What 'Restricted Housing' really means in California prisons (what families should know)

NCR 23-15 is a proposed CDCR regulation change with a clear stated goal: reduce the use of segregated confinement. For families, that objective matters because it frames the whole package of changes. The notice is not just about swapping labels, it is describing a shift toward using restricted housing less often.

One of the most visible changes is language. The proposed regulations replace the term “segregation” with “restricted.” If you are trying to understand paperwork, classification discussions, or what your loved one tells you from inside, this rename can change what you see on documents and how staff describe the same basic idea: a more limited housing status.

The proposal also gets specific about how restricted housing terms are assessed. NCR 23-15 proposes removing several offenses from the SHU term assessment chart, and renaming that chart the “RHU Term Matrix.” In plain English, the notice is saying: the list used to decide certain restricted-housing term assessments is being revised, and it is being rebranded to match the new “restricted housing” terminology.

Along with changing which offenses appear on that chart, the notice describes a reduced amount of time assessed for the remaining offenses on the RHU Term Matrix. If your loved one is being evaluated for restricted housing under the proposal, this “term matrix” language is the part that may affect how long an assessed term is, at least on paper.

“Restricted housing” does not mean everything stops. Under the proposal, people placed in restricted housing would continue to have access to rehabilitative and education programs, mental health and healthcare services, and out-of-cell recreation time. That is a practical point for families to hold onto when you are trying to understand what day-to-day access could look like even in a more restrictive setting.

For NCR 23-15, CDCR’s notice states that the public comment period closed on February 2, 2024.

The notice also scheduled a public hearing for February 2, 2024, from 10:00am to 11:00am, at CDCR Conference Room 150, 1515 S Street (North Building), Sacramento, CA 95811.

How to Submit Comments

• ✓ Primary contact: Josh Jugum, Regulation and Policy Management Branch
• ✓ Phone: (916) 445-2266
• ✓ Mailing address for written comments/inquiries: P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283-0001

Practically, the proposal points in two directions families tend to care about most: how long, and what access. On the “how long” side, the notice describes removing several offenses from the SHU term assessment chart (renamed the RHU Term Matrix) and reducing the amount of time assessed for the remaining offenses on that matrix. On the “what access” side, the proposal states that people in restricted housing would continue to have access to programs, mental health and healthcare services, and out-of-cell recreation time.

1. Write down the exact term you are hearing (SHU, segregation, restricted housing, RHU). The proposal specifically replaces “segregation” with “restricted,” so the wording can matter when you are asking questions.
2. Ask your questions directly to CDCR by contacting Josh Jugum at (916) 445-2266 or writing to Regulation and Policy Management Branch, P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283-0001.
3. Focus your questions on the practical outcomes: whether the RHU Term Matrix is being used in your loved one’s situation, and what continued access to programs, services, and out-of-cell recreation looks like under restricted housing.