The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation took regulatory action to address an increase in overdoses and violent acts inside institutions across the state.
CDCR announced changes to the California Code of Regulations Title 15, specifically amendments to articles pertaining to restricted housing privilege groups C and D.
“These regulation amendments are a targeted approach to address the most significant types of violent incidents within our institutions,” noted CDCR.
Restricted housing refers to various forms of confinement, segregated housing for individuals in CDCR custody.
According to CDCR, the amendment changes will help staff address behavior before it escalates, improve safety, reduce violence, strengthen accountability for serious and repeat misconduct, and maintain access to rehabilitation, education, and reentry programming.
A CDCR memorandum titled “Restricted housing unit regulations update implementation” notes that the purpose of making changes to the regulations was to add to the 2023 RHU term metrics. Added amendments include extending term length for specific incidents that are causing increases in drug overdoses and violence, while at the same time establishing accountability measures with revisions to the privilege group system.
CDCR offers a behavior-based housing model that focuses on safety and security of institutions while providing programming opportunities to incarcerated people in the least restrictive setting.
Focusing on incarcerated individuals involved in serious, repeated, or disorderly misconduct, the CDCR website states that these changes are not intended to impact people who are following the rules and actively programming.
Changes to the regulation amendments include:
- Possible RHU placement for those who distribute drugs
- Longer RHU terms for selected serious violent offenses
- Greater flexibility in how multiple RHU terms are applied
- Possible RHU placement for those who commit repeated acts of battery
- Updated administrative RHU authority
- Revision of privilege groups to impose more structured disciplinary consequences
“I don’t think these changes to RHU will have an impact on criminal activity in prison,” said San Quentin Rehabilitation Center resident Curtis Taylor, 32, incarcerated for 10 years. “I think these changes can only serve to do what prison has always done—penalize and punish.”
In November 2023, CDCR reformed the framework for the use of restricted housing unit regulations in response to a directive from Governor Newsom. The 2023 reforms took steps to limit the use of restricted housing only to individuals who engage in violence and present a direct threat to people living and working inside CDCR institutions.
According to CDCR’s website, May 2026 updates to the RHU framework are calculated, evidence-based adjustments, and not a rollback of the 2023 RHU reforms.
CDCR states that safe institutions are necessary for rehabilitation to succeed. These regulatory updates came after reviewing safety trends, operational needs across institutions, and misconduct data.
Reviews showed an increase in overdoses, battery on staff, deadly weapon incidents, attempted murder, battery on incarcerated people, murder, and serious bodily injury incidents.
RHU may also be used during an investigation into an individual because of safety concerns or non-disciplinary reasons.
CDCR previously used older restrictive housing models, such as administrative segregation units, “The Hole,” and Security Housing Units known as “The SHU.”
SQRC resident Fred Rodriguez, 43, incarcerated for 10 years, said he spent six months in The Hole: “Some of my neighbors liked being in there because they felt safe.”
Rodriguez spoke about people who deserve to have their privileges taken away because they prey on others. “There has to be some sort of added punishment for those taking advantage of people who cannot defend themselves.”
According to CDCR, an Administrative RHU is indeterminate and reserved for residents who present a significant and immediate threat to staff or incarcerated people.
Administrative RHU placement is intended for high-risk individuals with a history of serious violations, including Division A-1 and A-2 offenses such as attempted murder, murder, and rape.
CDCR states that there is a review process in place to ensure appropriate placements when necessary.
Some of the updated regulations include changes relative to privilege group designation.
The updated regulations include the potential for short-term tablet restrictions based on behavior and security conditions that are related to privilege group designations and tablet access.
Separate from the RHU housing privilege groups are behavior-based classifications that may affect access to incentives such as packages, canteen, property, and recreation.
Only privilege groups C and D were updated in the May amendment regulations.
Individuals placed in groups C and D will have the following impacts:
- Package is restricted.
- Canteen is limited to hygiene and personal care items.
- Access to phone calls, messaging, and paid services is restricted.
CDCR states that these adjustments are tied to accountability. It also states that tablet deactivation is a behavior-based short-term tool used to address lower-level misconduct and prevent escalation to more serious discipline.
Deactivation is generally limited to 24 hours and restricts access to phones, messaging, and other non-essential paid services.
It is intended to create a proportionate, immediate response to misconduct when appropriate, while avoiding the need for formal disciplinary action.
Examples may include the misuse of messaging functions, failing to report as directed, refusing to stand for count, refusing to remove obstructions, or repeated minor misconduct.
These updates are designed to address misconduct early, balance accountability, and “maintain orderly institutions, while supporting rehabilitation and successful reentry,” noted CDCR.