Oklahoma's Department of Corrections (ODOC) uses three formal categories of restricted housing -- Restrictive Housing (RH), Extended Restrictive Housing (ERH), and Special Management Units (SMUs) -- governed by operational policies OP-040203 and OP-040204. Extended Restrictive Housing is the most severe long-term isolation category in Oklahoma's system. Oklahoma has no statute limiting the duration or scope of solitary confinement.
Oklahoma's solitary confinement practices have drawn litigation. In April 2024, seven inmates filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were placed in 3x3 foot shower stalls filled with feces for days at a time at Great Plains Correctional Center, described as "micro solitary confinement cells." The lawsuit names ODOC, four employees, and two supervisors and administrators.
Oklahoma also houses its death row population and some of the most long-term isolated prisoners at H-Unit at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester -- a maximum-security unit with a documented history of harsh isolation conditions.
What Solitary Confinement Is Called in Oklahoma
ODOC uses "restrictive housing" as the general term for solitary confinement. The three formal categories are:
Restrictive Housing (RH): Standard placement separating a person from general population for safety, security, or disciplinary reasons. Governed by OP-040203 (Restrictive/Extended Restrictive Housing).
Extended Restrictive Housing (ERH): Long-term, more severe isolation for people who cannot safely be in general population or standard RH. Also governed by OP-040203. Direct release from ERH to the community is prohibited -- people must step down through a program before release.
Special Management Units (SMUs): The most restrictive long-term housing, governed by OP-040204. Criteria for SMU placement are based on the amount of time outside the cell per day -- less than 22 hours per day in cell. SMUs involve an integrated treatment team approach with psychologists, psychiatric practitioners, licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, registered nurses, and activity therapists.
Mental Health Units and Habilitation Programs (OP-140127, updated December 31, 2024): Designated housing units and beds for inmates with serious mental illness or significant cognitive impairments who cannot adapt to general population. Placement procedures for RH and ERH (OP-040203) and SMUs (OP-040204) do not apply to these mental health beds.
H-Unit at Oklahoma State Penitentiary
H-Unit is the maximum-security housing unit at Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP) in McAlester. It houses Oklahoma's death row and some of the most long-term and severely isolated prisoners in the state.
H-Unit has a documented history of harsh conditions: isolation for 23 or more hours per day, limited human contact, restricted programming, and documented mental health deterioration among those held there for extended periods. OSP and H-Unit have been subjects of litigation and advocacy attention over conditions for decades.
Death row prisoners at H-Unit face indefinite placement in highly restricted conditions as a result of their sentence classification, independent of disciplinary history.
ODOC Policies: Mental Health and Step-Down
OP-040203 and OP-040204 establish that:
Mental health assessment is required at placement in SMUs and ERH (using form DOC 140201B, "Mental Health Assessment for Special Management/Restrictive/Extended Restrictive Housing," updated effective November 2025).
An integrated treatment team meets to develop and provide health and behavioral care services for people in ERH and SMU step-down programs.
Step-down is required before release from ERH to the community. People in Extended Restrictive Housing cannot be released directly to the street -- they must complete a step-down program.
SMU confinement criteria are based on out-of-cell time: SMU placement involves less than 22 hours per day in cell.
Legal materials: both OP-040203 and OP-040204 require that legal material requests be processed expeditiously and that law library access be provided in accordance with ODOC policy.
The April 2024 Shower Stall Lawsuit
In April 2024, seven inmates filed a lawsuit in federal court naming ODOC, four employees, and two supervisors and administrators. The lawsuit alleged that:
- An inmate at Great Plains Correctional Center requested a transfer in 2023 due to safety concerns after cellmates were found with homemade knives.
- Instead of transferring the inmate, staff moved him to a 3x3 foot shower stall with feces on the floor.
- The inmate was without clothing and had to relieve himself in the same area where he stood.
- Similar "micro solitary confinement cells" were used for multiple inmates.
- Seven inmates were kept in these conditions for days at a time.
The lawsuit alleged cruel and unusual punishment. ODOC did not respond to media requests for comment as of April 2024. The case status should be verified at publish.
No Statutory Protections
Oklahoma has no statute:
- Limiting the duration of restrictive housing, ERH, or SMU placement.
- Requiring minimum out-of-cell time in adult prisons.
- Prohibiting placement of people with serious mental illness in restrictive housing.
- Requiring public data reporting on restrictive housing use.
ODOC's policies (OP-040203, OP-040204, OP-140127) are the sole governance framework, and can be changed without legislative action.
2024 ODOC Accomplishments
ODOC's 2024 year-end report noted a 14% reduction in inmate-on-inmate assaults with serious injury between fiscal years 2023 and 2024, attributed in part to restrictive housing "realignment" and stricter Class X misconduct sanctions. ODOC characterized 2024 as a year of innovation and said it plans to continue reforms in 2025.
What Families Can Do
If your person is in restrictive housing, ERH, or an SMU at an Oklahoma state prison:
Find where your person is housed. ODOC provides an offender search at ok.gov/doc or doc.ok.gov. This confirms current facility and housing status.
Contact the facility. Contact the warden's office or classification department to confirm your person's current housing category (RH, ERH, or SMU), the reason for placement, the start date, and the expected pathway back to general population.
Know the three categories. RH, ERH, and SMU have different levels of restriction and different governing policies. ERH is the most severe long-term category; ERH requires a step-down before any community release. SMUs are governed by OP-040204 with an integrated treatment team. Ask which category your person is in and which policy governs their placement.
Know the step-down requirement. If your person is in Extended Restrictive Housing and is approaching a release date, ODOC policy prohibits direct release from ERH to the community. A step-down program placement is required. If this has not been arranged, contact the facility classification officer.
