Air Conditioner Woes at Pulaski County Jail
While the “Unlocked” Netflix series put Pulaski County Jail under the spotlight, concerns arose about the lack of air conditioning in the facility. This issue raises questions about the well-being of both prisoners and correctional staff.
The conditions in the South can be particularly brutal, with heat indexes reaching extreme levels. For prisoners, the environment can be torturous, as Benny Hernandez from Texas describes it as “sitting in a convection oven being slowly cooked alive.” The structure of prisons, being mostly built from heat-absorbing materials, exacerbates the situation. In some states, more than half of the prisons lack air conditioning, highlighting a serious flaw in the system.
There are signs of some progress, though. States like North Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana are taking steps to install air conditioning in their prisons. However, the process is slow, and many prisoners continue to endure unbearable conditions. In Texas, 30 out of the 109 state prisons have air conditioning, and the state has plans to fully air-condition all facilities, though funding is still an issue.
As the heat continues to intensify, there is growing pressure to address these inhumane conditions. Prisoners and employees alike face significant health risks from the extreme temperatures. The issue extends beyond mere comfort, as it impacts basic human rights and the well-being of those inside these facilities. While there are sparks of change, much more needs to be done to ensure that all prisoners are treated with dignity and respect.
