How Long Does an Inmate Stay in the Box in Prison?

The box, also called the hole, SHU, or solitary confinement, has no fixed release timeline. How long someone stays there depends almost entirely on why they were placed there in the first place.

There are two main types of segregation and they work differently.

Disciplinary segregation is punishment for a specific rule violation. The length of time is determined by the disciplinary hearing process and is tied to the severity of the infraction. Minor violations might result in a few days to a few weeks. Serious violations like fighting, possessing a weapon, or threatening staff can result in months in disciplinary segregation. The sanction is set at the hearing and your family member should know their release date from the box once that process is complete.

Administrative segregation is different. It is not necessarily punishment but rather a management decision by the facility, used when an inmate is considered a safety risk, is under investigation, or needs to be separated from the general population for other reasons. Administrative segregation does not have a set end date the way disciplinary segregation does. It is reviewed periodically, but an inmate can remain in administrative status for an extended period depending on the circumstances.