{"id":7553,"date":"2026-09-02T13:28:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:28:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prisonersadvice.org.uk\/wordpress\/?p=7553"},"modified":"2026-09-02T13:28:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:28:43","slug":"the-challenge-of-managing-rising-temperatures-in-prisons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prisonersadvice.org.uk\/wordpress\/2026\/09\/02\/the-challenge-of-managing-rising-temperatures-in-prisons\/","title":{"rendered":"THE CHALLENGE OF MANAGING RISING TEMPERATURES IN PRISONS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the recent, record-breaking temperatures, Inspectors have raised increasing concerns over an \u2018outdated\u2019 and \u2018ill-equipped\u2019 prison estate, as explored below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">24% of the prison population now live in overcrowded accommodation and in some jails, more than 70% share a cell designed for one. Many cell windows either do not open properly or provide little airflow, and measures introduced to combat drones, including secure windows, restrictors and external grilles, can further reduce ventilation. Many cells do not have curtains to block sunlight, further affecting comfort, sleep and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cramped cells often leave little room for furniture and force prisoners to eat meals while sitting on their beds. Toilets often sit directly beside the bed, and screening is absent or improvised using towels or sheets. This only adds to the unpleasant odours in prisons, with hot weather intensifying the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prisoners can spend up to 23 hours a day locked in these stifling conditions, with restricted access to the open air, showers and cold water. Many do not have freely available drinking water due to the lack of in-cell sanitation and although prisoners are able to purchase fans, they are often not available or too expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The impact of these high temperatures is likely to be exacerbated for those with underlying conditions, including elderly prisoners (the numbers of whom are increasing), those with mental ill-health and those with alcohol and drug dependencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As temperatures continue to rise and overcrowding remains acute, overheating in prisons is no longer simply an issue of comfort. It has implications for decency, health, safety and the stability of the prison estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For further information, <a href=\"https:\/\/hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk\/news\/feeling-the-heat-the-challenge-of-rising-temperatures-in-prisons\/\">click here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In response to the recent, record-breaking temperatures, Inspectors have raised increasing concerns over an \u2018outdated\u2019 and \u2018ill-equipped\u2019 prison estate, as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Amelie","author_link":"https:\/\/prisonersadvice.org.uk\/wordpress\/author\/amelie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In response to the recent, record-breaking temperatures, Inspectors have raised increasing concerns over an \u2018outdated\u2019 and \u2018ill-equipped\u2019 prison estate, as 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