Federal Judge Considers Mandating Air Conditioning in Texas Prisons Amid Heat Concerns
A federal judge is deliberating whether to require air conditioning in Texas prisons, following a trial in Austin where advocacy groups argued that extreme heat conditions violate inmates' Eighth Amendment rights. The plaintiffs, representing inmates, claim that temperatures inside prisons can reach up to 149 degrees, posing a deadly risk. They cite a study indicating over 270 heat-related deaths in Texas prisons from 2001 to 2019. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) acknowledges some heat-related deaths but disputes the plaintiffs' figures. The state argues that installing air conditioning in all prisons would cost over $1 billion and take decades to complete. 
