A Texas judge is expected to rule soon on whether the state must embark on the costly project of installing air conditioning in all of its prisons. Texas inmates and nonprofit groups sued last year, asking an Austin judge to declare the conditions unconstitutional and require Texas to keep temperatures under 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Currently, 66% of Texas prison beds are not in air-conditioned areas. Attorneys for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice argue in court papers that the state provides incarcerated people with unlimited access to cold showers, ice water and air-conditioned respite areas. But prisoners and advocates say persistent staffing shortages leaves lock-ups without enough guards to mitigate the extreme indoor heat.
