The Alabama state prison system, operated by the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), is responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted felons throughout the state of Alabama.
Did you know that Alabama imprisons more of its residents than any other Democratic country in the world?
Figure Below from Prison Policy Institute.
43,000 Alabama Residents Incarcerated in The Following types of facilities:
(Pic)
Summary of the Alabama State Prison System
Facilities and Inmates
The system includes major correctional facilities, work centers, and community-based facilities designed to serve various custody levels and rehabilitation needs.
Inmate Population: Alabama prisons have been noted for having a high incarceration rate, with thousands of inmates housed across various facilities.
Alabama Overcrowding and Underfunding
One of the most pressing issues in the Alabama prison system is overcrowding. The facilities often operate well above their intended capacities.
Financial constraints contribute to understaffing and under-resourcing, affecting everything from inmate safety to facility maintenance and healthcare services.
Despite efforts to improve, the Alabama Healthcare and Mental Health Services system has faced criticism regarding the adequacy and accessibility of such services for inmates.
Alabama Rehabilitation and Education Programs
There have been initiatives aimed at providing educational and vocational training to inmates, which are crucial for reintegration into society upon release.
Concerning rehabilitation programs, the Alabama system includes substance abuse programs, religious, and volunteer services, which claim to address the root causes of criminal behavior.
Alabama Legal Battles And Human Rights Complaints
The Alabama Department of Corrections has been involved in numerous legal battles over issues such as conditions of confinement, mental health services, and the use of solitary confinement.
National and international human rights organizations have often highlighted violations within the system, including abuse and neglect of inmates.
In response to ongoing criticism and legal pressures, there have been various reform efforts, including proposals for new facilities, improvements in inmate healthcare, and policy changes aimed at reducing overcrowding and improving overall conditions.
Proposed Alabama Prison Policy Reforms
To address the issues of overcrowding and improving conditions in the Alabama state prison system, several proposed policy changes and reform initiatives have been considered and, in some cases, implemented. These proposals typically focus on legal, operational, and infrastructural changes:
Proposed Reduction of Mandatory Minimums: Reducing mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent crimes can lower prison population levels.
Proposed Adjustments to Sentencing Guidelines: Expanding the use of sentencing guidelines to recommend alternatives to incarceration for lesser offenses.
Proposed Parole System Enhancements: Improving the parole system to increase the release rate of eligible inmates, particularly those who pose a low risk to society.
Proposed Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts: These courts focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration for individuals with substance abuse issues or mental health conditions.
Proposed Pre-Trial Intervention Programs: Expanding programs that allow low-risk offenders to avoid incarceration through community service, restitution, and rehabilitation programs.
Propose Expansion of Educational Programs: Increasing access to educational and vocational training to aid in the rehabilitation process and reduce recidivism rates.
Proposed Independent Oversight Bodies: Establishing or empowering independent bodies to regularly review and report on prison conditions and inmate treatment.
Reference Sources:
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
Alabama Department of Corrections
The Sentencing Project: A research and advocacy center working for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system. They publish reports and research that often cover state-specific issues, including Alabama.
Vera Institute of Justice: Known for their extensive work on criminal justice reform, Vera produces studies and reports that sometimes focus on specific states or aspects of the criminal justice system.
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Based in Alabama, EJI is involved in prison reform and legal representation. They publish reports and are actively involved in cases that might impact or reflect on Alabama’s criminal justice reforms.
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
Alabama Prison News
Inside Alabama Prison News – ABC News Report (March 10, 2023)
“Alabama prisons are among the most violent in the country.”
Inside Alabama Prisons – FAQ
What is the Alabama Incarceration Rate?
The incarceration rate is 938 per 100,000 people. This includes Alabama prisons, jails, and juvenile and immigration detention facilities. Also, approximately, 43,000 people are incarcerated and another 49,500 are on probation or parole.
What is Alabama’s Average Yearly Incarceration Release Rate?
Alabama’s average yearly incarceration release rate is approximately 220,000 men and 78,000 women from its prisons and jails each year.
Are Alabama Prisons Overcrowded?
Yes. The overcrowding has been cited as a major contributor to violence in Alabama State prisons and according to a 2023 report by the Alabama Department of Corrections, its state prisons in September had 20,361 people in a system designed for 12,115, a capacity of 168%.
How many inmates have died in Alabama State Prisons?
According to a 2023 report by the Department of Justice, since 2019, there have been over 1,000 deaths in Alabama prisons.
How Violent are Alabama Prisons?
According to the Prison Journalism Project prisons across the U.S. are dangerous and deadly, but Alabama prisons are notoriously awful. In 2023, 325 people died in the state prison system. The majority of these deaths were men. That number was a new record high for Alabama prisons.
What is The Most Dangerous Alabama State Prison?
According to followers of prison violence, the William C. Holman Correctional Facility, also known as “The Slaughterhouse” and “Slaughter Pen of the South,” is one of Alabama’s most violent and notorious prisons.
Video On The William C Holman Correctional Facility:
Do Alabama Prisons Have Air Conditioning?
As of 2023, according to the Alabama Reporter, Alabama is one of at least a dozen states that lacks universal air conditioning in all of its prisons.
What is the Parole Rate In Alabama Prisons?
Recent data shows that the Alabama parole board has granted parole to 21 out of 103 parole applicants.
How to Locate a Prisoner in Alabama?
The Alabama prisoner search is an important tool for family members, friends, and defense counsel to know and keep track of an inmate’s location and current status.
