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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY California is at the forefront of climate change. In the last ten years, the Golden State has experienced large-scale wildfires, surging temperatures, and devastating flooding, among other climate hazards, that have caused harm to human health and the natural environment. 1 This series of climate hazards has made it evident that the effects of climate change will continue to intensify, have the greatest impact on already vulnerable populations, and, most critically, the California carceral system is not prepared to respond to climate hazards in or near prisons. 2 On behalf of our client, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, our research project sought to understand what policy alternatives can reduce the impact of climate hazards on those incarcerated in California state prisons. Through a mixed methods approach, using interviews with experts, a survey of people incarcerated in California state prisons, and a spatial analysis, we concluded that incarcerated people face unique challenges during climate hazards and thus must be included in any measure of vulnerability to ensure their safety and well-being.
