TPCA Recommendations

Due to climate change Texas summers are becoming longer and hotter. The literature clearly indicates that the best way to mitigate heat is through the installation of  air conditioning. Therefore, the most effective and prudent option is to Immediately fund the installation Air Conditioning in ALL areas of ALL TDCJ facilities . Although their has been slow moving progress towards the installation of a minuscule amount of adequate temperature control those efforts are only amount to a "drop in the bucket" given the enormity of the Texas prison system. According to TDCJ's website a total of 58,464 (43, 572 Current and  14,892 In progress) cool beds will be provide within the next two years. The TDCJ system has the capacity to house over 155,000 people and has a current population of over 130,000 (LBB Dec. 2023).  THOUSANDS of incarcerated Texas Citizens will continue to be tortured by high humidity and brutal heat during every Texas Summer until haste is made to rectify these inhumane conditions. We also recommend the following:

• Implementation and Enforcement of standard to maintain temperatures to  maintain 65 to 85 degrees.

• Provide FREE bottled water to all incarcerated individuals, staff, and officers during the summers until permanent air conditioning is installed.

• Provide temporary air conditioning in all facilities until permeate air conditioning can be installed.

• Install electronic thermometers in multiple areas throughout each facility (living areas, cooking areas, multiple building levels etc.) that can be read by designated legislators or independent oversight committee.

• Change language of shower policy to "everyday" showers as opposed to every three days and remove the language "at the discretion of the Warden" during the summer months.

• Add other cooling methods to buildings such as reflective and heat consuming paint.

• Restrict the use of "lockdowns" and "racking up" during the summer months.