U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS

STATE OF THE BUREAU 2008

THE BUREAU’S CORE VALUES

CORRECTIONAL EXCELLENCE

We are correctional workers first,

committed to the highest

level of performance.

RESPECT

We embrace diversity and recognize

the value and dignity of staff,

inmates, and the general public.

INTEGRITY

We demonstrate uncompromising

ethical conduct in all our actions.
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This edition of the State of the Bureau includes contributions from BOP staff members who graciously took the time to

provide written descriptions of a typical day and/or allow the use of photographs taken of them at work.

Institution Staff Contributors*

Mid-Atlantic Region

Nicholas S. Barney, Senior Officer, Visiting Room, FCI Ashland, KY

William Dolchan, General Foreman, USP Hazelton, WV

Cathy Milton, Case Management Coordinator, USP Hazelton, WV

Juan A. Riollano, Senior Officer Specialist, Housing Unit, FCC Butner, NC

Bret Tilley, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Foreman, FCC Butner, NC

Thomas Watson, Lieutenant, USP Hazelton, WV

Beverly A. Whitley, Teacher, FCI Ashland, KY

North Central Region

Julia Fagg, Volunteer Coordinator, FCC Terre Haute, IN

Hope Grangruth, Fabric Worker Foreman, UNICOR, FCI Waseca, MN

Roderick Harmon, Senior Officer Specialist, Housing Unit, USP Leavenworth, KS

Brian Jansen, Vocational Training Instructor, FCI Greenville, IL

Michael Merrill, Supervisory Chaplain, FCC Florence, CO

Northeast Region

Jeffrey A. Burkett, Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (NREMTP), USP Lewisburg, PA

Nicholas Condo, Jr., Senior Officer Specialist, Sick & Annual/Morning Watch, FCI Fairton, NJ

Barbara J. Darrah, Unit Manager/Inmate Skills Development & Reentry Coordinator, FCI Ray Brook, NY

Gibbon Douglas, Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist (DATS), MCC New York, NY

Gerald Johnson, Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO), FMC Devens, MA

South Central Region

Martin Antoine, Correctional Systems Officer (CSO), FCI Texarkana, TX

Barry Edwards, Unit Manager, FCI El Reno, OK

Tan Luu, Information Technology Specialist, FCC Beaumont, TX

Mohammad Mahmoodi, Mid-Level Practitioner (MLP), FMC Carswell, TX

Ben Mancha, Senior Officer, Special Housing Unit (SHU), FCI Big Spring, TX

Southeast Region

Dr. Elisa Ann, Staff Psychologist, FCI Tallahassee, FL

Sean Ashline, Food Service Supervisor, FCI Estill, SC

Christopher Scott Barfield, Senior Officer Specialist, Compound Officer, FCI Marianna, FL

Conetta Ethridge, Correctional Counselor, FCI Williamsburg, SC

Chalon S. Moore, Employee Services Manager, FPC Montgomery, AL

Rosemary Rodriguez, Employee Services Assistant, FPC Montgomery, AL

Western Region

DeAnna Cooper, UNICOR Foreman/Paintline, FCI Terminal Island, CA

Diane Dobrich, Recreation Specialist, FCI Dublin, CA

Michelle Menjivar, Safety Specialist, FCC Lompoc, CA

Kerry Peeples, Budget Analyst, FCC Tucson, AZ

Anthony Schoenborn, Senior Officer Specialist, Tower #5 Officer, FCC Victorville, CA

*Positions and locations listed above for each staff are those held at the time this publication was being drafted and do not reflect

promotions or transfers.

Acknowledgments
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Page

BOP Fundamentals: Mission Statement, Core Values, Vision Statement ...................................................................1

Bureau of Prisons Operations FY2008 ........................................................................................................................2

Operational Trends................................................................................................................................................3

Institution Program Areas ................................................................................................................................5

Challenges in FY08 ...............................................................................................................................................7

Steps to Increase BOP and Community Safety ...............................................................................................7

Technological Enhancements .........................................................................................................................8

Oversight.........................................................................................................................................................9

Steward of the Public’s Trust ........................................................................................................................ 10

Snapshot of Disciplines ...............................................................................................................................................11

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Correctional Services (Custody) .......................................................................................................................... 11

Correctional Systems/Case Management ............................................................................................................ 16

Computer Services ...............................................................................................................................................18

