rights guilty, most are in there for non-violent, victimless crimes.

Unless you think getting caught for possessing a little bit over 3 ounces of pot is worthy of a potential death sentence...
Sorry I should have been clearer. I am talking about death row and violent offenders.

[LAGC]

Sorry I should have been clearer. I am talking about death row and violent offenders.

Okay, fair enough. But it doesn't sound like they are the only ones complaining...

I don't think the hostile Texas heat discriminates -- it's an equal opportunity killer of human bodies. ;)

[mrkalashnikov]

Here's a great scene from one of my favorite movies:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiW7Jqld4_I

I think those guys had more to worry about than the lack of AC or tv.

[Krupski]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/20/justice/texas-prison-heat-lawsuit/index.html

Sounds like a possible Eighth Amendment violation to me. Even if you don't care about the prisoners dying, guards have to work in such extreme environments too.

Maybe miketx or Prometheus168 can chime in on how conditions are for correctional staff.

Our soldiers hump 80 pounds of gear in a 110 degree desert and all they get is bottled water. Why should a low-life convict get A/C? Are you fucking kidding me?

[Kadmos]

Our soldiers hump 80 pounds of gear in a 110 degree desert and all they get is bottled water. Why should a low-life convict get A/C? Are you fucking kidding me?

Our soldiers are young, healthy, trained, and if they do collapse they have near instant access to cold packs and quick access to emergency care.

[Silentkilla01]

Okay, fair enough. But it doesn't sound like they are the only ones complaining...

I don't think the hostile Texas heat discriminates -- it's an equal opportunity killer of human bodies. ;)

So let me get this straight. Guys work in this kinda heat all the time. For 8. ,10,12 hours a day. Go home then have to mow grass and all the other things that life evolves around. And these fuckers can go kill a old lady or some shit then get sent to prison where our tax dollars feed them and dress them. Now we have to pay for air conditioning to? Yay

[Helen Keller]

So let me get this straight. Guys work in this kinda heat all the time. For 8. ,10,12 hours a day. Go home then have to mow grass and all the other things that life evolves around. And these fuckers can go kill a old lady or some shit then get sent to prison where our tax dollars feed them and dress them. Now we have to pay for air conditioning to? Yay

That's how it works.
Folks don't seem to understand, When somebody goes to jail they are under your roof so to speak.

You dont call the shots, the courts do.
So in the meantime these morons are under your care , custody and control.
The society that is jail will weed out the "less desirable" offenders.

[Silentkilla01]

That's how it works.
Folks don't seem to understand, When somebody goes to jail they are under your roof so to speak.

You dont call the shots, the courts do.
So in the meantime these morons are under your care , custody and control.
The society that is jail will weed out the "less desirable" offenders.
That is fucked up... But how it is

[ltorlo64]

That lawsuit is only asking that the housing areas be cooled to 88 degrees. Not exactly comfortable, just not so severe that people die of heat stroke.

Having lived in a stateroom for 4 years that was over 88F I understand it is uncomfortable, but it is not dangerous. Just practice some self-control and don't drink coffee but drink lots of water.

We did not have an epidemic of people dying from heat stroke before the advent of AC. This is not cruel and unusual punishment to be housed in a place without AC. There are plenty of houses without AC in the south and southwest. While I do agree that the courts will probably find in favor of the criminals, it is not because of logical thinking but because the judges will let their hearts over ride their brains, which is not they way it is supposed to work.