Alabama Dept. of Corrections

Catastrophic Overcrowding — System at 174% Capacity

The entire system holds 9,010 more people than it was built for. Some work centers are running at 400–1,200% capacity (North Alabama WC: 439 people in 37 beds; Kilby Correctional: 1,402 in 440 beds). This is not a temporary spike — population has risen over the past year.

Admissions Exceed Releases — Population Keeps Growing

In the first 9 months of FY2026 (through June), 7,655 people were admitted versus 7,120 released — a net deficit of 535. Probation revocations (23.9% of jurisdictional admissions) and parole re-admissions (9.7%) together account for a third of all new entries, suggesting community supervision failures are driving the backlog.

Violence Concentrated in Most Overcrowded Facilities

Close and medium security — the most overcrowded levels — account for 8,195 major disciplinary actions and 658 inmate-on-inmate assaults in the first 9 months of FY2026. Medium security recorded more inmate-on-inmate assaults (373) than close security (285), consistent with severe space pressure at facilities like Staton (272% capacity) and Easterling (214%).

Parole Board Grants Release in Just 20% of Hearings

ABPP's hearing-based grant rate is 20% FY2026 YTD (560 granted of 2,752 hearings, through August 2026) — above the board's own suggested grant rate of 13%, with an 86% concurrence rate. But parole accounts for only 6.6% of all ADOC releases (471 of 7,120 through June) — a different metric measuring parole's share of every way people leave custody, not the board's grant rate. Monthly rates swing widely, from 29% in July to just 12% in August 2026.

Rehabilitation Reaches a Fraction of the Population

With 21,125 people physically in ADOC facilities, men's substance-use programming (500 in primary treatment plus 754 in pre-treatment/aftercare) reaches 1,254 people (5.9%), life skills programs serve 217 (1%), and CTE vocational training reaches 1,122 (5.3%). Community corrections (4,446) and work release (1,075) together serve the largest share but still cover under 28% of the in-house population.

Death Investigations Continue Quarter After Quarter

ADOC opened 42 death investigations in Q3 FY2026 (Apr–Jun 2026) and closed 41: 29 natural causes, 4 homicides, 1 judicial homicide, and 7 where an autopsy was not authorized. Earlier quarters: 58 opened in Q1 (Oct–Dec 2025) and 43 in Q2 (Jan–Mar 2026). These are investigation counts, not a total of all deaths in FY2026.

ACI Industries Running at a Loss

Alabama Correctional Industries — the in-prison manufacturing and labor program — recorded a net loss of $1.07M in FY2025 ($10.26M revenue vs $11.33M expenses). The program is meant to offset costs and provide job training, but is currently a net drain on the budget.

Work Release Program Generating Significant Revenue

1,075 employed inmates earned $23.0M in gross wages in the first 9 months of FY2026, returning $9.19M to ADOC for room and board while also contributing $810K in victim restitution and $229K in child support. North Alabama and Loxley are the top-earning sites. At current rates, the program is on track to generate ~$30M annually.

Security Staffing Improved in FY2025

ADOC added a net 272 security officers in FY2025 (663 hired, 391 departures), reaching 2,397 total security staff as of June 2026. This is meaningful progress on what has historically been a major challenge for the department.

Re-entry Programs Completed by 894 People

ADOC re-entry programs recorded 894 completions in the first 9 months of FY2026, with 163 people currently enrolled in listed men's reentry programs. Community corrections serves 4,446 people outside traditional confinement, the largest alternative supervision population in the system.