Concerns have been raised by families of certain inmates at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center regarding the absence of air conditioning within the facility.
According to Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker, the air conditioning systems in the four dormitories at BDCC have been grappling with the challenge of coping with the intense heat of this summer. Nevertheless, this isn’t the sole reason for the malfunctioning of some of these units.
Parker explained, “We have four dorms at BDCC – A, B, C, and D – that hold up to 100 prisoners per dorm. Then we have two lockdown blocks that can hold up to three inmates per cell.”
The maximum inmate capacity for BDCC stands at 444. However, as of August 6, the facility held 413 incarcerated individuals. Every dormitory is equipped with a 20-ton air conditioning unit.
Parker elaborated, “C and D dorms are completely repaired and operational. A and B dorms … we have capacitors in to replace the ones that were damaged and, by the end of the week, we should have those fully functional.”
During periods of unit unavailability, Parker noted that each dormitory is equipped with multiple large “shop” fans to circulate air.
Sheriff Parker emphasized, “Louisiana is not required by law to air condition prisons. We do have to administer circulating air, and we have those big fans. Each dorm had ice coolers with ice and water, anything they needed to keep them cool.”
A contributing factor to the breakdown of the air conditioning units is linked to laundry-related activities.
Parker clarified, “The inmates wash their clothes in the sink and then hang them over the return air vents to dry, and that causes damage to the capacitors.” Unfortunately, this practice damages the capacitors. The prisoners have been informed that this behavior could result in charges for criminal property damage and potential liability for the cost of replacing the damaged capacitor, which amounts to $8,000 each. Inmates do have access to laundry facilities.
Prisoners are not the only ones without air conditioning this summer. Many hard working low-income families in Minden have had to do without air conditioning in the face of rising energy costs and inflation.