In the era of climate change, those incarcerated in U.S. prisons are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the ever-growing risks posed by climate disasters. Private prisons—once envisioned as a solution to the crisis of mass incarceration—exacerbate these existing vulnerabilities, complicating the carceral landscape and enhancing the threat that those incarcerated face as a result. While existing literature advocates for the development of emergency preparedness in prisons in general, there remains a need for clearly outlined standards for carceral evacuation plans, especially alongside consideration of the unique challenges posed by privately-run facilities. This Note outlines the necessary elements for such prison evacuation plans, proposing a standard that would make carceral evacuations both constitutionally sufficient and safer for those incarcerated.
