Do Prisons Without Air-Conditioning Constitute 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment'?

[Green Line]

Prison should be uncomfortable.  It shouldnt be dangerous, or excessively cruel, but we need to make sure that nobody gets the idea that prison is a good place to be.  Just ask Prison Mike, he told me everything I know.

[Lyin' Steve]

If someone out in a prison in the middle of Arkansas where it's 110 degrees inside on a good day is suffering, that's cruel and unusual punishment.  If air conditioning is the solution to alleviate that, then they should have air conditioning installed.  Same goes for heating if they're up in Minnesota.

Prisons where extreme temperatures are unlikely/uncommon don't necessarily need it though.  In Seattle, for instance, it's pretty standard for apartment buildings to not have AC.  So a blanket law would do more good than harm but still, this isn't something where it's difficult to figure out a more nuanced and optimal solution.

[Stephen]

no, of course not,

[mencken]

I do not see why it is cruel and unusual punishment to deprive prisoners of a luxury they would be unlikely to have on the outside.