To perform an Alabama inmate search, you can go on to the Alabama Department of Corrections Prisoner website which provides an official roster of currently incarcerated inmates. Requesting parties may conduct searches using the inmate’s Alabama Institutional Serial Number (AIS).
Are Alabama State Prisoners Eligible To Receive (SNAP) Food Stamps?
SNAP eligibility rules explicitly state that individuals who are in custody under a penal system are not eligible for SNAP benefits. This applies to all states, including Alabama.
Application Upon Release: Individuals who are nearing their release from prison can apply for SNAP benefits before their release date, so they might receive assistance once they are no longer incarcerated.
Featured Facility:
Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility
The Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility (ATEF) is a reentry facility providing correctional and community reentry educational services. The Therapeutic Education Facility offers cognitive behavioral therapy and vocational training for Alabama prisoners returning from incarceration to community life.
A goal of ATEF is to help individuals transition back into society and to educate them on issues such as financial assistance, eligibility for food stamps, and whether they are eligible to have prior arrest records sealed and former convictions expunged from public records.
Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility (ATEF)
102 Industrial Parkway
P.O. Box 1970
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone Number(s): (205) 669-1187
Fax Number: (205) 669-1178
Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility Video:
LIST OF ALABAMA STATE PRISONS
Bibb Correctional Facility
Bibb Correctional Facility
565 Bibb Lane
Brent, AL 35034
Phone: (205) 926-5252
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Bibb Correctional Facility
565 Bibb Lane
Brent, AL 35034
Bullock Correctional Facility
Bullock Correctional Facility
Highway 82 East
Union Springs, AL 36089
Phone: (334) 738-5625
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Dorm, Bed number
P.O. Box 5107
Union Springs, AL 36089-5107
Donaldson Correctional Facility
Donaldson Correctional Facility
100 Warrior Lane
Bessemer, AL 35023-7299
Phone: (205) 436-3681
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Dorm, Bed Number
Donaldson Correctional Facility
100 Warrior Lane
Bessemer, AL 35023-7299
Draper Correctional Facility
Draper Correctional Facility
2828 Alabama Highway 143
Elmore, AL 36025
Phone: (334) 567-2221
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Draper Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 1107
Elmore, AL 36025
Easterling Correctional Facility
Easterling Correctional Facility
200 Wallace Drive
Clio, AL 36017-2615
Telephone: (334) 397-4471
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Dorm/Unit, Bed Number
Easterling Correctional Facility
200 Wallace Drive
Clio, AL 36017-2615
Elmore Correctional Center
Elmore Correctional Center
3520 Marion Spillway Road
Elmore, AL 36025
Telephone: (334) 567-1460
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Dorm, Bed Number (if known)
Elmore Correctional Center
3520 Marion Spillway Road
Elmore, AL 36025
Fountain Correctional Facility
Fountain Correctional Facility
9677 Hwy 21 N
Atmore, AL 36503
Telephone: (251) 368-8122
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Fountain Correctional Facility
Fountain 3800
Atmore, AL 36503-3800
Hamilton Aged & Infirmed
Hamilton Aged & Infirmed
223 Sasser Drive
Hamilton, AL 35570
Telephone: (205) 921-7453
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Hamilton Aged & Infirmed
223 Sasser Drive
Hamilton, AL 35570
Holman Correctional Facility
Holman Correctional Facility
866 Ross Road
Atmore, AL 36503
Telephone: (251) 368-8173
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Holman Correctional Facility
Holman 3700
Atmore, AL 36503-3700
Kilby Correctional Facility
Kilby Correctional Facility
12201 Wares Ferry Road
Montgomery, AL 36117
Telephone: (334) 215-6600
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Dorm #, Bed # (if known)
Kilby Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 150
Mt. Meigs, AL 36057
Limestone Correctional Facility
Limestone Correctional Facility
28779 Nick Davis Rd
Harvest, AL 35749
Telephone: (256) 233-4600
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Limestone Correctional Facility
28779 Nick Davis Rd
Harvest, AL 35749
Montgomery Women’s Facility
Montgomery Women’s Facility
12085 Wares Ferry Road
Montgomery, AL 36117
Telephone: (334) 215-0756
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Montgomery Women’s Facility
P.O. Box 75
Mt. Meigs, AL 36057
Red Eagle Work Center
Red Eagle Work Center
1290 Red Eagle Road
Montgomery, AL 36110
Telephone: (334) 242-2510
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Red Eagle Work Center
1290 Red Eagle Road
Montgomery, AL 36110
St. Clair Correctional Facility
St. Clair Correctional Facility
1000 St. Clair Road
Springville, AL 35146
Telephone: (205) 467-6111
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
St. Clair Correctional Facility
1000 St. Clair Road
Springville, AL 35146
Staton Correctional Facility
Staton Correctional Facility
2690 Marion Spillway Road
Elmore, AL 36025
Telephone: (334) 567-2221
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Staton Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 56
Elmore, AL 36025
Tutwiler Prison for Women
Tutwiler Prison for Women
8966 US Hwy 231 N
Wetumpka, AL 36092
Telephone: (334) 567-4369
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Tutwiler Prison for Women
8966 US Hwy 231 N
Wetumpka, AL 36092
Ventress Correctional Facility
Ventress Correctional Facility
Hwy 239 N
Clayton, AL 36016
Telephone: (334) 775-3331
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate Name, ID Number
Ventress Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 767
Clayton, AL 36016-0767
