What Happens During the First Two Weeks at Julia Tutwiler Prison: Reception & Classification (A Family Guide)
The first couple of weeks can feel like a black box when someone arrives at Julia Tutwiler Prison. Here's what reception and classification actually looks like—so you know what your loved one is going through and why it takes time before things feel settled.
Julia Tutwiler Prison is the receiving unit for all women entering Alabama's state prison system. Most people start their state time here. The early days focus on intake: confirming identity, checking immediate health needs, and gathering the information staff need to decide custody level and housing placement.
If you need to contact the facility, Julia Tutwiler Prison is located at 8966 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka, AL 36092. The phone number is (334) 567-4369.
- Get booked into the institution - Upon arriving (or soon after arrival), your loved one will be photographed and fingerprinted.
- Start the reception process - These first steps are part of the larger intake period where the facility begins gathering information that will follow them through classification and placement.
During reception, your loved one will receive a full physical and dental exam. Staff document any health concerns and flag urgent needs early in the process.
Tutwiler has both a medical infirmary and a mental health unit on site. That means health and mental health screenings happen right away - not weeks down the line.
Reception also includes psychological testing and interviews. These screenings help staff understand mental health needs and other factors that affect housing decisions and immediate support.
A Classification Specialist will interview your loved one during reception. Based on that conversation - plus what's already in the record - they'll determine the initial custody level and living unit assignment. This is a big reason the first days can feel slow from the outside. Staff are making placement decisions that shape daily life inside.
Reception and classification typically wrap up within two weeks of arrival. If you're waiting to hear about housing or initial placement, that two-week window is a realistic baseline for when things usually become clearer.
If your loved one doesn't speak English - or has difficulty understanding staff due to a reading, hearing, sight, or other disability - they should say so during intake. The facility's ADA Coordinator can help with disability-related needs, and a translator is available when language is the barrier.
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- ✓ Expect the reception and classification period to take about two weeks after arrival before things feel more “final.”
- ✓ Remember that the Classification Specialist interview is what drives initial custody level and living unit assignment, so early placement questions often can’t be answered immediately.
- ✓ If you’re trying to understand why communication or updates feel limited early on, keep in mind that your loved one is moving through required intake steps during this window.
Note: Medical, dental, and mental health screening happens during reception, including psychological testing and interviews. If there's an urgent health or mental health concern, your loved one should speak up during intake - Tutwiler has a medical infirmary and mental health unit on site.
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