Alabama's prison system has been under federal court oversight for its use of restrictive housing for nearly a decade. The state's Department of Corrections (ADOC) does not use the phrase "solitary confinement" in its official policy language -- it uses administrative segregation, disciplinary segregation, and protective custody. But the practical conditions across all three can be the same: a single cell, 22 to 23 hours locked down, and in Alabama's case, a level of understaffing and violence that a federal judge called "horrendously inadequate." Two separate federal cases -- Braggs v. Dunn, a class-action mental health suit, and a Department of Justice civil rights lawsuit filed in 2020 -- have documented the dangers of Alabama's restrictive housing units in detail. This guide explains how the system works, what conditions are like, and what families can do.
What Solitary Confinement Is Called in Alabama
ADOC officially refers to isolated housing under three categories, each governed by separate administrative regulations:
Administrative Segregation (AR 433): Non-punitive placement for people whose continued presence in general population poses a serious threat to life, property, security, or the orderly running of the facility. Administrative segregation is not intended as punishment -- it is a management tool.
Disciplinary Segregation (AR 434): Punitive placement following a guilty finding at a disciplinary hearing. This is the consequence side of the prison rule violation process and involves more restrictions on privileges than administrative segregation.
Protective Custody (AR 435): Placement for people who face documented threats to their safety. Can be requested by the person or assigned by the facility.
A fourth category appears in practice: preventative status, which is an informal holding placement used while an investigation or housing decision is pending.
In federal court filings and public reporting, all of these are commonly referred to as restrictive housing or solitary confinement. The Braggs v. Dunn court and the DOJ lawsuit both use "restrictive housing units" (RHUs) as the umbrella term.
Who Gets Placed in Restrictive Housing in Alabama
Administrative segregation is used for people who are considered an escape risk, who have been assaultive toward staff or other people, who need protection from other people, or who are pending a disciplinary hearing. Under the ADOC's own regulations, administrative segregation should not involve loss of privileges beyond what is necessary for security.
Disciplinary segregation follows a guilty finding at a disciplinary hearing under AR 403 (Procedures for Inmate Rule Violations). Alabama's Governor revised AR 403 in connection with Executive Order 725 in response to prison labor actions, authorizing solitary confinement as a sanction for work refusals and work stoppages -- a policy that has been challenged in federal court.
Protective custody can be initiated by the person who needs protection or by the facility. People who have been threatened, who are known gang members facing rival threats, or who have cooperated with authorities are among those commonly placed in protective custody.
Conditions in Alabama Restrictive Housing
Alabama's restrictive housing units have been the subject of extensive federal court findings. Based on court records, investigative reporting, and ADOC's own admissions in litigation, the documented conditions include:
Cell time: People in restrictive housing are confined to a single cell for approximately 22 to 23 hours per day. The court-ordered minimum for people with serious mental illness is five hours of out-of-cell time per week -- a standard that ADOC has repeatedly failed to meet. In the seven months before one prisoner's death by suicide, he rarely received even that minimum.
Physical conditions: Individual cells in Alabama's aging facilities have been documented as filthy, lacking adequate lighting, and sometimes without running water. Court filings describe cells that were not "suicide-resistant" despite housing people with known mental health needs.
Security checks: Court-ordered 30-minute security checks in restrictive housing cells had less than 20% compliance in audits reported to the court. One person was not found until hours after his death, when rigor mortis had set in.
Programming and property: People in disciplinary segregation face more restrictions on programming access, phone use, visits, and personal property. Access to education, work assignments, and congregate religious services is typically eliminated.
Mental health treatment: People in Alabama RHUs who have serious mental illnesses are supposed to receive treatment out of cell and in confidential settings. In practice, court findings show that understaffing has forced providers to conduct sessions cell-side through the door, compromising both privacy and effectiveness.
How Long People Stay in Restrictive Housing
Alabama's administrative regulations require a periodic review process through the Institutional Segregation Review Board (ISRB), which is composed of the warden, the classification supervisor, and the chaplain or alternates. Under AR 436, the ISRB is supposed to review segregated individuals regularly to ensure placement in the least restrictive environment consistent with rehabilitation and facility safety.
In practice, people in Alabama's RHUs have remained in segregation for extended periods -- sometimes years -- while the review process produced minimal movement. Court findings in Braggs v. Dunn noted ADOC's failure to ensure people in RHUs received the out-of-cell time they needed, describing the situation as one in which ADOC "has done nothing" to comply.
