Solitary Confinement Reform Project

Custom Page
Jul 8, 2026

Solitary Confinement Reform Project

Disability Rights California (DRC) and Prison Law Office (PLO) are working to compel California counties to reduce the use of solitary confinement in their jails. The project advances a series of reforms intended to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of solitary confinement. Importantly, the reforms prohibit the placement of people with serious mental health disabilities in solitary confinement and instead require that they receive mental health treatment. The reforms also limit the use of solitary confinement to serious and recent violent incidents within the jail and introduce firm time limits on solitary confinement placements to prevent extended isolation. This joint project has resulted in the virtual elimination of prolonged solitary confinement in some jails and reducing the population in these units by up to 90% in others.

DRC is California’s Protection and Advocacy agency, empowered to monitor the rights and treatment of people living with mental health disabilities in locked facilities. 

DRC and PLO have successfully reformed the use of solitary confinement in the following counties:

Kern County

Prior to October 2022, nearly one in five people in the jail—approximately 300 people—were held in conditions of solitary confinement. DRC and PLO have worked with Kern County to revise its policies and practices and establish clear criteria and strict time limits for use of segregation units, while substantially expanding its behavioral health program. As a result of these reforms, the use of solitary confinement has dramatically fallen, with the population of people in restrictive housing generally remaining at fewer than ten people (less than 1% of the jail population).

San Mateo County

DRC and PLO first visited the San Mateo County jails in November 2022 to investigate the use of solitary confinement. At the time, 115 people were being held in isolation, the majority of whom appeared to have serious mental health disabilities. Conditions were extremely restrictive. In most solitary units, people were allowed out of their cells for 30 minutes per day. In one unit, people were allowed out for only ten minutes every other day. Following our monitoring visit, San Mateo County began overhauling its system, with technical assistance from PLO and DRC. These changes have resulted in shorter stays in segregation and disciplinary housing, increased out-of-cell time and recreation, and expanded opportunities for sensory stimulation.

San Joaquin County

In December 2022, DRC and PLO visited the San Joaquin County jails to investigate the use of solitary confinement through physical inspections, interviews with incarcerated people, discussions with custody and mental health leadership, and extensive document review. After issuing our written findings, DRC and PLO worked with San Joaquin County to develop new policies, implement strict time limits and clear criteria for placement in segregated units, identify and treat people with serious mental health disabilities in less restrictive conditions, and strengthen classification protocols. These reforms have substantially reduced the number of people in solitary confinement.

Napa County

DRC and PLO started investigating the use of solitary confinement in Napa County in fall 2023. After conducting a site visit, interviewing incarcerated people, and extensive document review, PLO and DRC engaged Napa County in a series of discussions to establish clear standards for the use of restrictive housing, including safeguards to prevent placement of people with serious mental health disabilities and other risk factors in such housing. Through these negotiations, Napa County has restructured its restrictive housing program, expandingprivileges and out-of-cell time for individuals in these units.