Utah's Department of Corrections (UDC) uses "restricted housing" as its official term for solitary confinement. In 2015, the ACLU of Utah documented that approximately 900 Utah state inmates -- more than 13% of the prison population -- were in restricted housing. That figure included people in Security Threat Group (STG) housing at the Draper prison kept in their cells 47 out of 48 hours, even when not always alone.
Since 2013, UDC leadership has worked to reform its use of restricted housing through an unusually collaborative approach: partnering with the Disability Law Center (DLC), the ACLU of Utah, and the Utah Prisoner Advocate Network to find alternatives. In 2016, Utah joined the Vera Institute's Safe Alternatives to Segregation Initiative. A 2021 state law (SB 139) codified a direct supervision and tiered housing requirement, giving prisoners a statutory pathway to less restrictive conditions through positive behavior.
In March 2026, Governor Cox signed SB 93 (Corrections Amendments), which removed the statutory requirement for direct supervision and tiered housing and made them optional "if the department chooses." Prisoner advocates called this a weakening of the legal standard. The bill was part of the 2026 General Session -- after the period measured by Unlock the Box's July 2025 report -- meaning it does not affect Utah's placement on that list, but it does represent a significant shift in the statutory framework.
Utah is listed by the Unlock the Box Campaign among the 12 states that passed solitary-related legislation between July 2024 and July 2025. The specific qualifying legislation should be confirmed at publish, as it may relate to the direct supervision / tiered housing framework or a separate reform.
What Solitary Confinement Is Called in Utah
UDC uses "restricted housing" and "restrictive housing" interchangeably as its official term. Types include:
Administrative Segregation: Non-punitive placement for safety, security, or investigative reasons, without a prior hearing. Open-ended with periodic review.
Disciplinary Segregation: Post-hearing punitive isolation for rule violations, with a defined sanction term.
Protective Custody: Separation from general population for the person's own safety.
Security Threat Group (STG) Housing: Housing for people classified as gang members. STG prisoners at Utah's previous Draper prison were documented as spending 47 of 48 hours in their cells. The new Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Draper (opened 2022) was designed to allow more programming access even for restricted-housing populations.
Special Needs Housing: Housing for people with medical or mental health needs requiring different supervision.
The Tiered Housing Law and Its Rollback
Utah Code 64-13 (as established by SB 139 in 2021) required UDC to implement a direct supervision model of inmate supervision. This included a tiered housing structure that rewards positive behavior with less restrictive housing and increased privileges, and requires that inmates of similar behaviors are housed together.
This statutory requirement meant prisoners had a legal pathway to less restrictive conditions through demonstrated positive behavior -- a meaningful reform when it was passed.
In February-March 2026, the Utah Legislature passed and Governor Cox signed SB 93 (Corrections Amendments), which:
- Removed the statutory requirement for direct supervision and tiered housing.
- Made direct supervision and tiered housing an option "if the department chooses" to implement.
Prisoner advocates strongly objected. Sandra Bytendorp, a prisoner advocate, noted that since the Utah State Correctional Facility opened, UDC had not implemented or reported on its required tiered housing plan -- and rather than explain or fix the violation, the agency backed a bill that lowered the legal standard.
Senator Derrin Owens (the bill's sponsor) said his contacts within UDC say they are moving toward more tiered housing projects regardless of the statute, and expressed hope for expanded tiered housing implementation.
The Utah State Correctional Facility
The Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) opened in May 2022 in Draper, replacing the older Utah State Prison. The USCF was specifically designed to allow more programming access and humane conditions even in its most secure housing, with the intent to reduce reliance on prolonged isolation. The design was intended to enable UDC to "completely revamp how different categories of inmates are housed."
The Vera Institute Partnership
In December 2016, UDC joined the Vera Institute of Justice's Safe Alternatives to Segregation Initiative -- one of five corrections agencies selected for the program. The Vera Institute assessed policy changes UDC had made over the prior 18 months and provided strategies for further reductions.
The Utah partnership was described by Vera in 2018 as involving an "unusually collaborative" relationship between traditional adversaries: UDC leadership, the Disability Law Center (DLC), and the ACLU of Utah working together to implement alternatives to segregation. The DLC's legal director Aaron Kinikini described being included in UDC's policy revision process and expressed confidence that "any concerns we as advocates bring to UDC's attention will be taken seriously."
UDC's stated commitments through this period included:
- Ensuring no one is released directly from restricted housing to the community (direct release is prevented).
- Updating classification systems to reduce unnecessary restrictive housing placements.
- Working with advocates to find behavioral alternatives to isolation.
No Statutory Maximum for Restricted Housing
Utah has no statute limiting the duration of administrative segregation or STG housing. The tiered housing pathway under the 2021 law was the primary statutory mechanism for providing a time-to-release structure -- and that requirement was removed by SB 93 in 2026.
USCF's design and UDC's stated philosophy of reducing restrictive housing remain in place, but they are administrative commitments rather than statutory protections.
Mental Health and Disability
Utah's DLC (Disability Law Center) has been a key participant in UDC's restrictive housing reform process. The DLC's involvement focuses particularly on the impact of restrictive housing on people with disabilities and mental illness.
There is no Utah statute specifically prohibiting placement of people with serious mental illness in restricted housing. UDC has Special Needs Housing for people with medical or mental health requirements.
What Families Can Do
If your person is in restricted housing at a Utah state prison:
Find where your person is housed. UDC provides an offender search at corrections.utah.gov. This confirms current facility and housing status.
Contact the facility. Contact the warden's office or classification department at the Utah State Correctional Facility (Draper) or other UDC facility to confirm your person's housing category (administrative segregation, disciplinary segregation, STG housing, or Special Needs housing), the stated reason, and the current pathway to return to general population.
