Reporters, researchers and anyone interested in the impacts of climate change on incarcerated people in the U.S. are invited to join us for an on-the-record panel discussion on how to investigate the dangers of extreme heat in prisons and ICE detention centers. Heat waves and days with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit are becoming more frequent, posing a serious threat to people behind bars. When outside temperatures exceed 100 degrees, heat indexes in prisons and jails can reach 150 degrees, studies show, because the facilities trap heat like an oven.
People behind bars, including employees, often have no reprieve from soaring temperatures, putting them at risk of serious illness or injury. In some cases, extreme heat can be fatal. These conditions also affect mental health and can trigger more violence in these environments.
The press briefing will be recorded and open to questions from attendees. We encourage reporters to use quotes and soundbites in their local coverage of this issue. Speakers include:
Maurice Chammah, staff writer, The Marshall Project. Chammah’s 2017 investigation, “Cooking Them to Death,” shed light on the lethal toll of extreme heat on incarcerated people without access to air conditioning in their cells. Chammah also co-authored our reporting toolkit on how to investigate the dangers of carceral heat.
Rio Scharf, staff attorney, UC Berkeley Law’s Criminal Law and Justice Center. Scharf facilitated the CLJC’s 2025 symposium on Confronting Climate Change in Correctional Facilities and is investigating how extreme heat impacts county jails in California, along with mapping national litigation and research in this space.
Moderator Ivy Scott, engagement specialist and reporter, The Marshall Project. Scott also contributed to our extreme heat reporting toolkit and has examined the impacts of extreme heat on people in solitary confinement. Previously, Scott was a reporter at The Boston Globe, most recently covering climate solutions in New England.
Dr. Ufuoma Ovienmhada, incoming assistant professor, University of Arizona’s School of Geography, Development & Environment. Ovienmhada is the lead author of a study breaking down the facility-level factors leading to heat vulnerability in U.S. prisons, which was published in GeoHealth. She is also the founder of the Toxic Prisons Mapping Project.
Susi Vassallo, MD, clinical professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine. Vassallo is a certified correctional health professional and is recognized nationally for her expertise in thermoregulation and the health conditions of confinement in jails and prisons.
This training event is part of Investigate This!, which shares criminal justice datasets and other investigative resources with journalists and researchers.