COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A new report shows that only 1 in 3 Texas prisons are fully air-conditioned.
A finding that some advocates are calling a violation of human rights, impacting about 90,000 inmates and the Texas prison workforce.
Published by Texas A&M University's Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center, the report states that some prison units are now averaging 110 degrees this summer.
The highest temperature recorded in the report was 149 degrees.
A finding the report noted could "degrade their health over time," concerning inmates serving their sentences in Texas.
Texas, within its state prisons, is just one of 13 in the country that does not provide universal air conditioning.
It's reported in the study that 87% of American households now use air conditioning.
Over 300 inmates were surveyed in the report about their experiences.
When asked, one inmate wrote that he "could not breathe," citing the heat inside his cell.
Other interviews detailed prisoners describing symptoms of heat stroke, alongside dealing with asthma and allegedly being denied breaks when working outside.
The report states these conditions could be a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment.
To read the full report, click here.
