West Virginia has no statute limiting the use or duration of solitary confinement for adults in state prisons. An October 2025 editorial in West Virginia Watch stated plainly: "We have no cap on how long an adult prisoner can be isolated. A year, 10, 20 or more." The piece called for abolition, noting that people in solitary keep attempting suicide.
The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) operates the state prison system. Solitary confinement in West Virginia occurs primarily at Mount Olive Correctional Complex (MOCC) in Fayette County -- the state's only maximum-security correctional facility. MOCC houses, among others, people in punitive segregation, administrative segregation, and special management units.
West Virginia's prison system has faced two compounding crises in recent years: extreme overcrowding and a staffing collapse so severe that the governor declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard to work in 17 correctional facilities. The state of emergency lasted nearly two years and was ended in May 2024. Reform bills limiting solitary confinement have been introduced in the West Virginia Legislature in 2022 and 2023 and have not passed.
What Solitary Confinement Is Called in West Virginia
West Virginia DCR uses the following terms:
Punitive Segregation: Post-hearing disciplinary isolation as punishment for rule violations, with a defined sanction term.
Administrative Segregation: Non-punitive placement for safety, security, or investigative reasons. Open-ended with periodic review. MOCC houses people in administrative segregation as part of its general population categories.
Special Management: A broader category at MOCC that includes people with heightened security or management needs.
There is no statute defining "solitary confinement" in West Virginia corrections law for adults. Legislative bills introduced in 2022 and 2023 used "solitary confinement or administrative segregation" as the applicable terms.
Mount Olive Correctional Complex
Mount Olive Correctional Complex (MOCC) is located in Fayette County, about six miles from Montgomery. It is West Virginia's only maximum-security prison, opened in 1995 as a replacement for the Civil War-era West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville. Design capacity is 1,030 male inmates, but the facility has housed nearly double that number at times in the 2020s.
MOCC houses West Virginia's most violent, high-risk, dangerous, and disruptive inmates and has the most diverse inmate population in the state. Its population categories include general population, punitive segregation, administrative segregation, intake, special management, mental health, acute medical, and work camp inmates.
It is the primary site of long-term solitary confinement in West Virginia.
Other Facilities
West Virginia operates 11 other correctional centers including:
- Anthony Correctional Center
- Beckley Correctional Center
- Denmar Correctional Center
- Huttonsville Correctional Center
- Lakin Correctional Center (women's)
- Martinsburg Correctional Center
- Northern Correctional Facility (Moundsville)
- Ohio County Correctional Center (Wheeling)
- Parkersburg Correctional Center
- Pruntytown Correctional Center
- St. Marys Correctional Center
The state also operates work release centers and regional jails (separate from the DCR prison system).
The Staffing Crisis and State of Emergency
West Virginia's prison and jail system experienced a severe staffing crisis through 2022-2024. At its worst:
- The vacancy rate for corrections officers exceeded 30%.
- Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency.
- More than 730 National Guard members were deployed to work in 17 correctional facilities.
- A federal lawsuit filed in August 2023 by inmates at MOCC and Southwestern Regional Jail sought to force the state to spend $330 million on conditions and staffing.
The $330 million lawsuit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Irene Berger in July 2024 on standing grounds -- she ruled there was no direct connection between the conduct of the named defendants (the Governor and Homeland Security Secretary) and the specific conditions alleged. The state of emergency was ended in May 2024 after nearly 240 people graduated from the corrections academy and 38 National Guard members chose to stay permanently.
The staffing crisis context matters for solitary confinement: when correctional facilities are understaffed, people in restrictive housing may receive even less out-of-cell time, program access, and mental health contact than policy requires, because there are not enough staff to facilitate movement.
Legislative Reform Attempts
HB 4822 (2022 session): Would have added West Virginia Code § 15A-4-22, prohibiting placement in solitary confinement or administrative segregation for more than three consecutive days within any two-week period unless removal would pose a substantial risk to safety as determined and documented by the commissioner. Would have required all solitary units to create the least restrictive environment necessary for safety. Did not pass.
HB 2464 (2023 session): Identical provisions to HB 4822. Did not pass.
West Virginia is not among the 12 states identified by the Unlock the Box Campaign as having passed solitary confinement legislation between July 2024 and July 2025.
Mental Health and Disability
West Virginia has no statute specifically prohibiting placement of people with serious mental illness in administrative segregation or punitive segregation. MOCC has a dedicated mental health housing population, but this is separate from general solitary placement.
Disability Rights of West Virginia (DRWV) is the federally mandated protection and advocacy organization for West Virginia and monitors conditions for people with disabilities in state correctional facilities.
Overcrowding Context
West Virginia's prison system has faced overcrowding for years. The 2023 federal lawsuit noted the Division's own repair list was estimated at $277 million as of April 2022, with the state providing only $75-100 million in capital repairs in 2023. MOCC, designed for 1,030 inmates, has housed nearly double its capacity. Overcrowding in general population creates pressure to use administrative segregation and special management housing as overflow or management tools.
What Families Can Do
If your person is in punitive segregation, administrative segregation, or special management at MOCC or another West Virginia prison:
Find where your person is housed. West Virginia DCR provides an offender search at dcr.wv.gov. This confirms current facility and housing status.
