Reuters has created a visualization showing how high indoor temperatures rose inside 29 California prisons during summer 2024. It uses data it obtained through public records requests to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Each line represents a single day of recorded temperatures, and the visualization shows that most facilities spent extended periods above OSHA’s recommended indoor range of 68–76 degrees Fahrenheit, with many regularly exceeding 80 degrees. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat has been linked to fatigue, heatstroke, and increased risk of death in incarcerated populations.
Visualizing the Temperature Inside Californian Prisons
