How are environmental conditions affecting your loved one in prison?

As many of us deal with extreme heatwaves and severe weather this summer, it’s hard not to think about what those same conditions feel like inside prisons. When temperatures surge or wildfire smoke fills the air, most of us can pour a cold glass of water, turn on a fan, or step into an air-conditioned room. 

For people in prison, those basic safeguards simply don’t exist.  

For people who are wrongfully convicted, prison conditions compound an already profound injustice. They are living with the trauma of being unfairly punished and confined, while also facing conditions that can strip away dignity, humanity, physical health, and hope. Rehabilitation and restorative justice should mean caring for people in custody so they can return home healthier, wiser, and prepared to reconnect with their families and communities. Instead, harmful prison environments can break people down, contribute to preventable illness and death, and perpetuate the very cycles of trauma and violence our justice system should be working to end.

Serving time is already hard. It should never mean being forced to survive unbearable heat or freezing cold, breathing toxic air, drinking contaminated water, or living alongside mold and pests. These aren't just uncomfortable conditions; they are direct threats to health, safety, and basic human dignity. 

That’s why FAMM launched a new campaign: The Environment Inside: Toxic Conditions Behind Bars. 

And they need your help. If you have personally spent time incarcerated, or if you have a loved one currently facing these conditions, please take a few moments to complete this survey https://act.famm.org/a/environment-inside-poll Whether it’s sharing one water fountain with 75 people during a heatwave, inadequate ventilation as the air becomes toxic, or a lack of protection when local communities are told to evacuate, every detail helps build the case for urgent reform. 

Please complete the survey https://act.famm.org/a/environment-inside-poll by August 31, 2026, and share it widely. The more voices they hear from, the stronger they can push for attention and action can be.