Know the mental health assessment requirement. Placement in SMU or ERH requires a mental health assessment (DOC 140201B). If your person has a serious mental illness and has been placed in ERH or an SMU without such an assessment, document this and file a grievance.
Know about Mental Health Units. If your person has a serious mental illness or significant cognitive impairment, they may be eligible for placement in a designated Mental Health Unit or Intermediate Care Housing Unit rather than ERH or an SMU. Ask the facility mental health staff about OP-140127 placement options.
File a grievance. ODOC has an administrative grievance process (P-030100, Provisions of Services/Inmate Rights and Responsibilities, updated December 2, 2024). Help your person file formal grievances for: failure to provide mental health assessment; placement in unauthorized conditions (such as shower stalls or cells below ODOC standards); denial of legal materials access; failure to implement step-down planning for ERH prisoners approaching release.
Contact the ACLU of Oklahoma. The ACLU of Oklahoma (acluok.org) monitors ODOC conditions and may be able to provide referrals and advocacy support.
Seek legal help. If your person is in ERH or an SMU without the required mental health assessment, if conditions include severe sanitation violations (such as those alleged in the April 2024 shower stall lawsuit), or if ERH step-down has not been arranged before a release date, consult a prisoner rights attorney familiar with Oklahoma federal courts.
Frequently asked questions
What is solitary confinement called in Oklahoma prisons?
ODOC uses "restrictive housing" as its general term, with three formal categories: Restrictive Housing (RH), Extended Restrictive Housing (ERH), and Special Management Units (SMUs). RH is standard separation; ERH is long-term severe isolation; SMUs are the most restrictive long-term housing with an integrated treatment team. All are governed by ODOC operational policies OP-040203 and OP-040204. Oklahoma also has separate Mental Health Units and Intermediate Care Housing Units governed by OP-140127 for people with serious mental illness.
What is Extended Restrictive Housing in Oklahoma?
ERH is Oklahoma's most severe long-term isolated housing category, governed by OP-040203. People in ERH are separated from general population for extended periods. Direct release from ERH to the community is prohibited under ODOC policy -- people must complete a step-down program before any community release. Mental health assessment is required at placement. An integrated treatment team is involved in step-down programming.
What are Special Management Units in Oklahoma prisons?
SMUs are the most restrictive long-term housing in Oklahoma, governed by OP-040204. SMU placement criteria are based on out-of-cell time: SMU housing involves less than 22 hours per day in cell. An integrated treatment team -- including psychologists, psychiatric practitioners, social workers, mental health counselors, registered nurses, and activity therapists -- meets to develop individualized care and treatment plans for SMU residents.
What are conditions like in Oklahoma restrictive housing?
Conditions vary by category. In standard RH: separation from general population, restricted programming and movement. In ERH: more severe long-term isolation. In SMUs: less than 22 hours per day in cell, with integrated treatment team involvement. At H-Unit (OSP, McAlester): historically 23+ hours per day alone for death row and long-term isolation cases. Legal materials access is required under OP-040203 and OP-040204. Mental health assessment is required at placement in ERH and SMUs. A 2024 lawsuit alleged inmates were placed in 3x3 foot sanitation-compromised shower stalls at Great Plains Correctional Center for days.
How long can someone stay in solitary in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has no statute limiting the duration of RH, ERH, or SMU placement. ERH placements can be open-ended. SMU placements can be long-term. Death row prisoners at H-Unit face indefinite isolation as a function of their sentence classification. The only duration-related protection is the ERH step-down requirement before community release.
Are mentally ill prisoners protected from solitary in OK?
Partially, through policy. ODOC requires mental health assessment at placement in ERH and SMUs (form DOC 140201B, updated November 2025). ODOC maintains separate Mental Health Units and Intermediate Care Housing Units (OP-140127, updated December 31, 2024) for people with serious mental illness or significant cognitive impairments who cannot adapt to general population -- these units are governed by a separate process from RH/ERH/SMU placements. There is no Oklahoma statute prohibiting placement of seriously mentally ill people in restrictive housing.
What is H-Unit at Oklahoma State Penitentiary?
H-Unit is the maximum-security housing unit at Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP) in McAlester. It houses Oklahoma's death row population and some of the state's most long-term and severely isolated prisoners. H-Unit has a documented history of harsh conditions including isolation for 23 or more hours per day, limited human contact, and restricted programming. Death row prisoners at H-Unit face indefinite placement in highly restricted conditions.
What was the 2024 Oklahoma shower stall solitary lawsuit?
In April 2024, seven inmates filed a federal lawsuit against ODOC, four employees, and two supervisors and administrators. The plaintiffs alleged that after an inmate at Great Plains Correctional Center requested a transfer due to safety concerns, staff placed him in a 3x3 foot shower stall with feces on the floor, without clothing, for days. Six additional inmates experienced similar conditions in what attorneys called "micro solitary confinement cells." The lawsuit alleged cruel and unusual punishment. The status of this case should be verified at publish.
Can families visit someone in Oklahoma restrictive housing?
Visiting is typically restricted during RH, ERH, and SMU placement. Contact the specific ODOC facility directly to confirm current visiting rules before traveling. ODOC facility contact information is at doc.ok.gov. Written mail generally retains stronger protections than phone or visits during restrictive housing.
What can families do if someone is in Oklahoma solitary?
Use ODOC's offender search at doc.ok.gov to find your person. Contact the facility to confirm the category (RH, ERH, or SMU), reason, start date, and pathway to step-down. Know the ERH step-down requirement if your person is approaching release. Know that mental health assessment is required for ERH and SMU placement. Ask about Mental Health Unit eligibility (OP-140127) if your person has serious mental illness. File grievances for policy violations. Contact the ACLU of Oklahoma (acluok.org) for advocacy support. ---