Last Sunday in Baywater, Minnesota, nearly 100 inmates at a local jail showed their discontent by refusing to return to their cells. The main reason for this protest was the prolonged confinement in their cells over the Labor Day weekend, exacerbated by a notable staff shortage.
In fact, the prison is currently suffering from a shortage of 50 agents, a situation which was accentuated during the long weekend. That shortage has led to intermittent lockdown measures since Friday, forcing prisoners to stay longer in their cells, mostly without air conditioning.
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But beyond the staff shortage, other concerns have been raised. Prisoners' rights advocates said the protest was also a response to difficult detention conditions, particularly because of the oppressive heat. A heat alert has also been issued by the US National Weather Service for the region, with temperatures reaching up to 37.7°C. Prisoners also complain of limited access to showers and ice and denounce drinking water of questionable quality.
Faced with this situation, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) recognized that inmates were frustrated by limited access to phones and showers. However, the DOC refutes claims regarding lack of access to clean water.
DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell said inmates are normally allowed several hours of recreation time during the weekend. However, the holidays reduced this time to just one hour. AFSCME Council 5, which represents Minnesota correctional officers, also highlighted the issue of understaffing as a major cause of Sunday's incident.