wilson seiter argued january decided june petitioner wilson ohio prison inmate filed suit respondents state prison officials alleging certain conditions confinement constituted cruel unusual punishment violation eighth fourteenth amendments affidavits described challenged conditions charged authorities notification failed take remedial action district granted summary judgment respondents appeals affirmed ground inter alia affidavits failed establish requisite culpable state mind part respondents held prisoner claiming conditions confinement violate eighth amendment must show culpable state mind part prison officials see whitley albers rhodes chapman distinguished intent requirement implicit amendment ban cruel unusual punishment wilson suggested distinction prison conditions state mind requirement apply continuing systemic conditions official state mind irrelevant rejected pp deliberate indifference standard applied estelle gamble claims involving medical care applies generally prisoner challenges conditions confinement merit respondents contention standard applied cases involving personal physical injury malice standard appropriate cases challenging conditions whitley teaches wantonness conduct depends effect prisoner constraints facing official pp appeals erred failing consider wilson claims deliberate indifference standard applying instead standard behavior marked persistent malicious cruelty possible error harmless since said wilson affidavits established best negligence conceivably however reached different disposition correct standard case remanded reconsideration basis pp scalia delivered opinion rehnquist kennedy souter joined white filed opinion concurring judgment marshall blackmun stevens joined post elizabeth alexander argued cause petitioner briefs alvin bronstein gordon beggs john powell steven shapiro deputy solicitor general bryson argued cause amicus curiae support petitioner brief solicitor general starr assistant attorney general dunne deputy solicitor general shapiro deputy assistant attorney general clegg michael dreeben david flynn thomas chandler rita eppler assistant attorney general ohio argued cause respondents brief anthony celebrezze attorney general nancy miller cherry lynne poteet nancy johnston assistant attorneys general john boston filed brief american public health association amicus curiae urging reversal brief amici curiae filed state michigan et al frank kelley attorney general michigan gay secor hardy solicitor general thomas nelson assistant attorney general joined attorneys general respective jurisdictions follows douglas bailey alaska ron fields arkansas john van de kamp california clarine nardi riddle connecticut charles oberly iii delaware warren price iii hawaii james jones idaho neil hartigan illinois robert stephen kansas frederic cowan kentucky william webster missouri robert del tufo new jersey dave frohnmayer oregon ernest preate pennsylvania travis medlock south carolina charles brunson tennessee mary sue terry virginia hector puerto rico justice scalia delivered opinion case presents questions whether prisoner claiming conditions confinement constitute cruel unusual punishment must show culpable state mind part prison officials state mind required petitioner pearly wilson felon incarcerated hocking correctional facility hcf nelsonville ohio alleging number conditions confinement constituted cruel unusual punishment violation eighth fourteenth amendments brought action respondents richard seiter director ohio department rehabilitation correction carl humphreys warden hcf complaint alleged overcrowding excessive noise insufficient locker storage space inadequate heating cooling improper ventilation unclean inadequate restrooms unsanitary dining facilities food preparation housing mentally physically ill inmates petitioner sought declaratory injunctive relief well compensatory punitive damages app parties filed summary judgment supporting affidavits petitioner affidavits described challenged conditions charged authorities notification failed take remedial action respondents affidavits denied alleged conditions existed described efforts prison officials improve others district granted summary judgment respondents appeals sixth circuit affirmed granted certiorari eighth amendment applies due process clause fourteenth amendment robinson california prohibits infliction cruel unusual punishments convicted crimes estelle gamble first acknowledged provision applied deprivations specifically part sentence suffered imprisonment rejected however inmate claim case prison doctors inflicted cruel unusual punishment inadequately attending medical needs failed establish possessed sufficiently culpable state mind since said unnecessary wanton infliction pain implicates eighth amendment quoting gregg georgia joint opinion emphasis added prisoner advancing claim must minimum allege deliberate indifference serious medical needs indifference violate eighth amendment ibid emphasis added allegations inadvertent failure provide adequate medical care negligent diagnos simply fail establish requisite culpable state mind estelle relied large measure earlier case louisiana ex rel francis resweber involved prison deprivation effort subject prisoner second electrocution first attempt failed reason malfunction electric chair justice reed writing plurality emphasized eighth amendment prohibited wanton infliction pain emphasis added first attempt thwarted unforeseeable accident officials lacked culpable state mind necessary punishment regarded cruel regardless actual suffering inflicted situation unfortunate victim accident though suffered identical amount mental anguish physical pain occurrence example fire cell block justice frankfurter concurring solely basis due process clause fourteenth amendment emphasized first attempt failed innocent misadventure suggested might reach different conclusion hypothetical situation assumes series abortive attempts electrocution even single cruelly willful attempt estelle next confronted eighth amendment challenge prison deprivation rhodes chapman case inmates southern ohio correctional facility contended lodging two inmates single cell double celling constituted cruel unusual punishment rejected contention concluding amounts theory double celling inflicts pain constitutes unnecessary wanton infliction pain violates eighth amendment constitution said mandate comfortable prisons deprivations denying minimal civilized measure life necessities sufficiently grave form basis eighth amendment violation holding rhodes turned objective component eighth amendment prison claim deprivation sufficiently serious consider subjective component officials act sufficiently culpable state mind rhodes eliminated subjective component