Lockdowns and High Temperatures Reported at Donovan State Prison

Challenges with aging infrastructure and protocols

The vulnerability of the Donovan facility to rising temperatures is linked to several systemic factors. An Oakland-based report from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights identified Donovan as one of eight state prisons particularly at risk from climate change, noting that extreme heat is a widespread issue across the prison system. Eric Henderson, the policy director for the center, suggested that these heat events are nearly universal experiences for those in custody.

Infrastructure plays a significant role in these conditions. The average age of California's prisons is approximately 50 years, with the Donovan facility being roughly 40 years old. Many of these structures are composed of concrete and other materials that do not effectively regulate temperature, and fewer than 25 percent of facilities are equipped with traditional air conditioning. Matt Cate, a former secretary of the CDCR and former inspector general, observed that incarcerated people lack control over heating and cooling systems, leaving their safety dependent on administrative decisions.

Furthermore, legal advocates have raised concerns regarding the consistency of heat safety implementation. Lily Harvey, a senior staff attorney with the Prison Law Office, noted that while CDCR protocols require moving vulnerable individuals indoors when outside temperatures exceed 90 degrees, the language of these protocols is often too general. She suggested that the current guidelines may lack specific details regarding which cooling measures should be deployed and when.

Discrepancies in safety implementation

The incarcerated men described several instances where they felt safety measures were insufficient. They alleged that staff did not consistently provide ice water, noting that containers placed in common areas often ran dry or were not refilled. During lockdown periods, the men stated they were unable to access these water sources at all. Additionally, Kocontes and Christman reported that they rarely observed staff members taking temperature readings within their housing units.

These accounts align with broader reports of heat management issues within the state system. In May, the Prison Law Office and Rosen Bien Galvan and Grunfeld LLP filed a federal court document alleging that staff at several prisons, including two in the Central Valley, failed to move vulnerable people indoors or provide accessible ice water. A previous investigation by the state's Inspector General also found that staff at three other facilities failed to consistently track temperatures or maintain adequate protection procedures.

The impact of these conditions may fall disproportionately on certain populations. Data from the Public Policy Institute of California indicates that the incarcerated population is predominantly Black and Latino. While the CDCR maintains heat safety protocols, advocates like Harvey and Henderson suggest that the current approach may not sufficiently address the intersection of extreme weather and facility lockdowns.

Calls for systemic reform and cooling solutions

Addressing the issue of extreme heat in prisons involves significant financial and legal considerations. The CDCR estimates that retrofitting all state prisons with air conditioning would require approximately $6 billion. Currently, the department is conducting a $38 million pilot program for air conditioning at three facilities in the Central Valley and Los Angeles.

Advocates are pushing for more immediate interventions. The Prison Law Office has recommended that the CDCR install heat sensors in all housing units, establish cooling centers, and move high-risk individuals to air-conditioned spaces. Eric Henderson suggested smaller, faster steps, such as distributing personal fans, providing cooling rags, or allowing the modification of clothing to better manage heat.

Legal avenues remain a possibility for change. Matt Cate noted that federal judges or court-appointed receivers, who oversee medical and mental health care in the system, could potentially mandate the installation of air conditioning. This follows a recent federal ruling in Texas that required state prisons to be air-conditioned by the end of 2029. In California, legislative efforts such as Assembly Bill 2499, which aimed to overhaul cooling measures, failed to advance, though advocates intend to continue their efforts in future legislative sessions.

Source: KPBS: San Diego. Prepared with AI assistance from the linked reporting.