John Oliver on heat in prisons: ‘This is a deadly situation’ - The Guardian

The Last Week Tonight host discussed the concerns over lack of air conditioning in prisons and how it can damage physical and mental health.

John Oliver has raised the alarm about the dangers of heat in US prisons and how a lack of air conditioning can often be fatal for prisoners.

The oft-used argument is that the cost of installation is too great, but Oliver told the story of Texas once spending $7m on a lawsuit fighting the addition for a single one prison while the cost would have been just $4m.

“In some prisons there is climate control – just not for the prisoners,” he said, telling the story not just of staff receiving access to cool air but also, in one instance, an on-site pig farm.

It’s not just Texas, but Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Michigan, Oliver added.