made clear next relevant case whitley albers inmate shot guard attempt quell prison disturbance contended subjected cruel unusual punishment stated incarceration unnecessary wanton infliction pain constitutes cruel unusual punishment forbidden eighth amendment cruel unusual punishment conduct purport punishment must involve ordinary lack due care prisoner interests safety obduracy wantonness inadvertence error good faith characterize conduct prohibited cruel unusual punishments clause whether conduct occurs connection establishing conditions confinement supplying medical needs restoring official control tumultuous cellblock emphasis added citations omitted internal quotations omitted infliction punishment deliberate act intended chastise deter word means today meant eighteenth century guard accidentally stepped prisoner toe broke punishment anything remotely like accepted meaning word whether consult usage duckworth franzen cert denied suggests state mind inquiry might allow officials interpose defense despite good faith efforts obtain funding fiscal constraints beyond control prevent elimination inhumane conditions even hard understand control meaning cruel unusual punishments eighth amendment intent requirement either implicit word punishment alternately required ignored policy considerations might dictate rate validity cost defense negating requisite intent issue case since respondents never advanced might note indication officials sought use defense avoid holding estelle gamble ii determined eighth amendment claims based official conduct purport penalty formally imposed crime require inquiry state mind remains us consider state mind applies cases challenging prison conditions described cases say offending conduct must wanton whitley makes clear however context wantonness fixed meaning must determined due regard differences kind conduct eighth amendment objection lodged whitley officials act response prison disturbance actions necessarily taken haste pressure balanced competing institutional concerns safety prison staff inmates ibid emergency situation found wantonness consisted acting maliciously sadistically purpose causing harm quoting johnson see also dudley stubbs dissenting denial certiorari contrast state responsibility attend medical needs prisoners ordinarily clash equally important governmental responsibilities whitley supra context estelle held deliberate indifference constitute wantonness parties agree lower courts consistently held see lafaut smith high state mind prescribed whitley apply prison conditions cases petitioner argues extent officials state mind relevant justification standard demanding estelle deliberate indifference respondents counter deliberate indifference appropriate cases involving personal injury physical nature malice standard applied cases involve detriment bodily integrity pain injury loss life brief respondents agree respondents suggestion wantonness conduct depends upon effect upon prisoner whitley teaches assuming conduct harmful enough satisfy objective component eighth amendment claim see rhodes chapman whether characterized wanton depends upon constraints facing official standpoint see significant distinction claims alleging inadequate medical care alleging inadequate conditions confinement indeed medical care prisoner receives much condition confinement food fed clothes issued temperature subjected cell protection afforded inmates indication general matter actions prison officials respect nonmedical conditions taken materially different constraints actions respect medical conditions thus retired justice powell concluded whether one characterizes treatment received prisoner inhumane conditions confinement failure attend medical needs combination appropriate apply deliberate indifference standard articulated estelle lafaut see also lopez robinson givens jones cert denied morgan district columbia app iii consider whether light foregoing analysis sixth circuit erred affirming district grant summary judgment respondents favor preliminary matter must address petitioner contention appeals erred dismissing reached issue number claims inadequate cooling housing mentally ill inmates overcrowding ground even proved involve serious deprivation required rhodes dismiss challenged condition petitioner contends long conditions remain dispute condition must considered part overall conditions challenged brief petitioner petitioner bases contention upon observation rhodes conditions confinement alone combination may deprive prisoners minimal civilized measure life necessities courts besides appeals understood see wellman faulkner cert denied hoptowit ray wright rushen statement rhodes meant establish broad proposition petitioner asserts conditions confinement may establish eighth amendment violation combination alone mutually enforcing effect produces deprivation single identifiable human need food warmth exercise example low cell temperature night combined failure issue blankets compare spain procunier outdoor exercise required prisoners otherwise confined small cells almost hours per day clay miller outdoor exercise required prisoners otherwise access day room hours per day say prison conditions may interact fashion far cry saying prison conditions seamless web eighth amendment purposes nothing amorphous overall conditions rise level cruel unusual punishment specific deprivation single human need exists express opinion relative gravity various claims sixth circuit found pass fail threshold test serious deprivation reject contention made claim found fail test isolation disposing three claims basis rhodes appeals proceeded uphold district dismissal petitioner remaining claims ground affidavits failed establish requisite culpable state mind critical portion opinion reads follows whitley standard obduracy wantonness requires behavior marked persistent malicious cruelty record us simply fails assert facts suggesting behavior best appellants claim evidences negligence appellees parts implementing standards maintaining conditions negligence clearly inadequate support eighth amendment claim ordered footnotes course concurrence say deprivation must imposed upon prisoners rise level condition confinement punishment suffice directed individual prisoners one wonders whether depriving individual prisoners murderers suffice individual prisoners cellblock concurrence distinction seems us unsupportable principle unworkable practice concurrence going beyond petitioner argued takes position conditions exist prison even though prison officials neither know reason know constitute punishment reasons described basis position principle contradicted cases concurrence purports find support two cases hutto finney rhodes chapman hutto concurrence description