Extreme Heat Conditions Cited as Deadly for Elderly, Vulnerable Inmates
Inmates at the Dade Correctional Institution, including 81-year-old wheelchair-bound J.B., faced unbearable heat in September as South Florida experienced record temperatures. According to a federal class-action lawsuit filed this week, the extreme heat, compounded by inadequate ventilation and lack of air conditioning, contributed to J.B.’s tragic death and endangered others. The suit, filed by the Florida Justice Institute, claims these conditions violate the Eighth Amendment’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment and disregard the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Alarming Heat Poses Severe Health Risks to Elderly and Disabled Inmates
On the morning of J.B.’s death, prison records show temperatures reached a heat index of 104°F. The lawsuit asserts that lack of cooling measures poses life-threatening risks, particularly to elderly inmates with pre-existing health issues. Inmate Dwayne Wilson recounted hearing J.B. struggle to breathe, only to be dismissed back to his cell shortly before he was found unresponsive.
“It feels like being locked in a sardine can with no air to breathe,” another inmate described in the lawsuit, detailing the oppressive conditions.
Prison System’s Limited Response Sparks Legal Action
The lawsuit claims that four deaths at the Dade Correctional Institution can be linked to extreme heat conditions, and that prison officials have failed to implement meaningful heat mitigation measures. Andrew Udelsman, an attorney with the Florida Justice Institute, stated, “We had to file this lawsuit because they’ve thus far ignored the concerns of incarcerated people and their advocates.”
A Department of Corrections spokesperson declined to comment on the litigation, noting they have not yet been served with the lawsuit.
A Broader National Issue: Heat Risks in U.S. Prisons
The severe conditions in Florida prisons reflect a larger issue across the U.S., as climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme heat. According to the World Health Organization, heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, with last year marking a record number of heat-related deaths in the U.S. The Florida Department of Corrections has acknowledged that 75% of prison housing lacks air conditioning, despite efforts to pass bills mandating cooling systems in prisons, which ultimately stalled in the state legislature.
Other states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia, have also faced lawsuits over sweltering prison conditions, as climate change intensifies the risk to the aging prison population. A recent case in Georgia highlighted the dangers after a 27-year-old inmate died in an outdoor cell with no shade or water.
Calls for Systemic Reform and Safer Standards
Senator Jennifer Bradley warned of potential lawsuits if the state failed to address cooling issues, describing conditions for both inmates and guards in unairconditioned cells as “oppressive.” Udelsman hopes the Florida lawsuit will prompt the courts to establish safety standards for vulnerable inmates, especially in the face of worsening climate challenges.
As Udelsman noted, “Courts are increasingly confirming that these kinds of conditions are not constitutional … we hope this lawsuit will be another in that line … that these dominoes will continue to fall.”
The lawsuit’s outcome could set a precedent for protecting the health and rights of incarcerated individuals in extreme heat conditions.