Discipline Hearing Officer .................................................................................................................................... 18

Education/Recreation ........................................................................................................................................... 20

Employee Services ...............................................................................................................................................24

Facilities ............................................................................................................................................................... 25

Financial Management ......................................................................................................................................... 27

Food Service ........................................................................................................................................................ 27

Health Services ....................................................................................................................................................28

Psychology Services............................................................................................................................................ 31

Religious Services ................................................................................................................................................ 34

Safety ................................................................................................................................................................... 35

UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries) .................................................................................................................... 36

Unit Management ................................................................................................................................................. 38

Volunteer Program ................................................................................................................................................ 41

Bureau Components ....................................................................................................................................................42

Central Office ....................................................................................................................................................... 42

Regional Offices ................................................................................................................................................... 43

Staff Training Centers .......................................................................................................................................... 43

Grand Prairie Office Complex ................................................................................................................................ 43

Institution Security Levels .......................................................................................................................................... 44

Minimum Security ................................................................................................................................................ 44

Low Security Federal Correctional Institutions (FCIs) ........................................................................................44

Medium Security FCIs .......................................................................................................................................... 44

High Security United States Penitentiaries (USPs) .............................................................................................. 44

Administrative Facilities ...................................................................................................................................... 44

Federal Correctional Complexes (FCCs) ............................................................................................................... 44

Satellite Low Security Facilities............................................................................................................................44

Bureau Institutions...................................................................................................................................................... 45

FY 2008 Statistics........................................................................................................................................................ 61

References ................................................................................................................................................................... 62

Table of Contents
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MISSION STATEMENT

The Federal Bureau of Prisons protects society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of

prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and

that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding

citizens.

CORE VALUES

CORRECTIONAL EXCELLENCE: We are correctional workers first, committed to the highest level of

performance.

RESPECT: We embrace diversity and recognize the value and dignity of staff, inmates, and the general

public.

INTEGRITY: We demonstrate uncompromising ethical conduct in all our actions.

VISION STATEMENT

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, judged by any standard, is widely and consistently regarded as a model of

outstanding public administration, and as the best value provider of efficient, safe, and humane correctional

services and programs in America. This vision will be realized when...

The Bureau provides for public safety by assuring that no escapes and no disturbances occur in its

facilities. The Bureau ensures the physical safety of all inmates through a controlled environment that

meets each inmate’s need for security through the elimination of violence, predatory behavior, gang activity,

drug use, and inmate weapons. Through the provision of health care, mental, spiritual, educational,

vocational, and work programs, inmates are well-prepared for a productive and crime-free return to society.

The Bureau is a model of cost-efficient correctional operations and programs.

Our talented, professional, well-trained, and diverse staff reflects the Bureau’s culture and treats each other

fairly. Staff works in an environment free from discrimination. A positive working relationship exists where

employees maintain respect for one another. The workplace is safe, and staff performs its duties without

fear of injury or assault. Staff maintains high ethical standards in its day-to-day activities. Staff is satisfied

with its job, career opportunities, recognition, and quality of leadership.

BOP Fundamentals
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Bureau of Prisons Operations FY2008

During FY08, the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) continued to

experience increases in the inmate population, although not

at the rate experienced in the past. At the end of September

2008, the inmate population had grown to 201,668. In 1930,

the year the BOP was established, the inmate population

was just over 13,000 inmates. By 1940, the population had

grown to 24,360 inmates. For 40 years, the BOP experienced

little growth, with the population in 1980 only about 300

inmates more than in 1940. However, the next 20 years brought

unprecedented growth in the inmate population. Between

1980 and 1989, the population doubled, from about 24,000

inmates to 58,000. The population doubled again between

1990 and 1999. By the end of FY1999, the BOP inmate

population had reached 134,000. Less than 10 years later, the

population has surpassed 200,000 inmates. Growth in the

inmate population has been profound, and with that growth

has come a variety of challenges.

The biggest challenge has been the BOP’s inability to keep

pace with the increases in the inmate population, both in

terms of bed space and staff. By the end of FY2008, the

number of inmates housed at BOP institutions exceeded rated

capacity by 36 percent, on average. The inmate to staff ratio

was 5:1, an increase of 30 percent over the past decade.

Research has demonstrated that increases in crowding and

the inmate to staff ratio are both correlated with increases in

violence among the inmate population.

