“It’s the same every year — as temperatures rise, so do the calls,” said Cass, Prison Society helpline associate.
Once again, summer is turning Pennsylvania’s correctional facilities into dangerous environments. For incarcerated people across the state, extreme heat isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s a constant threat to their health and safety.
Extreme heat leads to dehydration, heatstroke, and exhaustion. Incarcerated people, already vulnerable due to chronic illnesses and mental health conditions, are especially at risk. The heat also contributes to higher stress and unrest, leading to more frequent incidents as people struggle to cope with the oppressive conditions. Last year, we reported that at least six county jails lack air conditioning in all housing units.
But in Philadelphia, there’s a glimmer of relief. Until this summer, the city’s oldest facility — the Detention Center (DC) — had housing units with no air conditioning.
“I’ve been in non-air-conditioned units in Philly's Detention Center in the height of summer, and it’s close to unbearable,” said Prison Monitoring Director Noah Barth. “Imagine stepping into a sweltering dorm: two tiers of cells with about 50 men in each. They line the bars, shirts off, desperate for some relief, as loud industrial fans churn hot air. Meanwhile officers are shouting orders and TVs blare. It’s a chaotic, unhealthy environment that pushes people” he shared.
Change has finally arrived. New air conditioning units are now pumping cool air into DC, bringing much-needed relief. “The air conditioning is on and working, and you can really feel the difference compared to last year. It’s a huge improvement,” said Prison Monitoring Manager Dzemila Bilanovic.
With this new capital investment, all housing units on State Road are now equipped with air conditioning. “Thanks to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s support and the assistance we received from Capital Constitution and the Office of Sustainability, the investment we were able to make to upgrade our HVAC system at the Detention Center has been both cost-effective and efficient since it improves both health and the living conditions for the incarcerated population in our facilities, and for our staff,” said Michael R. Resnick, Esq. Commissioner, Philadelphia Department of Prisons. “I was able to learn from best practices when I was with the State of Maryland and helped to forward the installation of HVAC systems in the Baltimore Public Jails. The results from that addition are similar to what we are already seeing here in Philadelphia.”
Outfitting aging prisons with air conditioning requires significant investment and political will — resources rarely allocated for the benefit of incarcerated people. We now hope to see Philadelphia's victory inspire similar changes in counties across the state.