Know the tiered housing context. Under current law (post-SB 93 of 2026), tiered housing is optional for UDC rather than required. Ask the classification officer whether your person is on a tiered housing pathway, what criteria determine advancement, and what timeline applies. Document the response.
Know about the no-direct-release policy. UDC policy requires that people not be released directly from restricted housing to the community. If your person is approaching a release date and is still in restricted housing, ask about the step-down process.
Ask about STG renunciation. If your person is in STG housing based on gang classification, ask whether UDC offers a renunciation or validation challenge process and what the criteria and timeline are.
File a grievance. UDC has an administrative grievance process. Help your person file formal grievances for conditions violations, denial of mental health services, failure to implement any promised step-down pathway, or STG renunciation denial.
Contact the Disability Law Center. The DLC (disabilitylawcenter.org) has been a core partner in UDC's restrictive housing reform and is the federally mandated protection and advocacy organization for Utah. It may be able to provide referrals and advocacy support.
Contact the ACLU of Utah. The ACLU of Utah (acluutah.org) has monitored UDC restricted housing conditions and may be able to provide referrals.
Contact Utah Prisoner Advocate Network. UPAN (utahprisoneradvocate.org) is a prisoner advocacy organization that has participated in UDC reform discussions.
Seek legal help. If your person has a disability or serious mental illness and is in restricted housing without appropriate care, if STG classification-based housing has been indefinite without review, or if the no-direct-release step-down has not been arranged before a release date, consult a prisoner rights attorney familiar with Utah federal courts.
Frequently asked questions
What is solitary confinement called in Utah prisons?
UDC uses "restricted housing" and "restrictive housing" interchangeably. Types include administrative segregation (non-punitive, open-ended), disciplinary segregation (post-hearing, defined term), protective custody, Security Threat Group (STG) housing (for gang-classified prisoners), and Special Needs housing (medical/mental health needs). The Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Draper opened in 2022 as a replacement for the older Utah State Prison.
What is the Utah tiered housing law for prisoners?
SB 139 (2021) established a statutory requirement for UDC to implement direct supervision and a tiered housing structure that rewards positive behavior with less restrictive housing and increased privileges. This gave prisoners a statutory pathway to less restrictive conditions. However, SB 93 (signed March 2026) removed this as a requirement and made tiered housing and direct supervision optional "if the department chooses." Prisoner advocates called this a weakening of the legal standard.
What did SB 93 change about Utah corrections in 2026?
SB 93 (Corrections Amendments), signed by Governor Cox in March 2026, removed Utah's statutory requirement for direct supervision and tiered housing in state prisons. Prior law (from 2021) required UDC to implement a tiered system where positive behavior leads to less restrictive housing. SB 93 made this discretionary. Advocates objected that UDC had already failed to implement tiered housing as required by statute, and the bill lowered the legal standard rather than requiring compliance.
What are conditions like in Utah restricted housing?
People in Utah restricted housing are isolated from general population with restricted programming, movement, and contact. STG housing at the former Draper prison involved 47 hours of 48 in-cell confinement. The new USCF (2022) was designed to allow more programming access in its secure units. Under UDC's reform initiatives with Vera Institute, DLC, and ACLU of Utah, placement decisions are supposed to be limited to serious security risks (violence, weapons, homicide) rather than minor infractions.
How long can someone stay in solitary in Utah?
Utah has no statute limiting the duration of administrative segregation or STG housing. The 2021 tiered housing requirement had created a behavioral pathway to less restrictive housing, but SB 93 (2026) removed this as a statutory requirement. UDC's stated policy is to prevent direct release from restricted housing to the community, requiring a step-down process before any release.
Are mentally ill prisoners protected from solitary in UT?
Utah has no statute specifically prohibiting placement of people with serious mental illness in restricted housing. UDC provides Special Needs Housing for people with medical or mental health requirements. The Disability Law Center (DLC) is actively involved in UDC reform processes and focuses on the impact of restricted housing on people with disabilities.
What is the Utah State Correctional Facility?
The Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) is the replacement for the Utah State Prison and opened in May 2022 in Draper. It was specifically designed to allow more programming access and humane conditions even in its most secure housing areas, with the intent to reduce reliance on prolonged isolation. Whether UDC has implemented its tiered housing and programming plans at the USCF has been contested -- prisoner advocates raised concerns in 2026 that UDC had not implemented the required tiered housing plan since USCF opened.
What did the Vera Institute find about Utah's reforms?
In 2016, UDC joined Vera's Safe Alternatives to Segregation Initiative. Vera assessed UDC's prior reforms and provided further strategies. Vera characterized the Utah partnership in 2018 as unusually collaborative between traditional adversaries (UDC, DLC, and ACLU of Utah). UDC reduced its restricted housing population from approximately 900+ (13% of population) in 2015 through administrative reforms. Vera's model emphasized limiting placement to serious security risks, providing behavioral alternatives, and ensuring no direct release to the community from restricted housing.
Can families visit someone in Utah restricted housing?
Visiting is typically restricted during administrative segregation and STG housing. Contact the specific UDC facility to confirm current visiting rules before traveling. The USCF is in Draper, Utah. UDC facility contact information is at corrections.utah.gov. Written mail generally retains stronger protections than phone or in-person visits during restricted housing.
What can families do if someone is in Utah solitary?
Use UDC's offender search at corrections.utah.gov to find your person. Contact the facility to confirm housing category and reason for placement. Ask about tiered housing pathway and step-down planning (especially if approaching release). If STG classified, ask about renunciation/challenge process. File grievances for conditions violations or step-down failures. Contact DLC (disabilitylawcenter.org), ACLU of Utah (acluutah.org), or Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (utahprisoneradvocate.org) for advocacy support. ---