During this summer of dangerous heat it doubled the price for its bottled water sold in prison commissaries. RPI increased the price of a bottle of water from 15 cents to 30 cents and now charges $7.20 for a case of water.
Prisoners — who can’t go to the store — are literally being cooked to death. Media are reporting two prisoners die every day in Texas. Temperatures in cells are well over 100 degrees and go as high as 140 degrees. Staying hydrated is sometimes impossible, because the tap water can be so disgusting that incarcerated people refuse to drink it.
“It smells.” “It is brown like it came from a dirty lake.” “I cut up my sheet and make a filter and tie it to the faucet. The crud that accumulates is scary.” These are the comments families and friends are getting from those inside.
Most Texas prisoners have no money in their commissary account. If no one can help them, they are out of luck. Reason? Texas prisoners earn not even one cent an hour, even though they are forced to work.
Matthew Chapter 25
41 Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”