MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Allegations of abuse and neglect within Alabama’s prison system were brought before lawmakers this week as the Joint Prison Oversight Committee convened at the Statehouse.
The meeting drew pastors, advocates and family members of inmates calling for greater transparency and accountability from the Alabama Department of Corrections. It also came as officials briefed lawmakers on construction of the state’s new 4,000-bed prison in Elmore County, a project they say will expand medical and mental health care and improve safety conditions.
While the hearing was not open for public comment, Pastor Robert White of Montgomery’s City of Refuge Ministry addressed the committee, saying violence and sexual assaults remain serious concerns. White, who ministers to incarcerated men across the state, said the lasting effects of sexual trauma extend far beyond prison walls.
“Rape is a big problem,” White told lawmakers. “And dealing with the psychological trauma of rape, because if you have people who weren’t victimized when they were in what they call the free world, and then you come into a facility and you get sexually assaulted, and then you get released again, well, you tend to become an offender.”
White said he hoped his remarks would encourage lawmakers to ensure that Alabama’s correctional facilities provide safe and humane conditions for those in custody.
Committee Chairman Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, said the Legislature continues to work with the Department of Corrections on improvements but acknowledged that progress takes time.
“I don’t know like you do, but I’m trying to know and trying to understand,” Chambliss said. “This is the first step to try and make things better for those who are incarcerated.”
Chambliss pointed to two major initiatives now underway: the department’s new Constituent Services Office, which was created to improve communication with inmates and families, and construction of the Elmore County facility, which state leaders say will offer expanded health services, smaller housing units and programs focused on rehabilitation.
Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, said that while new facilities and programs are important, lasting improvement will require addressing deeper cultural issues within the prison system.
“There is a culture within the system when it comes to excessive force and civil rights abuses that are not only allowed, but enabled and encouraged,” England said.
Corrections Commissioner John Hamm told the committee the department continues to recruit staff, expand training and take disciplinary action where needed.
“We’ve arrested 111 staff members,” Hamm said. “That’s sad that they would tarnish the badge, but it makes me happy that we’re doing that.”
Officials said the new Elmore County facility, formally named the Kay Ivey Correctional Complex, is scheduled to open in 2026 and will serve as a statewide hub for medical, mental health and rehabilitation services. They say the project is part of a broader effort to create safer and more sustainable conditions across Alabama’s prisons.
For many families of inmates, however, optimism remains cautious. Advocates at the hearing said progress will be measured not by promises but by results.
Follow Us