There is no statutory cap in Alabama on the length of time someone can be held in administrative segregation. Disciplinary segregation terms are set at the disciplinary hearing.
Due Process Before Placement
Administrative segregation does not require a hearing before placement. It is a non-punitive status, so ADOC can move someone into a segregation cell and notify them afterward. The standard is whether their continued presence in general population poses a serious threat.
Disciplinary segregation requires a disciplinary hearing under AR 403. The person is entitled to notice of the charge, the opportunity to be heard, and a written decision. The hearing officer decides on placement and duration. Appeals are available through the institutional grievance process and then to ADOC's central office.
Preventative status -- the informal holding placement used during investigations -- has been challenged in federal court because ADOC placed people in it without any disciplinary reason while investigations were ongoing, sometimes for extended periods.
Protections for People with Mental Illness
Alabama's use of restrictive housing for mentally ill prisoners has been the central issue in Braggs v. Dunn, which was filed in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP). Federal Judge Myron Thompson found in 2017 that mental health care in Alabama's prisons was "horrendously inadequate" and constituted cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
Court orders in Braggs v. Dunn require ADOC to:
- Screen inmates for mental health problems before placing them in segregation.
- Transfer mentally ill prisoners from suicide watch to segregation only in "exceptional circumstances" and only after a documented mental health evaluation.
- Provide people in restrictive housing with the required out-of-cell time (at minimum five hours per week).
- Conduct 30-minute security checks in restrictive housing cells.
- Ensure RHU cells are "suicide-resistant" before a person is brought in.
- Not transfer a person directly from segregation to the community -- a step-down period is required.
Despite these court orders, ADOC's compliance has been repeatedly found lacking. An average of 50 people per week with serious mental illnesses were held in RHUs during a period in 2022 when they were not supposed to be there. The suicide rate in Alabama's prisons has been among the highest in the nation, with most suicides occurring in solitary or solitary-like conditions.
Recent Reforms and Ongoing Litigation
Braggs v. Dunn (2:14-cv-00601, M.D. Ala.) remains active. Judge Thompson issued a 600-page opinion in December 2021 ordering sweeping reforms and extending deadlines, and has continued to monitor ADOC's compliance. As of 2025, the court's July 2025 staffing deadline was the latest benchmark ADOC was ordered to meet.
United States v. Alabama (DOJ civil rights lawsuit, filed December 2020, N.D. Ala.): The DOJ filed suit against Alabama alleging unconstitutional conditions in its prisons for men, including failure to protect prisoners from violence and sexual abuse and excessive force by guards. Trial was pushed to 2026. The DOJ's 2019 investigation found that "overcrowding and understaffing results in prisons that are inadequately supervised with inappropriate and unsafe housing designations." Restrictive housing conditions are part of the ongoing litigation.
Executive Order 725 / AR 403 revision: Governor Ivey's executive order authorizing solitary confinement as a sanction for work refusals has been challenged in litigation by prisoners who were placed in segregation for participating in labor protests. As of 2025, federal courts were still addressing these challenges.
What Families Can Do
If your person is placed in restrictive housing in an Alabama prison, here are the practical steps:
Contact the facility directly. The warden's office at the facility where your person is held can confirm placement status and provide information on the reason for placement. Facilities are required to notify families of significant status changes.
Monitor visitation status. People in disciplinary segregation may have visitation restricted. People in administrative segregation are not supposed to lose visitation rights beyond what security requires, but in practice privileges vary by facility and placement type.
Mail and phone contact. Restrictions on mail and phone use depend on the type of segregation and the individual's privilege level. Mail (especially legal mail) has stronger protections than phone calls or visits.
Document everything. If your person is calling or writing from restrictive housing, keep records of what they report about conditions, medical access, mental health treatment, out-of-cell time, and security check compliance. These records may support a grievance or legal claim.
File a grievance through ADOC's process. The ADOC has an administrative grievance process that must typically be exhausted before any federal lawsuit can proceed. The person in custody files the grievance, but families can help them understand the process and track responses.
Contact advocacy organizations. The Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org), the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (adap.ua.edu), and the Equal Justice Initiative (eji.org) have all been involved in Alabama prison litigation and may be able to provide referrals or information. Alabama Appleseed (alabamaappleseed.org) tracks prison conditions and legislative developments.
