Miami, FL — Record-breaking temperatures in South Florida have not only scorched streets but have also intensified conditions inside the Dade Correctional Institution, with a lawsuit claiming that inmates are suffering under extreme heat. The Miami-Dade Correctional Institute, an aging facility near Everglades National Park, offers little respite from the fierce temperatures as it lacks air conditioning in residential areas.
The lawsuit, filed by The Florida Justice Institute on behalf of several inmates, presents stark details about the harrowing conditions within the prison during the summer months. Reports of heat-related health issues such as heat rash and fainting are common, and there were at least four suspected heat-related deaths. “We have individuals essentially baking in these temperatures, and the response from authorities has been dangerously inadequate,” said Andrew Udelsman, the attorney spearheading the case.
Facing these allegations, the Florida Department of Corrections has refrained from commenting, citing the ongoing legal processes. However, advocates stress that the situation inside the incarceration facility is urgent. The lawsuit demands that the prison maintain indoor temperatures no higher than 88 degrees Fahrenheit, a threshold presumably safer for human habitation.
The conditions inside Dade Correctional became particularly apparent on a day last July when the heat index outside reached 92 degrees. Inside the concrete buildings, where air flow is stifled by aged and broken ventilation, temperatures were even higher. One of the plaintiffs, a 74-year-old man identified only as C.G., reportedly experienced severe confusion and distress due to the heat before he passed away early one morning. C.G. and many other inmates in the facility are over 50 years old, with health conditions further exacerbated by the heat.
Providing further insight, prisoners recount limited options to mitigate the heat. Many resort to makeshift solutions, such as taking “bird baths” using toilet water or sleeping on dampened sheets on the floor. Others describe awaiting rainstorms not for relief from the heat, but for the dire consequences as floodwaters mix with sewage, leading to even more perilous conditions.
The suit also details that any form of effective cooling, such as air-conditioned areas in the prison, are largely inaccessible to inmates, only slightly alleviating the circumstances for a minimal duration each week.
These oppressive conditions aren’t unique to Dade Correctional. Across Florida, a state notorious for its high temperatures, approximately 75% of prisons lack air conditioning, with state officials often focused more on the effects of heat on staff and operational challenges rather than inmate welfare.
Comparatively, other states have faced similar challenges and lawsuits, leading to changes in policy. A notable case resulted in Texas where, after a legal settlement, limits were placed on allowable indoor temperatures for the incarcerated, a precedent that those involved in the Dade Correctional case hope will spur change in Florida.
This ongoing situation highlights broader concerns about the adequacy of prisoner treatment and facility conditions, stirring advocates and legal authorities to push for reforms that ensure basic human rights are extended to all individuals, irrespective of their incarceration status. The outcome of this lawsuit could potentially catalyze significant changes in how correctional facilities manage inmate welfare, particularly in states grappling with extreme temperatures.