Contact the facility. Contact MOCC administration (1 Mountainside Way, Mount Olive, WV 25185) or the specific facility to confirm your person's housing category (punitive segregation, administrative segregation, or special management), the stated reason, the start date, and the review schedule.
Know that there is no statutory cap. West Virginia has no maximum duration for administrative segregation. If your person has been in administrative or punitive segregation for an extended period, document this and ask the facility what the pathway to return to general population requires.
Know the staffing context. West Virginia's staffing crisis (now ending after the 2022-2024 state of emergency) affected every facility's ability to provide out-of-cell time and programming. If your person is not receiving required out-of-cell time or mental health contact due to staffing shortages, document this and file a grievance.
File a grievance. DCR has an administrative grievance process. Help your person file formal grievances for conditions violations, failure to provide medical or mental health access, or failure to conduct required reviews of administrative segregation placement.
Contact Disability Rights of West Virginia. DRWV (drofwv.org) is the federally mandated protection and advocacy organization and may be able to provide referrals and advocacy support for people with disabilities.
Contact the ACLU of West Virginia. The ACLU of WV (acluwv.org) monitors conditions and may be able to provide referrals.
Seek legal help. If your person has a serious mental illness and is in solitary without adequate mental health services, or if administrative segregation has continued for an extended period without documented justification, consult a prisoner rights attorney familiar with West Virginia federal courts.
Frequently asked questions
What is solitary confinement called in WV prisons?
West Virginia DCR uses "punitive segregation" (post-hearing disciplinary isolation with a defined term), "administrative segregation" (non-punitive, open-ended, for safety or security reasons), and "special management" (broader category for heightened security needs). Mount Olive Correctional Complex (MOCC) is the primary site of long-term solitary confinement, housing people in all three categories along with general population, mental health, and medical populations.
What facilities use solitary confinement in West Virginia?
Mount Olive Correctional Complex (MOCC, Fayette County) is the state's only maximum-security prison and the primary site of administrative segregation and punitive segregation for West Virginia's most serious security concerns. West Virginia operates 11 other correctional centers at lower security levels. The state also operates regional jails, which are separate from the DCR prison system and have their own administrative processes.
How long can someone stay in solitary in West Virginia?
There is no statutory limit. West Virginia has no law capping the duration of administrative segregation or special management placement. Punitive segregation has a defined term set at the disciplinary hearing. Administrative segregation is indefinite with periodic review. Reform bills introduced in 2022 (HB 4822) and 2023 (HB 2464) would have limited consecutive placement to three days in any two-week period unless safety risk was documented -- neither passed.
What is the Mount Olive Correctional Complex?
MOCC is West Virginia's only maximum-security prison, opened in 1995 in Fayette County to replace the Civil War-era West Virginia Penitentiary. Design capacity is 1,030 male inmates. MOCC houses the most dangerous and disruptive inmates in the state, with populations including general population, punitive segregation, administrative segregation, special management, mental health, and acute medical. It has housed nearly double its capacity at times in the 2020s.
Has West Virginia passed any solitary confinement laws?
No. West Virginia has no statute limiting the use or duration of adult solitary confinement. The state is not among the 12 states identified by Unlock the Box as having passed solitary confinement legislation between July 2024 and July 2025. An October 2025 West Virginia Watch editorial called for abolishing solitary, noting there is no cap on how long an adult prisoner can be isolated.
What reform bills have been introduced in West Virginia?
HB 4822 (2022) and HB 2464 (2023) both proposed adding West Virginia Code § 15A-4-22, which would have limited solitary confinement or administrative segregation to three consecutive days in any two-week period unless safety risk was documented by the commissioner, and required the least restrictive environment in solitary units. Neither bill passed. No solitary reform bill had passed as of mid-2026.
Are mentally ill prisoners protected from WV solitary?
West Virginia has no statute prohibiting placement of people with serious mental illness in administrative segregation or punitive segregation. MOCC has dedicated mental health housing as a separate population category. Disability Rights of West Virginia monitors conditions for people with disabilities in state facilities and is the federally mandated protection and advocacy organization.
What was the WV prison staffing crisis of 2022-2024?
West Virginia's corrections system experienced a severe staffing collapse with vacancy rates exceeding 30% at their worst. Governor Justice declared a state of emergency and deployed over 730 National Guard members to work in 17 correctional facilities. The state of emergency lasted nearly two years and was ended in May 2024 after new corrections academy graduates filled some positions. The crisis affects solitary confinement conditions: understaffed facilities struggle to provide required out-of-cell time, programming, and mental health contact.
Can families visit someone in WV solitary confinement?
Visiting is typically restricted during administrative segregation and punitive segregation. Contact the specific DCR facility before traveling. MOCC is located at 1 Mountainside Way, Mount Olive, WV 25185 (Fayette County, about 6 miles from Montgomery). DCR facility information is at dcr.wv.gov. Written mail generally retains stronger protections than in-person visits during solitary placement.
What can families do if someone is in WV solitary?
Use DCR's offender search at dcr.wv.gov to find your person. Contact the facility to confirm housing category, reason for placement, and review schedule. Document any shortfalls in out-of-cell time, medical care, or mental health contact -- especially relevant given the recent staffing crisis. File grievances for conditions violations or failure to provide required reviews. Contact Disability Rights of West Virginia (drofwv.org) or ACLU of West Virginia (acluwv.org) for advocacy support. ---