U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Prisons

ABOUT THE FEDERAL

BUREAU OF PRISONS
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About the Federal Bureau of Prisons

The Federal Bureau of Prisons was established in 1930 to provide 

more progressive and humane care for federal inmates, to 

professionalize the prison service, and to ensure consistent and 

centralized administration of the 11 Federal prisons in operation at 

that time. Today, the Bureau includes 121 institutions, 6 regional 

offices, a Central Office (headquarters), and 26 offices that oversee 

residential reentry centers. The regional offices and Central Office 

provide oversight and administrative support to the institutions and 

offices.

The Bureau is responsible for the care and custody of more than 

208,000 federal inmates, as of spring 2015.1 About 81 percent of 

these inmates are confined in federal correctional institutions or 

detention centers, and the remainder are held in secure privately 

managed or community-based facilities and local jails under 

contract with the Bureau.

The Bureau protects society by confining offenders in prisons and 

community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, 

and appropriately secure, and by providing inmates with programs 

and services to assist them in becoming proactive law-abiding 

citizens when they return to their communities.

The Bureau’s most important resource is its staff. All Bureau staff 

are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that creates and 

maintains respect for the agency, the Department of Justice, the 

Federal Government, and the law.

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The inmate population varies daily. For up-to-date population information, 

please visit www.bop.gov. 

Federal Correctional Institution Pekin, Illinois
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Growth of the Federal Inmate Population

Most of the challenges affecting the Bureau today relate to the 

historical increase in the inmate population. At the end of 1930 (the 

year the Bureau was created), the agency operated 15 institutions

with just over 13,000 inmates. In 1940, the Bureau had grown to 24 

institutions with 24,360 inmates. Despite minor fluctuations, the 

number of inmates did not change significantly between 1940 and 

1980 (when the population was 24,252). However, during this 

same period, the number of institutions almost doubled (from 24 to 

44) as the Bureau gradually moved from operating large institutions 

confining inmates of many security levels to operating smaller 

facilities confining inmates with similar security needs.

In the 1980s the inmate population grew rapidly. The Sentencing 

Reform Act of 1984 abolished parole and reduced good time. 

Mandatory minimum sentencing provisions were enacted in 1986, 

1988, and 1990. From 1980 to 1989, the inmate population more 

than doubled from 24,500 to almost 58,000. During the 1990s, the 

population more than doubled again, reaching 136,000 at the end of 

1999. By the end of 2013, the Bureau’s population climbed to 

almost 220,000, and then the population began to decline, for the 

first time in more than 34 years. At the end of 2014, the Bureau

had 5,149 fewer inmates than at the beginning of the year. 

Population declines are projected to continue for the next few years. 

Institution Security

The Bureau operates institutions at four security levels (minimum, 

low, medium, and high) and has one maximum-security prison for 

the less than one percent of inmates who require that level of 

security. It also has administrative facilities, such as pretrial 

detention centers and medical referral centers, that have specialized 

missions and confine offenders of all security levels. The Bureau 

also classifies its institutions based on the level of medical services 

readily available, as care levels 1-4.

The characteristics that help define the security level of an 

institution are perimeter security (such as fences, patrol officers, 

and towers), level of staffing, internal controls for inmate 
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movement and accountability, and type of living quarters (for 

example, cells or open dormitories). The Bureau’s graduated 

security and medical classification levels allow staff to assign an 

inmate to an institution in accordance with his/her individual needs. 

Thus, inmates who are able to function with relatively less 

supervision, without disrupting institution operations or threatening 

the safety of staff or other inmates, can be housed in lower security 

level institutions.

Regardless of the specific discipline in which a staff member 

works, all employees are “correctional workers first.” This means 

everyone is responsible for the security and good order of the 

institution. All staff are expected to be vigilant and attentive to 

inmate accountability and security issues, to respond to 

emergencies, and to maintain a proficiency in custodial and security 

matters, as well as in their particular job specialty. This approach 

allows the Bureau to operate in the most cost-effective manner with 

fewer correctional officers and still maintain direct supervision of 

inmates.

The Bureau relies on security technologies to help ensure the safety 

of staff and inmates. Recently new technologies have included

whole body imaging devices to detect contraband (including cell 

phones) and sophisticated walk-through metal detectors, thermal 

fencing, and thermal camera sensors. These technologies have 

significantly reduced contraband. Additionally we have provided 

staff additional equipment, such as oleoresin capsicum spray, to 

further enhance their safety. 

Inmate Management

Staff are key to effective inmate management. Constructive and 

frequent interaction and communication between staff and inmates 

are critical to maintaining accountability and ensuring security. 

