Alabama Department of Corrections

Prisons / Governor

Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm retires

Hamm retired after overseeing prison construction and staffing gains, while Ivey named veteran Greg Lovelace to guide Alabama corrections through 2026.

April 29, 2026

Alabama prison audit flags financial controls and reporting failures

A state audit found some compliance failures, missing records, weak controls and reporting lapses in Alabama Department of Corrections financial practices.

April 28, 2026

Protestors call for prison guard accountability

Lawmakers overseeing the prisons discussed expanding accountability for how complaints are addressed.

April 23, 2026

Gov. Ivey congratulates first ADOC graduating class of 2026

Ahead of Thursday’s ceremony, the governor praised 132 trainees who completed 10 weeks of preparation to join Alabama’s corrections ranks.

April 21, 2026

ACLU of Alabama applauds parole reforms, but warns Alabama’s prison crisis remains unaddressed

Advocates welcomed parole changes but said lawmakers left deeper prison problems untouched, as overcrowding, violence and transparency failures continued to draw scrutiny.

April 16, 2026

Alabama Senate foregoes prison oversight bill in favor of pilot program

State leaders launched a one-year pilot program for the Examiners of Public Accounts to inspect facilities and report on prison conditions.

March 13, 2026

Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee holds public hearing on prison oversight legislation

Proponents shared stories of corruption and deplorable conditions Wednesday during a hearing on a bill to establish an independent office to monitor Alabama prisons.

March 12, 2026

Gov. Ivey awards grant for program to help prison inmates end drug addictions

Governor Kay Ivey provided $598,000 for intensive drug treatment programs at eight Alabama prisons to help inmates overcome addiction and reduce future crimes.

March 3, 2026

Commuting the sentence of Charles Burton is not a hard call to make

There is no one—aside from a few morbid freaks—who wants to see Charles Burton put to death at the hands of the state.

February 26, 2026

House committee passes bill to grant ADPH oversight of food services conditions within Alabama prisons

Legislators moved to grant state health officials enforcement power over prison sanitation after reports revealed one facility operated without hot water for several weeks.

February 26, 2026