In FY2008, the BOP experienced the ultimate tragedy for

corrections – the death of Correctional Officer Jose Rivera at

the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Atwater, California.

On June 20, 2008, at approximately 3:20 p.m., Officer Rivera

was on the second tier of a housing unit at USP Atwater

attempting to place two inmates back into their cell. The

inmates turned and began assaulting Officer Rivera, who

tried to evade the assault by running to the ground floor.

When he tripped, the two inmates caught him and resumed

their attack using a homemade weapon. Responding staff

restrained the offenders and performed life-saving measures.

Although he was immediately transported to the nearest

local hospital, Officer Rivera died shortly thereafter. The

BOP mourns the death of Officer Rivera.

By the end of FY2008, the BOP housed approximately 82

percent of Federal inmates in BOP-operated facilities, while

the balance was confined in contract care (i.e., privately

managed secure or community-based facilities and local jails).

Overall, the BOP’s 114 institutions were at 36 percent above

rated capacity, with high- and medium-security facilities at

50 and 44 percent above, respectively. To ease the crowding

in FY08, the BOP increased the number of beds at contract

facilities by 1,847 to accommodate BOP inmates. No new

BOP facilities were activated in FY08. The BOP worked with

foreign countries to effect the transfer of 184 foreign nationals

back to their home countries and 51 United States citizens

back to this country.

At the end of FY08, 93.3 percent of the BOP inmate population

was male and 6.7 percent female. More than half the inmate

population was white (57.0 percent) and 39.5 percent was

black or African American; 1.8 percent was Native American;

and 1.7 percent was Asian. Approximately one third of the

inmate population was Hispanic (31.7 percent). A little more

than one quarter of the inmate population were non-U.S.

citizens (26.5 percent), with Mexico providing the highest

proportion of non-US citizen inmates at 17.2 percent.

Drug offenders continue to represent the largest segment of

the inmate population at 52.4 percent. The next largest group

were sentenced for weapons, explosives, and arson at 15.0

percent, followed by immigration at 10.6 percent. In FY08,

nearly one third of inmates were serving sentences of 5-10

years (29.9 percent), with 19.7 percent serving sentences of

10-15 years and 14.9 percent with sentences of 3-5 years. Of

the remaining inmates, 12.1 percent were serving 1-3 year

sentences, 9.7 percent were serving sentences longer than

20 years, 8.7 percent had 15-20 year sentences, 1.8 had less

than one year to serve, and 3.1 percent were serving life

sentences.

The BOP is committed to enhancing public safety by

incarcerating offenders and by reducing recidivism through

inmate programs. In keeping with the BOP’s philosophy that

release preparation begins the first day of imprisonment, the

BOP offers an array of self-improvement programs designed
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to maximize inmates’ potential for success upon reentry into

their local communities. These programs include work in

prison industries and other institution jobs, vocational

training, education, substance abuse treatment, parenting,

anger management, counseling, religious observance

opportunities, and others that teach essential life skills. In

FY08 the BOP maintained its high level of commitment to

inmate programming.

Federal Prison Industries (FPI) or UNICOR is one of the

BOP’s most important correctional programs and continues

to be the largest program with approximately 21,800 inmates

participating in UNICOR in FY08. Textiles is the largest

business group (7,086 inmate jobs), followed by office

furniture (3,944), electronics (3,380), services (2,587), fleet

(2,375), industrial products (1,369), and recycling (876). FPI

makes every effort to employ as many inmates as possible.

The BOP provides many educational opportunities for

inmates, including the General Education Development (GED)

program, English as a Second Language (ESL), continuing

education, parenting programs, and post-secondary

education (these programs are not funded by the BOP). In

FY08, 31,863 inmates participated in the GED program, 7,472

in ESL, 140,224 inmates in continuing education, 16,054 in

the parenting program, and 4,659 in the post-secondary

education courses. More than 2,000 inmates received their

GED diplomas in FY08.

The residential drug abuse program (RDAP) is offered at 59

BOP institutions. Inmates who participate in RDAP are

housed together in a separate unit of the prison reserved for

drug treatment. RDAP provides intensive treatment, 4-5 hours

per day, 5 days a week, for 9-12 months. The remainder of

each day is spent in education, work skills training, and

other inmate programming. In FY08, approximately 17,500

participated in RDAP programs across the country.

