Newly sentenced federal defendants commonly experience intense anxiety and stress about the unknown, which manifests in a wide range of questions and worries. Their concerns typically revolve around various issues, including personal safety, adapting to the strict routine of incarceration, and maintaining family ties.
Criminal justice System Overview
2.52 minutes
7.41 minutes
https://youtu.be/7ybvG8OuLMQ?feature=shared
Pre-sentence investigation report process
7.52 minutes
https://youtu.be/VvqeloicpYc?feature=shared
Voluntary surrendering
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/custody_and_care/voluntary_surrenders.jsp
What to bring when you self surrender
https://www.arep.uscourts.gov/sites/arep/files/Form%20-%20BOP%20Surrender%20List.pdf
Designation
https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5100_008_cn-3.pdf
Institutional logistics
- Security level and location: A major source of anxiety is not knowing their final prison assignment. The security level and geographical location of the facility can affect visitation options and the overall conditions of confinement.
Determining Classification and Designation
- Point System
- BP 337 (Inmate Load & Security Classification) (hand out)
- Static Examples open to interpretation: severity of current offense (+ 0-7 points), any detainers (i.e., unknown disposition)(+ 0-7 points)
- Public Safety Factors (PSF) - Changes security designation despite points
- Common: Sentence length, disruptive group, greatest severity, sex offender, threat to government officials, deportable alien
- Management variables - required to place inmate at institution level inconsistent with the inmate's scores security level
- Examples: Judicial recommendation, PSF waived, program participation up to 18 months, greater or lesser security
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) classifies its facilities into five security levels ranging from minimum to high security, plus a special category for administrative facilities with unique missions like medical care or pretrial detention. You can review the complete directory of institutions through the BOP Facility Locator.
https://www.bop.gov/locations/
Types of BOP facilities
- Federal Prison Camps (FPCs): Minimum-security units with dormitory housing, low staff-to-te inmate ratios, and little to no perimeter fencing.
- Federal Correctional Institutions (FCIs): Low and medium-security facilities featuring double-fenced perimeters, cell or cubicle housing, and work programs.
- United States Penitentiaries (USPs): High-security units with reinforced walls or heavy fences, high staff-to-inmate ratios, and strict controls.
- Federal Correctional Complexes (FCCs): Co-located sites combining multiple facilities with different security levels.
Specialized Facilities
- Administrative Facilities: High-security or specialized units like ADX Florence, Metropolitan Detention Centers (MDCs), and Federal Medical Centers (FMCs) designed for pretrial detention, high-risk inmates, or medical treatment.
- Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs): Halfway houses managed via regional field offices to help inmates transition back into the community.
BOP Facility Types by Points
| Security Level | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum (Camp-2 kinds | 0-11 Points | 0-15 Points |
| Low FCI's/FSL's | 12-15 Points | 16-30 Points |
| Medium FCI's | 16-23 Points | N/A |
| High- USP | 24+ Points | 31+ Points |
|
Administrative (FDC/MDC/MED) Note: Restrictice Housing (SHU/SMU/RHU/CMU) |
All Levels Unassigned | All Levels Unassigned |
Navigating the system
- Learning the rules: New inmates are often worried about accidentally breaking complex and often unspoken rules. They seek to understand the social hierarchies, etiquette, and regulations to avoid disciplinary trouble.
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/communications.jsp#phone
- Find an Inmate
- How to call
- How to e-mail
- How to send mail
- How to send a package
- How to send money
- How to visit
- Voice a Concern
More on Phone use
https://www.bop.gov/news/20241004-fbop-updates-to-phone-call-policies-and-time-credit-system.jsp
Medical care
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/custody_and_care/medical_care.jsp
Sample inmate handbook
https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/man/man_ao-handbook.pdf?v=1.0.0
Sample commissary list
https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/atw/atw_commlist.pdf?v=1.0.2
Inmate discipline
https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5270_009_cn_1.pdf
- Preparing for the future: Many wonder how to use their time constructively to prepare for eventual release. This includes accessing educational programs, developing new skills, and planning for life after prison.
Good conduct time
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.jsp#fsa_good_conduct_time
First step act process
https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.
Telling your young kids about incarceration - Sesame Street video clip
1.17 minutes