makes clear question whether conditions remedied district order constituted cruel unusual punishment issue indeed apart attorney fees element order issue respect pertained punitive isolation post even one think passed upon cruel unusual punishment point uninvited sub silentio punitive isolation inflicted punitive intent rhodes concurrence describes addressing first time disputed contention conditions confinement particular prison constituted cruel unusual punishment post emphasis original mention element disputed well element decided see supra whether conditions sufficiently serious deprivation violate constitutional standard borne mind evident lengthy quotation case set forth concurrence post provides support even way dictum concurrence position justice white justice marshall justice blackmun justice stevens join concurring judgment majority holds prisoners challenging conditions confinement eighth amendment must show deliberate indifference responsible officials requirement inconsistent prior decisions concur judgment well established majority dispute pain suffering part punishment imposed convicted criminals subject eighth amendment scrutiny without regard intent requirement linchpin majority analysis therefore assertion pain inflicted formally meted punishment statute sentencing judge mental element must attributed inflicting officer qualify ante emphasis added reasoning disregards prior decisions involved challenges conditions confinement made clear conditions part punishment even though specifically meted statute judge first considered relationship eighth amendment conditions confinement hutto finney district entered series remedial orders determining conditions arkansas prison system violated eighth amendment prison officials conceding conditions cruel unusual challenged two aspects district relief order limiting punitive isolation days award attorney fees upholding district limitation punitive isolation first made clear conditions confinement part punishment subject eighth amendment scrutiny eighth amendment ban inflicting cruel unusual punishments made applicable fourteenth amendment proscribe physically barbarous punishments estelle gamble prohibits penalties grossly disproportionate offense weems well transgress today broad idealistic concepts dignity civilized standards humanity decency estelle gamble supra quoting jackson bishop confinement prison isolation cell form punishment subject scrutiny eighth amendment standards emphasis added rhodes chapman addressed first time disputed contention conditions confinement particular prison constituted cruel unusual punishment see prisoners challenged double celling inmates ohio prison addressing claim began reiterating various bases eighth amendment challenge today eighth amendment prohibits punishments although physically barbarous involve unnecessary wanton infliction pain gregg georgia grossly disproportionate severity crime coker georgia plurality opinion weems among unnecessary wanton inflictions pain totally without penological justification gregg georgia supra estelle gamble static test exist courts determine whether conditions confinement cruel unusual eighth amendment must draw meaning evolving standards decency mark progress maturing society trop dulles plurality opinion omitted principles apply conditions confinement compose punishment issue conditions must involve wanton unnecessary infliction pain may grossly disproportionate severity crime warranting imprisonment estelle gamble supra held denial medical care cruel unusual worst case result physical torture even less serious cases result pain without penological purpose hutto finney supra conditions confinement two arkansas prisons constituted cruel unusual punishment resulted unquestioned serious deprivations basic human needs conditions gamble hutto alone combination may deprive inmates minimal civilized measure life necessities conditions cruel unusual contemporary standard decency recognized gamble supra emphasis added majority relies upon decisions louisiana ex rel francis resweber estelle gamble whitley albers none cases involved challenge conditions confinement instead involved challenges specific acts omissions directed individual prisoners gamble example challenge general lack access medical care prison allegedly inadequate delivery treatment plaintiff similarly whitley challenge action prison guard shooting plaintiff riot condition prison distinction crucial unlike conduct purport punishment involved gamble whitley made intent element cause action alleging unconstitutional conditions confinement gillespie crawford per curiam reinstated part en banc moreover whitley expressly supports objective standard challenges conditions confinement discussing eighth amendment stated express intent inflict unnecessary pain required estelle gamble deliberate indifference prisoner serious medical needs cruel unusual punishment harsh conditions confinement may constitute cruel unusual punishment unless conditions part penalty criminal offenders pay offenses society rhodes chapman emphasis added majority intent requirement departure precedent likely prove impossible apply many cases inhumane prison conditions often result cumulative actions inactions numerous officials inside outside prison sometimes long period time circumstances far clear whose intent examined majority offers real guidance issue truth intent simply meaningful considering challenge institution prison system majority approach also unwise leaves open possibility example prison officials able defeat action challenging inhumane prison conditions simply showing conditions caused insufficient funding state legislature rather deliberate indifference part prison officials see ante view chosen use imprisonment form punishment state must ensure conditions prisons comport contemporary standard decency required eighth amendment see deshaney winnebago cty dept social services argues eriously inhumane pervasive conditions insulated constitutional challenge officials managing institution exhibited conscientious concern ameliorating problems made efforts albeit unsuccessful end brief amicus curiae ultimate result today decision fear serious deprivations basic human needs rhodes supra go unredressed due unnecessary meaningless search deliberate indifference telling lower courts often examined objective conditions subjective intent government officials considering eighth amendment challenges conditions confinement see tillery owens foulds corley french owens cert denied hoptowit spellman among lower courts well established inadequate funding excuse perpetuation unconstitutional conditions confinement smith sullivan see also wellman faulkner cert denied ramos lamm cert denied battle anderson gates collier