how do they work, does the inmate have to request them?

Inmates are reviewed from time to time by the Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) out of Montgomery, Alabama and it depends on how long they have been in, how long they have to go, if they have a satisfactory displanary record, what they are in for, etc.......they are put in for it by their classification officer and then they are moved according to the DOC approval. They do not request to be there....I do think they can request to be transferred but that is usually to another equal facility of same security level. This all is just my opinion.

When they are in a regular prison, (behind the wall), they will get a progress review and if they are all clean record for 90 days they will put them in if they qualify, (there are many stipulations to qualifying). If they make it to like a work camp, they have to be there for a year, then they have to request a transfer to a work release. At least this is how it works from limestone to childersburg and from elmore to childersburg. (from experience)
Hope this helps you some. If you have any other more specific questions feel free to pm me and I will do all I can to help you.