Bureau institutions offer religious services and programs

for the 31 faith groups represented within the inmate

population. In addition, the Bureau offers inmates the

opportunity to participate in its Life Connections Program, a

residential reentry program that partners Bureau Religious

Services staff with various faith communities nationwide.

Approximately, 350 inmates participated in the Life

Connections Program in FY08.

Residential reentry centers (RRCs) are used by the BOP to

place inmates in the community just prior to their release.

RRCs provide a structured, supervised environment and

support in job placement, counseling, and other services

that facilitate a successful transition to the community. They

make it possible for inmates to gradually rebuild their ties to

the community and allow correctional staff to supervise

offenders’ activities during this important readjustment

phase. Research has found that RRC participants are more

likely to be gainfully employed and less likely to commit

crimes when compared to inmates who release directly back

to the community. During FY08, the BOP referred 29,690

inmates to RRCs and 91 percent of those admitted

successfully completed the program. Of these, 15,446 inmates

received transitional drug abuse treatment during that

placement.

The BOP continues its efforts to enhance relationships and

expand partnerships with State correctional systems. In FY08,

the BOP supported the Louisiana Department of Corrections

(DOC) by housing approximately 500 jail inmates from New

Orleans and the surrounding area in the new Federal

Correctional Institution (FCI) at the Federal Correctional

Complex (FCC) in Pollock, Louisiana. These inmates had been

displaced as a result of Hurricane Ike. FCI Pollock will not

open to Federal inmates until FY09, but it provided the

needed space to support the Louisiana DOC emergency

requirements. The inmates were returned to the Louisiana

DOC by September 2008.

OPERATIONAL TRENDS

Between FY01 and FY07, the BOP inmate population increased substantially, with annual growth ranging from a

high of 9,063 inmates in FY03 to a low of 5,343 inmates in

FY06. During FY08, the BOP experienced a net increase of

only 1,648 inmates due to the large number of offenders

released pursuant to the retroactive application of the crack
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cocaine amendment to the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG). The retroactive application of the crack cocaine amendment created a significant increase in the

workload for the Designation and Sentence Computation

Center (DSCC). More than 11,500 sentence reduction orders

were processed (averaging 84/day) through the end of FY08.

Figure 1: Inmate Population by Year (FY01 - FY08)

While the types of crimes for which inmates serve prison

time has remained relatively constant over the past few years,

there have been some noteworthy changes. There has been

a significant increase in the number of inmates serving sentences for sex-related offenses. In fact, between FY98 and

FY08, the number of sex offenders in BOP facilities rose

fourfold, from 3,843 in 1998 to 13,163 in 2008.

From FY01 through FY08, there has been a decrease in the

percent of drug offenders and a corresponding increase in

firearms offenders (see Figure 3).1

 The percent of inmates

155000

160000

165000

170000

175000

180000

185000

190000

195000

200000

205000

convicted of drug offenses has dropped from 57.8 percent in

FY01 to 52.4 percent in FY08, while the rate of those convicted

of firearms has risen from 10.6 percent in FY01 to 15.0 percent

in FY08. As Figure 3 illustrates, the percentage of inmates

serving time for robbery and burglary has dropped, but the

percentage for immigration offenses has risen.

Figure 3: Sentencing Offense Types (FY01 - FY08)

Institution Program Areas

Over the years, FPI has served as a key component of the

BOP’s programming efforts. In addition to its goal of

providing job skills training and work experience to the

greatest practicable number of inmates confined within the

BOP, FPI contributes to the safety and security of BOP

correctional facilities by keeping inmates constructively

occupied.

Figure 2: Sex Offenders in the BOP by Fiscal Year

(FY1998 - FY08)

1 It is very important, in reading Figure 3, to examine the

percentages on the left-hand side of each graph. The scale is different

for each offense (e.g., rates in the drug-related graph rise from

approximately 53 percent to just over 57 percent, while robbery

drops from just below 8 percent to just below 5 percent), so

comparisons across offenses should not be made based on these

graphs. The changing scale among offense types allows one to

look within offense categories and see changes only related to the

relevant offense type.
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By statute, FPI may only sell its products to the Federal

Government or as a sub-contractor to private vendors for

their Federal sales. FPI also may provide services to the

Federal Government or to commercial customers. Beyond

products and services, FPI yields inmates who are more

likely to return to society as law-abiding taxpayers because

of the job skills training and work experience they received

in FPI. Many inmates in FPI have not held a job previously;

FPI teaches these inmates a basic work ethic and pride in

their work products. In addition to laboring on factory floors,

inmates work in the FPI business office, learning computer

and other business skills.

