Governor Kay Ivey announced Friday the conclusion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) case against Julia Tutwiler Prison, marking a significant milestone in Alabama's correctional system reforms. Ivey stated that improving the state's prisons was a priority since she took office in 2017, when the system faced various DOJ lawsuits and investigations.
"When I took office in 2017, our challenged prisons needed our immediate attention, and we were facing various DOJ lawsuits and investigations," Governor Ivey said. "Despite the can being kicked down the road for too long, I made it a priority to improve our correctional system, and we have made significant progress since then."
The governor highlighted several key achievements, including the construction of two new men's prisons, historic recruitment levels for correctional officers, and the enforcement of a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct by both inmates and staff. She also noted enhancements to the Department and various sensible sentencing reforms. Ivey affirmed that these efforts will continue.