Environmental Health and Climate Vulnerability in New Jersey's Carceral Facilities

Sydnie Bogan

Co-Presenters: Theresa Lee

College: College of Business and Public Management

Major: MPA.PUBLICMANAGEMENT

Faculty Research Mentor: Shokry, Galia  

Abstract:

The purpose of this participatory research study is to investigate how environmental health risks interact with systemic inequities and climate vulnerabilities within New Jersey’s carceral facilities. Prisons often operate in hazardous environmental conditions, exposing incarcerated individuals and staff to contaminants, extreme heat, poor air and water quality, and outdated infrastructure. Incarcerated individuals and staff are uniquely vulnerable due to their limited ability to adapt to or protect themselves from these conditions. This study assesses these risks their health and social impacts and institutional responses, to address the following research question: To what extent do environmental and climate-related conditions shape the health, safety, and lived experiences of incarcerated individuals and facility personnel?We employ a mixed-methods design that integrates both quantitative and qualitative data to examine environmental health risks in carceral settings. Data collection methods include an introductory survey, semi-structured interviews, and geospatial analysis. The study also incorporates secondary data from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Open Public Records Act (OPRA) submissions, and documentation from the Clean Water Action and Women Who Never Give Up advocacy campaign. Grounded in a community-driven, action-oriented framework, the research prioritizes the voices and experiences of directly impacted individuals.These story–telling components are essential to the study’s methodology as it humanizes the lived realities of carceral populations, challenging narratives that render them invisible within environmental and climate policy discussions. By centering justice-impacted voices, this research aims to more systematically include carceral populations in EJ advocacy and policymaking and to press for improving environmental conditions in correctional facilities. Additionally, this study aims to bridge critical gaps in public health and environmental justice research through an interdisciplinary and participatory approach that centers populations with restricted mobility and limited rights in the face of climate impacts.