Seek legal help. If conditions in restrictive housing are causing serious harm -- especially to someone with a mental health diagnosis -- consult with an attorney familiar with prisoner rights litigation in Alabama's federal courts.
Frequently asked questions
What is solitary confinement called in Alabama prisons?
ADOC uses three official terms: administrative segregation (non-punitive, management-based placement), disciplinary segregation (punitive, following a rule violation hearing), and protective custody (for people who face threats to their safety). In federal court filings and public reporting, all three are commonly referred to as restrictive housing units (RHUs) or solitary confinement. The practical conditions -- single-cell confinement for 22 to 23 hours per day -- can be the same across all types.
Who can be placed in restrictive housing in Alabama?
Administrative segregation can be used for anyone deemed an escape risk, who has been assaultive, who needs protection, or who is pending a disciplinary hearing. Disciplinary segregation follows a guilty finding at a hearing under AR 403. Protective custody is used for people facing documented threats. Since Executive Order 725, ADOC has also used segregation as a sanction for refusing to work, which is being challenged in federal court.
What are conditions like in Alabama restrictive housing?
Court findings document 22 to 23 hours per day in a single cell, a court-ordered minimum of five hours out-of-cell per week for people with serious mental illness (routinely not met), less than 20% compliance with 30-minute security checks, filthy and sometimes waterless cells, and mental health sessions conducted through cell doors rather than in confidential settings. ADOC's own admissions in Braggs v. Dunn confirm these conditions.
How long can someone stay in solitary in Alabama?
There is no statutory time limit on administrative segregation in Alabama. The ISRB (Institutional Segregation Review Board) is supposed to conduct periodic reviews under AR 436, but court findings show that people have remained in RHUs for extended periods without meaningful review. Disciplinary segregation terms are set at the disciplinary hearing. Court orders in Braggs v. Dunn prohibit releasing someone directly from segregation to the community -- a step-down period is required.
What due process applies before Alabama segregation?
Administrative segregation does not require a prior hearing -- it is considered non-punitive, and ADOC can place someone in it and notify them afterward. Disciplinary segregation requires a hearing under AR 403, with notice of the charge, opportunity to be heard, and a written decision. Appeals are available through the internal grievance process. Informal "preventative status" placements have been challenged in federal court for lacking any due process basis.
Are mentally ill prisoners protected from solitary in AL?
Court orders in Braggs v. Dunn require ADOC to screen people for mental illness before placing them in segregation and to only transfer mentally ill people to segregation in "exceptional circumstances" with a documented mental health evaluation first. Despite these orders, an average of 50 people per week with serious mental illnesses were held in RHUs in 2022 when they should not have been. Compliance has been consistently poor.
What does the Braggs v. Dunn case mean for prisoners?
Braggs v. Dunn (filed 2014, SPLC and ADAP) resulted in a 2017 finding that Alabama's mental health care constituted cruel and unusual punishment. A 600-page 2021 order imposed sweeping new requirements -- including on restrictive housing -- with deadlines extending through 2025. The case remains active, with an external monitor reviewing compliance. It established the minimum standards that ADOC is legally required to meet for mentally ill prisoners in RHUs.
What is the DOJ lawsuit against Alabama about?
The DOJ filed suit in December 2020 alleging unconstitutional conditions in Alabama's men's prisons -- including failure to protect prisoners from violence and sexual abuse and excessive force by guards. The case follows a 2019 DOJ investigation that found overcrowding and understaffing had created "an environment rife with violence, extortion, drugs, and weapons." Trial was pushed to 2026. Restrictive housing conditions and inappropriate housing designations are part of the ongoing claims.
Can families visit someone in Alabama restrictive housing?
People in administrative segregation are not supposed to lose visitation rights beyond what is necessary for security -- but in practice, visiting someone in a restrictive housing unit often depends on facility-specific rules. People in disciplinary segregation typically have visitation suspended as part of their sanction. Contact the facility directly to confirm current visiting status before making a trip.
What can families do if someone is in Alabama solitary?
Contact the warden's office to confirm placement and the stated reason. Keep written records of everything your person reports about conditions, medical and mental health access, and out-of-cell time. Help them file a grievance through ADOC's administrative process if conditions are unlawful. Contact the Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org), Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (adap.ua.edu), or Equal Justice Initiative (eji.org) for referrals. If your person has a mental health diagnosis and is being held in a RHU without the court-ordered protections, consult a prisoner rights attorney. ---