Administrative Segregation (Ad Seg) is a classification status used in correctional facilities to manage the incarcerated population. It involves separating individuals from the general population and placing them in a more restrictive housing unit. This designation is intended as a management tool to maintain institutional order and security, not as a punitive measure for a specific rule violation.
Defining Administrative Segregation
Administrative segregation is a non-punitive separation used when an incarcerated person’s presence poses a serious risk to the safety of others, themselves, or the facility’s orderly operation. Its function is institutional management, aimed at mitigating potential security threats. Placement is generally at the discretion of correctional administrators, based on an assessment of the individual’s status and the risk presented. This separation occurs in a restrictive housing unit, often involving a high degree of isolation.
Criteria for Placement
Placement in administrative segregation is determined by institutional justifications focused on preventing future disruption rather than punishing past acts. This status is applied when an inmate’s presence in the general population is incompatible with the facility’s security needs. The criteria for entry are broad, reflecting the need to manage various potential risks within the correctional environment.
Pending Investigations
Inmates may be placed in Ad Seg when under investigation for a suspected rule violation or criminal activity within the facility. This temporary confinement prevents the individual from compromising the investigation by intimidating witnesses or destroying evidence. Segregation ensures an unbiased inquiry can proceed without interference from the suspected party.
Threat to Institutional Security
Inmates who pose a serious threat to the facility’s security or orderly operation are candidates for administrative segregation. This includes individuals with documented affiliations with security threat groups, such as gangs, or those who incite disturbances or riots. A history of violence or escape attempts also justifies placement, as these behaviors demonstrate an unacceptable risk level.
Protective Custody
Some individuals are placed in Ad Seg for their own protection when they face a credible threat of harm from the general population. This includes inmates who have cooperated with law enforcement, those with high-profile offenses (such as sex crimes), or former law enforcement officers. Protective custody often places the inmate in conditions similar to other segregated persons to maintain separation from potential abusers.
High-Profile Inmates or Security Threats
The classification also applies to high-profile individuals whose presence in the general population would cause significant disruption or require excessive resources to manage. This category includes inmates whose notoriety could provoke violence. It also includes “holdovers” who cannot be placed in the local population because they are pending transfer to another facility. The separation eliminates the potential for a volatile environment.
Conditions of Confinement
The experience of administrative segregation involves a severe reduction in human contact and environmental stimulation, often amounting to solitary confinement. Inmates are typically confined to a small cell for 22 to 24 hours per day, with most services delivered to the cell door. This isolation minimizes interaction with other incarcerated individuals and staff.
Out-of-cell time is severely limited, often consisting of one hour of recreation per day or less, five days a week. This recreation usually takes place in a small, enclosed pen or cage, with no social interaction with other inmates. Access to property, such as personal clothing and books, can also be restricted if officials perceive a security risk.
Inmates in Ad Seg face significant limitations on privileges and programming available to the general population. Access to vocational training, educational classes, and group therapy sessions is often curtailed or non-existent due to separation requirements. Visitation privileges are usually reduced in frequency and may be conducted as non-contact visits only, limiting social support.
Administrative Segregation Versus Disciplinary Segregation
A fundamental distinction exists between administrative segregation and disciplinary segregation, despite their similar restrictive conditions. Administrative segregation is a status designation focused on the management and prevention of risk, without a fixed end date. Its purpose is forward-looking, addressing a perceived threat to security or safety.
Disciplinary segregation is a form of punishment imposed for a specific, proven violation of institutional rules, such as assault or possession of contraband. Placement is time-limited, typically for a fixed period (e.g., 30, 90, or 180 days). Because it is punitive, disciplinary segregation requires a formal hearing with greater due process protections before the sanction is imposed.
Ad Seg, being status-based, involves a less formal review process since the placement is not technically a sanction. While both types involve isolation, the underlying legal justification and procedural requirements for placement are substantially different.
Review, Duration, and Release Process
Administrative segregation does not have a set sentence length; the duration is indefinite and based on the persistence of the conditions that necessitated the placement. This open-ended nature requires formal oversight to prevent excessively long confinement. Facilities mandate periodic administrative reviews to determine if the inmate still meets the criteria for separation.
Initial reviews are typically conducted within 24 to 72 hours of placement by a supervisory officer to confirm the necessity of the action. Following this, the inmate’s status is reviewed regularly by a classification committee. Reviews are often weekly for the first month, and then every 30 days thereafter. These reviews examine the inmate’s behavior and security concerns to decide whether continued isolation is warranted.
Release from administrative segregation occurs when the facility administration determines that the reasons for the initial placement no longer exist. This may involve the conclusion of a pending investigation, a reduction in the assessed security threat, or a successful transition through a designated step-down program. The goal is to transition the inmate back to a less restrictive environment as soon as it is safe.
Psychological and Physical Impact of Isolation
The prolonged isolation experienced in administrative segregation units has documented negative consequences on an individual’s mental and physical health. The lack of meaningful social interaction and sensory deprivation can trigger severe psychological distress. Psychiatrists have observed a range of symptoms, sometimes referred to as “SHU Syndrome.”
Psychological effects include:
- Anxiety, depression, and hopelessness.
- Cognitive disturbances, such as difficulty concentrating and memory problems.
- Severe symptoms like hallucinations, paranoia, and psychosis.
The experience is linked to an increased risk of self-harm and suicide, especially for individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions.
The physical effects of Ad Seg are significant due to the restricted environment and lack of movement. Limited access to natural sunlight can lead to a Vitamin D deficiency, increasing the risk of bone fractures. The lack of exercise can exacerbate chronic health issues, such as heart disease and diabetes.