News

Texas Inmates Express Being “Cooked Alive” As Temperatures Near 120 Degrees In The State

Courtesy: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune
2.2kviews





The temperatures in Texas last week ranged from 115 to 119 degrees. This is near the state’s record of 120 degrees. What’s more, it is only expected to continue.

“There’s no break. Looking at the models, this heat dome over Texas looks like it’s going to be persistent, shifting a little bit to the east or to the west from day to day. I imagine it’s going to be persistent, shifting a little bit to the east or to the west from day to day, but I imagine it’s going to be just blazing for the rest of the month.”

As a result, many inmates in Texas have been subject to brutal conditions similar to being “cooked alive.” This is due to the fact that 70% of the prison units in the state don’t have air conditioning.

Now, many have criticized the circumstances of these seemingly inhumane conditions. Since the summer is just beginning, inmates have started to write their family members and human rights organizations to speak up for their safety.



20 Comments

  1. This is so true I have a son that’s incarcerated at Hughes unit he just called me the other day complainting about the very same thing it’s to for the inmates to have to work in the heat and then go home to heat I sent him money to buy him a fan not enough, even though they are incarcerated they are still human my son been locked up for 32yrs so he just try and make the best of it I lost one son from this same case he had asthma and couldn’t breathe due the heat and they didn’t give him help until it was to late ok. Somebody needs to step in and do better give them some air that’s they asking for please 🥺

    1. You’re right jail isn’t supposed to be fun, but that has nothing to do with lack of air quality. Horrible food, over amped jailers, walking in lines to chow, working in chain gangs,that’s all expected for prison systems, but to be without air is inhumane..for people who were sentenced to smaller jail times its a death sentence. To the families that feel thier loved ones are safer off the streets now feel thier loved ones are safer at home if they gonna die either way..what’s wrong with you?

    2. The inmates are there for punishment not to be tortured and it’s true , animals are treated better . I mean at least they could bring in some big exhaust fans or something and keep the water jugs filled with ice water like their supposed to be doing. My son is a inmate at the Wainwright unit at love lady aka Huntsville.

  2. I understand they are criminals but lets be real it is extremely hot in there and no one deserves to be treated that way. They treat animals better than this.

  3. I was in this air fryer system for 9 years and lemme tell you the dogs have a even …sure you should have kept your nose clean but I promise you there are good people there that aren’t violent but have substance abuse problems and no matter what they do not deserve to be treated less than a dog. Shoot the middle finger if you want but one mistake and you’ll be whining like no one else. Life ain’t fair but life isn’t meant to be so you commit a property crime you get 2 sentences 1 for the crime committed and another to be FORCED to endure over 130° heat on aluminum tables. Wake the heck up Texas!!!

  4. I have been to TDCJ . I was sent to Ferguson unit in June of 2012. Upon arrival your givin’ a work order detail, this is your job! Regardless of your age, race, creed, political beliefs or your choice in God. Your job detail is yours and you better get it done. I was givin’ the job of ” ho squad #3″ ….your guaranteed to work every day. The job was nothing, you plow the fields, grow your crops,garden the bed rows and move . It’s hard labor, don’t bitch and don’t complain. As a 498.7 pound convicted drug dealer, the gangs, drug wars, and prison politics didn’t scare me for shit. What did scare me straight was watching other men just fall out like their soul left the body. Their body would shake, eyes roll back, or their body would cramp up like some horror movie. THE TEXAS HEAT GOT THE BEST OF THEM. And You can’t do shit for them. You can’t touch them, help them up,get them some water or anything like that. All you can do is yell out ” man down”, and pray for them. The housing for us was twice as hot and hummid as it was outside. I saw plenty of men carried away on stretchers. Some came back and the rest died. That’s when reality hit me, the drugs won’t kill me, the gangs won’t kill me…..the fucken heat will. My wife, 4 kids and my parents saw a transformation in me. I didn’t see it but I sure felt it.
    I went in 498 and came home weighing 225 pounds. A whole lot of weight gone and left behind in just 20 months.
    The fear of suffocating due to hot, humidity temperatures, the fear of fainting and not waking up, the fear of falling asleep and slipping into a heat stroke, the fear of never seeing my family again cause of the TEXAS HEAT, THAT FEAR MADE ME RETHINK ABOUT MY CHOICES.
    IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND OR LOVE ONE IN TDCJ, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH HIM OR HER ,REGARDLESS OF WHAT PROBLEMS COME BETWEEN YOU ALL. CHECK up on them. Don’t let Texas prisons and Texas heat take them away.
    And for those readers who like to comment about shit they don’t know about and the ones who love to say” if you don’t like it, don’t go to jail” I say to you …..go fuck yourself in your perfect, i don’t fuck up world “. Pray that you or anyone you love goes to jail. I’m no Saint and I pray for all sinners like me, but I will walk smooth over your useless body with out a second thought, since your so perfect.

  5. and they should. we are not animals and shouldn’t be letting other human beings suffer in that kind of heat. it’s torture. I don’t have any sympathy for people the hurt kids but most of these guys shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of misery. we are a 1st world country and our civility regarding humane treatment of our fellow citizens within our correctional systems should reflect as such.

  6. I wonder how many victims begged for compassion, or DON’T kill me I have children. Or how long they had to endure torture? Then be killed in the end??

  7. It is the best time to make a few plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.

    I’ve read this submit and if I could I wish to counsel you few attention-grabbing issues or tips.

    Maybe you can write subsequent articles regarding
    this article. I desire to read more things approximately it!

    my webpage Alberta

Leave a Response