A tense situation at a Minnesota prison involving approximately 100 inmates refusing to return to their cells amid a dangerous heatwave has been resolved without incident, as per authorities. The inmates, frustrated by sweltering conditions and limited access to basic amenities, staged what they called an act of "self-preservation."
The incident occurred at Stillwater prison in Bayport, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Minneapolis, as temperatures approached a scorching 37.7 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Department of Corrections issued a statement describing the situation as "calm, peaceful, and stable throughout the day." However, incarcerated individuals in the affected unit expressed dissatisfaction due to ongoing lockdowns and limited time out of their cells resulting from chronic understaffing.
Advocates for the inmates, including Marvina Haynes of Minnesota Wrongfully Convicted Judicial Reform and David Boehnke of Twin Cities Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee, received calls from inside the prison early in the morning. Inmates had decided not to return to their cells due to grievances related to the excessive heat, lack of air conditioning, restricted access to showers, and limited availability of ice during recent lockdowns.
The prison had been under lockdown status for the holiday weekend, confining inmates to their cells with limited opportunities for showers, phone use, and recreation. Despite the resolution, the facility remains on lockdown.
Bart Andersen, the executive director of the union representing Stillwater's correctional officers, highlighted chronic understaffing within the Department of Corrections as a root cause of inmate frustration. He stated that restrictions on program and recreation time result from insufficient security staff to manage the facility effectively.
Advocates, including Haynes and Boehnke, assert that the inmate action was an impromptu response to unsafe conditions, including concerns about the quality of drinking water. However, the Department of Corrections refuted claims of contaminated water, calling them "patently false."
“They didn’t have time to organize and plan. It was just ... we’re not going back to that hot cell with no drinking water and not being able to shower,” Haynes noted.
Haynes expressed hope for future discussions with officials regarding inmate living conditions and potential solutions.
Across the United States, intense heatwaves have raised concerns about the well-being of prison populations, particularly those housed in poorly ventilated or non-air-conditioned facilities. There are approximately 1,200 incarcerated individuals currently located in the facility situated to the southeast of Stillwater in Bayport. Stillwater prison, built in 1914, lacks central air conditioning, making summers unbearable for both inmates and staff.
The resolution of this situation was achieved with no reported injuries. Correctional officers remained in contact with facility staff throughout the incident, and additional resources, including a crisis negotiation team and the Special Operations Response Team, were deployed as a precaution.
Kevin Reese, founder of the criminal justice organization Until We Are All Free, likened Stillwater to a "pizza oven" during the summers, describing the century-old building as lacking air conditioning, with walls that "actually sweat."
While this situation has been resolved for now, it underscores the ongoing challenges faced by inmates and correctional facilities during extreme weather events, emphasizing the need for comprehensive reform and better infrastructure in the prison system.
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