Bureau staff are expected to talk with inmates and to be receptive to 

their concerns. To facilitate direct supervision, the Bureau limits 

structural barriers (such as bars and grilles) where possible and 

locates staff offices near areas where programs and services are 

delivered. Staff circulate regularly through all areas of the 

institution, continually interacting with inmates. This helps 
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normalize the environment within the institution, with staff serving 

as law-abiding role models, and places staff in a better position to 

observe and respond to inmate behavior. Many institutions also rely 

on observation through video surveillance cameras to augment 

direct staff supervision.

 

 

 Correctional workers performing routine duties

Unit Management is a hallmark of the Bureau’s inmate 

management philosophy. Unit management gives inmates direct 

daily contact with the staff who make most of the decisions 

impacting their daily lives. These staff members (the unit manager, 

case manager, and correctional counselor), have offices in inmate 

living units, thereby facilitating inmate access to staff. This also 

facilitates staff awareness of significant inmate concerns and 

potential problems.

Unit staff are directly responsible for inmates housed in their units

in programs designed to meet their needs. Unit staff receive input 

from other employees (such as work supervisors, teachers, and 

psychologists) who work with the inmate, and meet with him/her

on a regular basis to develop, review, and discuss work 

assignments, program opportunities, and progress, as well as any 

other needs or concerns. These regularly-scheduled meetings do 

not preclude inmates from approaching a member of the unit team 

or any other appropriate staff member to discuss particular issues.
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Inmate Programs

The Bureau’s philosophy is that preparation for reentry to society

begins on the first day of incarceration. Accordingly, the Bureau 

provides many programs, designed to assign inmates and address 

their needs such as substance abuse treatment, mental health 

treatment, education, anger management, parenting and more.

Prison work programs provide inmates an opportunity to acquire 

marketable occupational skills, as well as acquire a sound work 

ethic and habits. Medically able inmates are required to work some. 

For some individuals, this represents their first employment 

experience. Work assignments provide on-the-job training similar 

to what would be received in the community. For example, inmates 

work as clerks, landscapers, and electricians. Many work 

assignments are linked to vocational training programs, and may 

lead to formal apprenticeships.

1. Federal Prison Industries (FPI) and Vocational Training

Federal Prison Industries (FPI), trade name UNICOR, is one of the 

Bureau’s most important correctional programs. It has been proven 

to substantially reduce recidivism and operates without 

congressional appropriation. Inmates who participate in FPI are 

also substantially less likely to engage in misconduct.

 

 Inmates working in Federal Prison Industries factory

2. Education

The Bureau provides education and recreation programs

individually: GED, Spanish GED, English As A Second Language, 
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Adult Continuing Education, Post-Secondary, Parenting, 

Vocational, Apprenticeships, and Release Preparation. Inmates 

who participate in education programs for a minimum of six 

months are less likely to recidivate when compared to similar nonparticipating inmates. Recreation programs help teach inmates to 

make constructive use of leisure time to reduce stress, improve their 

health and develop hobbies they enjoy. These programs keep 

inmates constructively occupied and contribute to positive lifestyles 

and self-improvement.

3. Inmate Faith-Based Programs

Federal prisons offer a variety of faith-based services and programs. 

Inmates are granted permission to wear or retain various religious 

items, and accommodations are made to observe holy days. Bureau 

facilities offer religious diets that meet the dietary requirements of 

various faith groups, such as the Jewish and Islamic faiths. Most 

institutions have sweat lodges to accommodate the religious 

requirements of Native Americans. Religious programs are led or 

supervised by staff chaplains, contract spiritual leaders, and 

community volunteers. Chaplains oversee inmate worship services 

and self-improvement programs, and provide pastoral care, spiritual 

guidance, and counseling. The Bureau offers inmates the 

opportunity to participate in its Life Connections Program, a 

residential reentry program as well as Thresholds, the nonresidential version of our program.

Inmate programs include spiritual counseling
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4. Residential Substance Abuse Treatment

Residential drug abuse treatment programs (RDAPs) are offered at 

more than 77 Bureau institutions, providing treatment to more than 

18,000 inmates each year. Inmates in RDAP are housed in a 

separate housing unit that operates a modified therapeutic 

community. RDAPs provide intensive half-day programming, 5 

days a week, for 9-12 months. The remainder of each day is spent 

in education, work skills training, and other programs. The program 

also includes a community based component that inmates complete 

while in a RRC or home confinement. Inmates who complete 

RDAP are 16 percent less likely to recidivate and 15 percent less 

likely to have a relapse to drug use within 3 years after release. 

Nonviolent offenders who complete the program are eligible to 

have their sentence reduced by up to one year. Other drug 

programs offered by the Bureau are the Nonresidential Drug 

Treatment Program, Challenge Program, and Spanish RDAP. 