FPI focuses on enhancing work readiness for serious

offenders – those at the greatest risk for recidivating.

Currently, the vast majority of inmates working in FPI have

been convicted of drug trafficking, weapons, robbery, or

violent offenses. Research has shown that inmates who

participate in FPI are less likely to revert to criminal behavior

and are more likely to be gainfully employed following release

from prison. The Post-Release Employment Project (PREP)

compared inmates who worked in prison industries with

similar inmates who did not participate in the FPI program

(Federal Bureau of Prisons, 1985; Harer, 1995; Saylor & Gaes,

1997, 1999). PREP found that inmates who worked in FPI

were significantly less likely to recidivate than inmates who

did not participate for as much as 12 years following release.

FPI has an even greater positive impact on minority offenders

who are at the greatest statistical risk of recidivism.

The number of inmates employed by FPI ranges from a low

of 19,337 in FY04 to a high of 23,152 inmates in FY07. Due to

reduced demand for war supplies, a slower economy, and

statutory changes that created restrictions on procuring FPI

products, the number of FPI-employed inmates dropped to

21,836 in FY08.

FPI is entirely self-sustaining – it receives no appropriated

funds from Congress and operates at no cost to the BOP.

This allows the BOP to dedicate its resources to other programming that assists inmates in preparing for release. FPI

reinvests its earnings in the expansion of existing factories

and product lines, new factories at additional BOP institutions, staff to supervise inmates at those sites, and expanded

employment opportunities for inmates.

Educational programs serve an important role in enhancing

inmates’ potential for success in life after prison. The BOP

offers numerous programs in a variety of areas, and emphasizes programs as an important part of reintegrating inmates

into society following release. As illustrated in Figures 4

(below) and 5 (on the next page),2

 the numbers of inmates

participating in educational programs have increased from

FY01-FY08. The rise in participation in occupational/technical programs reflects the BOP’s focus on building the types

of skills necessary to maximize the likelihood of a successful

community transition for releasing inmates.

2 As with Figure 3, Figures 4 and 5 should be read with

caution, paying close attention to the scale that applies for each

program. Each educational program is illustrated using a different

scale (left-hand column).

Figure 4: Educational Programs FY01 - FY08
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Research has found that inmates who participate in vocational

training are 33 percent less likely to recidivate as compared

to similar non-participating inmates. Research also shows

that inmates who participate in education programs are 16

percent less likely to recidivate than similar non-participating

offenders (FBOP, 1985; Harer, 1995; Saylor & Gaes, 1997,

1999).

Basic literacy skills – reading and writing – make it possible

for inmates to read and complete job applications, understand

instruction manuals, and communicate with prospective

employers and co-workers. Having viable career options –

ones that allow inmates to legally support themselves and

their families – is critical to their becoming law-abiding

citizens. Vocational/occupational training helps inmates

secure and maintain employment.

CHALLENGES IN FY08

The BOP continues to work on reducing crowding by adding

additional bed space. Three new BOP institutions are under

construction (FCI McDowell, WV; FCI Mendota, CA; and

FCI Berlin, NH) and one institution (FCI Aliceville, AL) is in

Figure 5: Educational Programs FY01 - FY08

the design phase. In FY08, 1,847 beds were added at privately

managed facilities. The new FCI at the Federal Correctional

Complex in Pollock, LA will be activated in FY09. The

following institutions underwent institution population

changes in FY08 to accommodate bed space capacity, security

level, and population management needs:

• USP McCreary transitioned from housing medium security

inmates to high security inmates, completing the change

seven months ahead of schedule. By September 2008, USP

McCreary was the fifth largest of the BOP’s 15 high security

facilities.

• USP Canaan transitioned from housing medium security

inmates to housing high security inmates in July 2008,

with scheduled completion in FY09.

• In July 2008, FCI Englewood shifted from housing medium

security inmates to housing low security inmates, and FCI

Waseca began its conversion from housing low security

males to housing low security females. Waseca’s

conversion established the first female facility within the

North Central Region (NCR). FCI Waseca’s transition

provides an opportunity for some of the 1,500 female

offenders from the NCR to be located closer to their

families and release destinations.

