Missouri – Missouri state legislators this year set aside millions for air conditioning upgrades in state prisons in an effort to lessen the intolerable heat Missouri’s third-hottest summer on record brings. For many prisoners, meanwhile, respite from the stifling conditions is still far off; new cooling systems won’t be active for another year. Or even more.
Celebrated by prisoner rights groups, the state’s decision to install air conditioning at the main intake facility, the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center, was a major advance. Still, this facility is only one of Missouri’s 17 prisons struggling with insufficient cooling systems. Out of the more over 20,000 prisoners kept all around the state, almost 9,200 have either partial or none in their housing quarters.
The need for thorough air conditioning systems in prisons has grown as Missouri ends an especially hot summer. Proponents contend that, particularly in the height of summer, the absence of appropriate cooling systems in jails amounts to cruel treatment.
Ten of Missouri’s jails are completely air-conditioned, giving its occupants some relief from the extremes in cooling options. Four others, meanwhile, have just limited air conditioning in specific sections including some residential buildings and administrative offices. Due mostly to the lack of required infrastructure like air ducts, the three remaining facilities—including the Ozark Correctional Center—do not have any type of air conditioning in residential quarters.
Reacting to growing temperatures and mounting complaints last year, the Department of Corrections announced a planned air conditioning system installation at Fulton scheduled for completion in January 2026. Currently in pre-design, the department’s spokesman Karen Pojmann said the project is “extensive and complicated.”
The DOC has taken temporary actions to reduce heat misery in the meantime. These include giving access to chilly showers and water and three times daily distribution of ice. Additionally available to inmates are opportunities to buy commissary fans. Although these supporters provide some respite, they have certain shortcomings. Studies suggest that fans could aggravate heat-related hazards at temperatures above 99 degrees Fahrenheit by hastening dehydration and raising the risk of heat-related diseases.
The argument over efficient cooling techniques is still raging; some experts warn against running fans and misters in very hot conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends against depending on fans when indoor air temperatures rise over the body’s normal temperature because of the possibility for higher heat exhaustion or stroke.
Originally opening in 1987 and housing up to 1,255 men, Fulton’s air conditioning system is budgeted for $14.3 million in the state. Although this program shows improvement, convicts living through another severe Missouri summer now mostly worry about the speed and extent of application. While legislative and criminal authorities pursue long-term solutions, the immediate issue still is giving every prisoner suitable and compassionate living quarters regardless of the season.
