This is from a CNN article on this being the hottest summer in Arizona history. The low temperature on some nights has been in the mid 90s. And the average high has been 110.
So, is keeping these inmates in these condition cruel? Or justified?
Hey, its the same temperature on the other side of the fence! If the perp hadn’t have done the crime, he could walk into the mall with air conditioning. They are where they are as a result of their own actions, Too Damn Bad!
Maybe next time he’ll commit crime in a more temperate climate! 
“Lets get them meek bastards NOW!”
Arizona has lots of deserts. Could you please be more specific?
Sheriff Arpaio has lots of creative ideas about penology:
Well I read that a lot of people were quite upset when they switched from a hot lunch to just cold sandwiches, but it’s hard to make a good argument for bologna sandwiches being cruel and unusual punnishment.
where does it sat anywhere that the life of a prison inmate has to be comfortable?
So long as they are not suffering heatstrokes, I have no problems ignoring their complaints. This is exactly the reason why I dont commit crimes. I dont think I would be tough enuf to take the punishment.
Bahahahaha. Are you kidding me? It was 123 here in the summer of '91 (Maybe '92, I was pretty young)
The rest of that June/July it was between 112 and 118.
Pfeh. 110. harumph
Yeah, it would be just too damn bad if you got jailed on a bum rap. Given your lack of concern for the prisoners now, I’d have a hard time caring about whatever you had to endure, even though you were innocent. It would be poetic justice in any event.
Punishment proportionate to the authority figure, not to the crime. Interesting concept.
That’s exactly why I think the prisoners in Maricopa County should at least get a real building. Hell, I’ve experienced 110 degree heat and it is absolutely brutal. More, it can be life-threatening for people like myself who have medical conditions that make overheating dangerous! Given that sheriff’s attitude, I doubt he’d care if one of the inmates went into a heat-induced seizure. (Yes, that can happen.)
Are the folks in that prison there for a reason? Yes. Do their crimes deserve this kind of torture? On the average, probably not.
I’ve worked in 105-110 degree heat, and it is not torture IMHO.
Is it hot? Hell yes, it’s hot. Is it miserable? Sure. Is it life threating for a person of normal health? Not if you stay hydrated. (also don’t forget that most of these inmates are younger men)
What everyone in our air conditioned world seems to forget is that places like Arizona were discovered and settled long before air conditioning was even a pipe dream. If our ancestors could homestead this land, I don’t think that hanging out in a tent wearing pink underware is that bad.
Damn and I used preview. underwear
Well, as a physician for felons, I must say we could be a whole hell of a lot stricter with inmates, and actually do them some good. Basic 2400 calorie diets for a start would do them a world of good. It’s not unusual for an inmate to put on 50 lbs in his first year in prison, with a basic kitchen tray giving 4000 calories and more a day, then they get to buy stuff from canteen.
We’re phasing out the cigarettes (our prison is smoke-free) and we didn’t have any riots. Coffee is being removed too, and the inmates are dealing with it.
Medical exemptions are made for people with illnesses; dietary supplements and high calorie diets can be provided. There are ways of dealing with this.
However, I’d hate to have to supervise a bunch of inmates living in tents in 130 degree weather, and have to spot the ones getting sick before they are too far gone. Here, the temperature/humidity index goes over 90 and we have to worry a lot about anyone on anti-psychotic meds (probably about 20% of our population, they dehydrate and die real easy because their meds mess with their regulatory system) in addition to diabetics and ones with heart disease.
It just seems like it could cause a lot more problems than it cures, to house them in that heat. Soldiers are expected to be young and fit; Inmates are frankly living examples of what happens when you don’t take care of yourself!
But this has been going on for years (IIRC about 10) and no one has died.
Personally, I think maybe fans, but no AC. Fans would help a lot to cool them down, but in that heat it certainly not be luxurious.
Perhaps his next crime will be committed in an area with a more temperate climate.
Even without deaths, I wonder about emergency medical costs. They can add up.
I suppose if the inmate population is selected very carefully to exclude the ones more vulnerable to the heat, it could work.
I don’t think old Sheriff Joe is too picky about his inmates’ living conditions or jobs. He also brought back chain gangs, and wanted the women prisoners on 'em too! He is a serious believer in hard time.
I think I am , too. Yes, it’s terrible for the wrongly convicted, but any prison is terrible for the wrongly convicted! Prison shouldn’t be inhumane, but maybe it shouldn’t be too cushy either. I’ve heard all the “oh, but the loss of freedom is never cushy” stuff, and I agree that lack of freedom is tough. But prison should be a tough, unhappy place that one will go to great legnths never to return to once one gets out!
I guess I’m OK with the tent thing. Sorry, guys. Next time, try not doing the crime. Or not getting caught.
Might I add: Best unintentional (I think, anyway) OP title ever! “Just deserts or torture?” indeed!
That name and style of sheriff sounded familiar. It brought to mind a case where an arrestee in a wheelchair was harmed, so I googled Sheriff Arpaio, and the first hit
http://www.arpaio.com/index.html is a web site by sheriff’s office employees.
Couple of quotes from the site’s “Truth” page (there are more):
"Arpaio: The Norberg wrongful death lawsuit was settled out of court for $8.25 million. Sheriff Arpaio has repeatedly claimed that this cost the taxpayers nothing since it was paid by an insurance company.
Truth: At the time of the settlement the county had a $1 million “deductible” on its coverage. The taxpayers had to pay the first $1,000,000 on this case and now the deductible has been raised to $5 million.
…
"Arpaio: Recidivism in the jails was reduced during his time as sheriff.
Truth: Arpaio spent $10,000 in taxpayer money to have Arizona State University study recidivism in the jail system. The result showed that there was no change in the rate at which inmates returned to jail. Arpaio immediately declared that ASU was wrong."
There are other sites, try the Phoenix New Times
Summer of 1990. I was at grad school at Thunderbird. IIRC 123 degrees was the highest (at that time) ever recorded in a US city.
Not sure what the article is saying about “138 degrees inside” as the CNN story says 117 is the highest to date of the year.