Locked in a Hotbox: The Impact of Climate Change on the
Incarcerated
will be a critical examination of how climate change impacts people who
are incarcerated. Many jails and prisons are inadequately equipped to
handle extreme weather, exposing people who are confined within them to
unique health vulnerabilities.
This event will highlight how the effects of climate-related events on prisons impact not only people confined in them but also people who work in them. It will describe challenges like inadequate cooling systems in the face of rising temperatures and the risks posed by natural disasters to these facilities. Addressing jail/prison infrastructure law and policy in the era of climate change, speakers will consider what policy changes at the intersection of environmental justice and prison reform would help mitigate risks and increase awareness.
Panelists
- Co-Moderator: Stephen P. Wood, MS, ACNP-BC – Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School; Northeastern University
- Co-Moderator: Jeremiah Goulka, LL.B., JD – Founder and Director, Climate and Public Safety (CAPS) and the SHIELD Training Initiative, Northeastern University
- Lt. Col. Cathy Fontenot, MS – Chief of Corrections, East Baton Rouge (LA) Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Laurie Levenson, JD – Professor of Law, David W. Burcham Chair in Ethical Advocacy, and Founding Director of the Fidler Institute on Criminal Justice, LMU Loyola Law School
- Joel Thompson, JD – Managing Attorney, Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project