• FCIs McKean and Oxford shifted from medical Care Level

2 to Care Level 1 facilities.

Steps to Increase BOP and Community Safety

BOP staff members who work at high security institutions

face the most difficult inmates, many of whom have histories

of violent predatory behavior, gang affiliations, and/or are

serving long prison terms. Some inmates are unable or

unwilling to comply with institution rules, and they engage

in repeated acts of misconduct, often serious misconduct.

These inmates are highly confrontational, resist and defy

authority, antagonize other inmates, and act violently toward

staff and other inmates. Though few in number, these inmates

are believed to be largely responsible for the most serious

assaults and the need for more frequent institution

lockdowns. In FY08, the BOP implemented a number of

operational changes at high security institutions to maintain

better control of the inmate population and allay staff safety

concerns. Specifically:
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• inmate movement on the compound has been limited to

smaller groups under tighter controls, in such a way that

still permits access to programs and services;

• a post has been added to housing units on the evening

shift and on weekends; and

• facilities remain locked down following the 10 p.m. count.

Additionally, in FY08, the BOP developed a Special

Management Unit (SMU) at USP Lewisburg to manage the

most aggressive and disruptive inmates from USP general

populations. Inmates from penitentiaries across the country

are identified for transfer to USP Lewisburg, which will

operate as a more controlled and restrictive environment.

Moving the disruptive inmates out of general USP

populations will allow the other penitentiaries to operate in a

more safe and orderly manner. The large majority of USP

inmates – those who follow rules and do not engage in

misconduct – will remain at their designated institutions,

where they will be able to participate freely in programs and

benefit from the many self-improvement opportunities that

exist in BOP facilities. USP Lewisburg’s transition is expected

to begin in early 2009. Institution staff works closely with

the BOP’s DSCC to identify appropriate transfers, taking

into account separation and programming needs, gang

affiliations, projected release dates, and other variables.

Recommendations are made to the Regional and Central

Offices, where final approval is given regarding transfers to

the SMUs. Two other SMUs are planned for FCC Oakdale

and FCI Talladega.

The presence of contraband items in correctional institutions

poses real risks to staff and inmates alike. During FY08, BOP

management and the American Federation of Government

Employees’ Council of Prison Locals agreed on procedures

for electronic searches (walk-through metal detectors and xray machines for property) of all BOP staff who enter secure

Federal correctional facilities. As of January 15, 2008, all

visitors – including official visitors, law enforcement agents,

etc. – are required to pass through and clear a metal detector

prior to being granted access to any BOP secure correctional

facility. These procedures will help reduce the potential for

introduction of contraband and the risks they present,

thereby contributing to a safer work environment for staff

and inmates.

This year the BOP began to make stab resistant vests

available to all staff. Those who opt for a vest will be

expected to wear it when reporting for work. Until vests are

issued, staff can wear stab-resistant vests that are stored as

part of the institutions’ reserve.

Each of the BOP’s six regions established a utilization review pre-certification process that requires institutions to

submit their routine and elective medical requests for inhouse and community procedures to their respective regional

Medical Director for review and approval. This process has

reduced the number of trips into the community for medical

care, thereby reducing potential risk to local communities. In

one region alone, review of 2,386 cases reduced by 10 percent the number of medical trips into local communities.

The BOP continues to implement the Inmate Skills Development (ISD) initiative, including the web-based application

that assesses inmate strengths and deficits, generates an

individualized skills development plan, and facilitates tracking progress. System implementation has begun by targeting initial commitments to load into the system, then inmates

releasing in the next five years (as they cycle through the

team process), until the entire population has been added.

Numerous BOP processes have been linked through the ISD

to eliminate redundancy, streamline communications, and

enhance inmate readiness for reentry. The BOP continues to

work with various partners in law enforcement and the community to assist offenders as they release to local communities across the country.

Technological Enhancements

The BOP has focused resources on improving its technological capabilities in all areas of the organization. In FY08,

the Health Services Division (HSD) continued to make significant progress in the deployment of medical technologies, such as digital dental radiography. In FY08, a total of

57,817 radiographic interpretations were provided to the BOP
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via the teleradiology system, resulting in about $250,000 in

savings, compared to costs that would have been incurred

with film-based images. The process is much more time-efficient, with turn-around in hours versus the several days

typically associated with film-based x-rays. Consequently,

diagnoses are more timely, enabling earlier intervention. By

the end of FY08, 69 digitally capable units were deployed

across 53 BOP facilities, and 12 additional sites are expected

to be added soon.