5. Pro-Social Values Programs

Encouraged by RDAP’s positive results, the Bureau implemented a 

number of other programs, including the Secure Mental Health 

Treatment Program, which treats inmates with serious mental 

illness and histories of significant violence; the Challenge Program 

for high security inmates, which treats inmates with a history of 

substance abuse or mental illness; the Resolve Program for female 

inmates, which treats inmates with trauma-related mental illnesses; 

the BRAVE (Bureau Rehabilitation and Values Enhancement) 

Program for younger, newly-designated offenders, which addresses 

anti-social attitudes and behavior; the Skills Program for 

cognitively-impaired inmates, which treats issues with adapting to 

prison and the community; Mental Health Step Down Units, which 

provide treatment for inmates with serious mental illnesses 

releasing from psychiatric hospitalization; the Sex Offender 

Treatment Program for inmates with a sex offense history; and the 

STAGES (Steps Toward Awareness, Growth, and Emotional 

Strength) program for inmates with severe personality disorders, 

who have a history of behavioral problems or self-harm. As 

resources allow, the Bureau has expanded these programs to 

address the significant demand for these services. The Bureau has 

found that these programs significantly reduce institution 

misconduct.
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6. Programs for Female Offenders

Female offenders are considered a specialty population and the 

Bureau continues to refine strategies on the most effective 

initiatives to assist women with their reentry and self-improvement 

needs. Female offenders differ from male offenders in some 

significant ways. For example, women are more likely to have 

histories of trauma and physical or sexual abuse, have higher rates 

of certain chronic and acute medical conditions, and have greater 

levels of combined mental health and substance use disorders.

Because of the high rates of trauma and other related mental health 

needs in the female offender population, women’s facilities have a 

greater number of psychologists on staff. The Resolve Program 

consists of evidence-based protocols individually tailored to help 

women heal from trauma. This cognitive-behavioral therapy 

program, designed to help and empower women, treats more than 

2,000 women annually. 

Females are also more likely than men to have been the primary 

caregivers of their children prior to incarceration and to have a 

history of dysfunctional relationships, both of which pose 

additional challenges to reentry. The Bureau recognizes the 

importance of the bond experienced between mother and child, and 

offers programs for women who will give birth while incarcerated. 

In the Mothers and Infants Together (MINT) Program, eligible 

pregnant inmates who agree to participate are transferred to a 

community-based center during the final trimester of pregnancy, 

and remain with the child during the critical early months. Video 

visitation, another initiative which helps female inmates connect 

with their children and social support network, is being 

implemented at all female institutions. 

Preparing Inmates for Release

Near the end of their sentence, inmates participate in the Release 

Preparation Program, which includes a series of classes regarding 

daily living activities in the community including employment, 

banking, resume writing, job search strategies, and job retention. It 

also includes presentations by representatives from communitybased organizations that help former inmates find employment and 

training opportunities after release.
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The Bureau helps inmates maintain ties with their family and 

friends through visiting, mail, email and the telephone. The Bureau 

specifically encourages inmates to maintain and develop bonds with 

their children through parenting programs that include specialized 

activities such as day camps and workshops. 

 Family activities during Children’s Day events

The Bureau’s Inmate Transition Branch helps inmates prepare 

release portfolios that include a resume, education and training 

certificates and transcripts, diplomas, and other significant 

documents needed to secure employment. Many institutions hold 

mock job fairs to allow inmates to practice job interview techniques 

and expose community recruiters to the skills available among 

inmates. 

Community-Based Confinement and Community 

Activities

The Bureau places inmates in Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) 

for the last few months of their sentence to facilitate a successful 

transition to the community. These centers provide a structured, 

supervised environment and support in job placement, counseling, 

financial management assistance, and other services. They make it 

possible for inmates to gradually rebuild ties to the community 

while living in a structured environment. Inmates in RRCs are 

required to work and to pay a subsistence charge of 25 percent of 

their income to offset the cost of confinement. Some inmates are 

placed in home confinement either directly from prison or after 

spending time in an RRC. They serve this portion of their 
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sentences at home under strict schedules, curfew requirements, 

telephonic monitoring, and sometimes electronic monitoring.

Community Involvement with Inmates and the Bureau

Community volunteers help inmates adapt to imprisonment and 

prepare for their return to the community. Volunteers provide a 

variety of services, such as spiritual counseling, assistance with 

family and marriage issues, substance abuse counseling, education 

and vocational training, and health education.

Most institutions have Community Relations Boards that facilitate 

information exchange between the facility and the local community, 

advancing public awareness and an understanding of any issues of 

concern at the prison. All Federal prisons have arrangements with 

state and local law enforcement agencies and other emergency 

services in the rare event of an escape or other security concern. 

Bureau institutions are involved in a variety of joint training 

activities with state, local, and other Federal law enforcement 

agencies; they often allow these agencies to use training areas in 

their institutions.

Note: The figures contained in this publication are current with the time 

published. For updated figures and more information, please visit our website at: 

www.bop.gov.
Published by:

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Office of Communications and Archives

320 First Street, NW

Suite 631

Washington, DC 20534

June 2015