At the Algoa prison in Jefferson City, without air conditioning, the best a prisoner can hope for on intensely hot days is some ice. Even though prisoners get ice three times a day, it melts in about 30 minutes. And sometimes there is not enough of it, so men last in line for “ice call” don’t get any, said a prisoner who asked that his name not be used for fear of retribution. Like other prisons without air conditioning in Missouri, Kansas and elsewhere, rising temperatures can put the health and safety of prisoners and staff at risk. Current and recent prisoners say the lack of AC is not only uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous. They sweat through their clothes and watch friends faint, all while pleading for AC — which, health officials agree, is the best protection against heat-related illness. Prison officials in Missouri say expanding air conditioning to each of its facilities would be wonderful, but that it would require approval and appropriations from lawmakers. And it ...