The BOP’s Electronic Medical Record (BEMR) is another

long-term initiative that underwent tremendous growth during FY08. Deployment of the BEMR and its related Pharmacy module (BEMR Rx) to all BOP sites was completed

during FY08. Development of a comprehensive ambulatory

care health record was achieved, along with completion of

an integrated dental record. Every clinical provider can access this electronic documentation system, which includes

intake screening, history and physical, clinical encounters,

and other essential health information. The electronic record

will expand further as the agency develops modules specific

to inpatient processes, along with enhanced reporting and

tracking capabilities. A five-year development and implementation plan will result in a nearly seamless integration of

all documentation for care provided in BOP facilities. In addition, a web-based Laboratory Information System (LIS) is

close to implementation at Medical Reference Labs, which

will make lab results processed at those sites available to the

providers on a more immediate basis. As a unit, BEMR,

BEMR Rx, and LIS represent one of the most comprehensive, integrated health information systems currently available in correctional medicine.

In March 2008, NIC received first place honors in the category “Best Course Design Using CourseMaker Studio” for

its web-based e-learning course, Evidence-Based Practices

for Supervisors. The announcement was made during the

Learn.com Empowerment 2008 annual conference. The

course was recognized for its quality of instructional design, innovative use of an animated e-agent that serves as

mentor for the learner throughout the course, and inclusion

of high-quality vignettes to enhance the learning experience.

Using Webex as the learning platform, NIC expanded online

learning opportunities. Examples of online learning opportunities developed for the BOP include “Unleash Your Leadership Competency Potential” (already used by all six regions); “New Gender Responsive Classification Instruments

for Women Offenders,” conducted in partnership with the

University of Cincinnati; and the “Management Development for the Future” program. In the latter program, which

may include 24-36 participants for a single session, Webex

facilitates NIC’s ability to conduct agency readiness assessments, pre-training orientation, several three-hour activities

that occur between face-to-face sessions, and more. This

comprehensive, interactive learning platform has yielded substantial savings in travel expenses and staff time, without

compromising training effectiveness. In fact, in some cases,

this platform has proven to be more effective than usual

strategies. Its use will be expanded in FY09.

In support of Enterprise Human Resource Initiatives, the

Consolidated Processing Unit (CPU) implemented the electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), which resulted in

the automation of more than 36,000 BOP employee personnel files, including payroll and performance records. This

major endeavor reduces paper and handling costs and enhances employee satisfaction by providing self-service, webbased access to key information. More importantly, eOPF

ensures continuity of operations and disaster recovery for

the BOP through offsite electronic records storage.

Several changes were made to the BOP’s public website

(www.bop.gov) to enhance site usability. During FY08, in

excess of 922.2 million individual page hits were recorded for

the BOP’s public website, during the almost 18.6 million visits by more than 5.96 million unique visitors. NIC’s website

received 503,000 visits and 759,314 pages of individual documents in its online library were viewed, with a total of

2,504,608 pages viewed on the NIC website.
9

The North Central Region (NCR) introduced the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices for tracking high-risk

Federal inmates participating in community-based programs.

These are inmates who present increased management

concerns and/or threats to public safety while in the community (e.g., sex offenders, inmates with a significant history of violence or mental illness, and Victim Witness Protection cases). This device supplements accountability protocols currently in use and replaces the traditional electronic

monitoring that uses phone contact with inmates to verify

that they are at approved locations, such as work and pass

sites. GPS technology provides immediate, real-time tracking of inmates, and immediate notification to staff when inmates violate conditions of their authorized absence from

the RRC. From November 2007 to August 2008, nearly 50

inmates at five RRCs participated in GPS monitoring.

Oversight

Internal: The BOP’s primary internal system of control is

the program review process, through which the agency

subjects each of its programs to a thorough examination by

organizationally independent, trained BOP subject matter

experts. Program review guidelines specific to each discipline

assess the strengths and weaknesses of a particular program

or activity, as well as compliance with applicable policies,

regulations, and American Correctional Association (ACA)

standards. Of the 445 program reviews conducted in FY08,

79.1 percent achieved ratings above acceptable (either good

or superior). Annual reviews of the same critical functions

examined by the program review team are conducted by

institution teams, allowing the facility to identify and correct

any potential weaknesses. In addition, 27 oversight

monitoring activities were conducted at contract facilities.

Every several years, Institution Character Profiles (ICP) are

conducted by a regional team of administrators and the

respective Regional Directors, providing considerable

information about institution performance. ICPs include

direct observation of institution operations, interviews with

randomly chosen inmates and staff, and input from outside

agencies and organizations. Review of data from the agency’s

management information systems and specially designed

surveys provided to staff anonymously prior to the ICP

provide a context for identifying prospective issues in

advance of the ICP and for interpreting information obtained

during the ICP. In all, 19 ICPs were conducted during FY08,

with findings and recommendations communicated to the

Director.

External: The BOP enhances the management of its

institutions through a process of accreditation based on

standards approved by outside independent agencies.

During FY08, 29 previously accredited BOP institutions were

re-accredited under the ACA standards established jointly

by ACA and the Commission on Accreditation for

Corrections. This resulted in the BOP maintaining

accreditation for 100 percent of its facilities. All BOP

institutions were accredited by the Joint Commission for the

Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), except

Care Level 1 facilities, which were excluded because they

serve healthy inmates.

Steward of the Public’s Trust

For the tenth year in a row, the BOP received an unqualified

clean opinion on its FY08 audited financial statements. Clean

opinions are indicative of sound financial management. The

requirement to produce annual audited financial statements

resulted from requirements in the Chief Financial Officers

Act of 1990, and applies to the 24 largest Federal departments

and agencies. Federal Prison Industries (FPI) also received a

clean opinion on its audited financial statements, an

exceptional performance standard it has maintained since it

was established in 1934.

Over the past year, the BOP has continued to identify costavoidance initiatives to help the agency operate within the

allotted budget.

• The NCR established contracts with community hospitals

and physicians located in the vicinity of its RRCs, which

has reduced significantly costs associated with routine

physician visits and all hospital inpatient and outpatient
10

services. In FY08 alone, the region achieved a

costavoidance of about $1.5 million.

• The NCR’s inmate Injury Reduction Initiative was

implemented to reduce the amount of recordable inmate

injuries (those resulting in loss of work time). Consecutive

injury-free work days are tracked, recorded, and displayed

in a common area. The inmate population is rewarded with

a work holiday upon achieving 90 consecutive injury-free

days, and they are given an opportunity to earn a work

holiday during each new 90-day period. Data to determine

the initiative’s effectiveness will be collected during FY09.

• At least 50 percent of sites in the Mid-Atlantic Region use

hybrid perimeter vehicles, which generally increase fuel

efficiency by 200 percent. As of September 30, 2008, 35

hybrid vehicles were in use in the Southeast Region as

well. The BOP is in the process of replacing all perimeter

vehicles with hybrids.

In FY08, the BOP awarded three Super Energy Savings

Performance Contracts (ESPC). Super ESPCs make it possible

for agencies to carry out energy projects for their facilities

without up-front capital expenditures or special

appropriations. After conducting a comprehensive energy

audit and in consultation with the agency, the contractor

designs a project that meets the agency’s needs and arranges

financing to pay for the project. Improvements are guaranteed

to generate sufficient savings to pay for the project over the

term of the contract, after which all additional savings accrue

to the agency. Super ESPCs not only facilitate compliance

with Presidential Directives on the use of renewable energy

sources, but also ensure more efficient utility use agencywide.

A comprehensive Super ESPC awarded for an energy project

at FCI Big Spring is valued in excess of $4.43 million and will

include adding wind power (one 100KW turbine), upgrades

to lighting and water fixtures/controls, electronic

submetering, domestic hot water system modifications,

HVAC modifications to the Special Housing Unit, and an

HVAC control system. Guaranteed annual savings for the

FCI will average $567,000. In addition, improvements will

reduce emissions into the environment, producing benefits

equivalent to planting 380 acres of trees or removing 242

cars from use.
11

Introduction

We dedicate this portion of the State of the Bureau 2008 to “a day in the life” of correctional workers, describing

functional areas and activities that occur in the course of the worker’s routine day. In-depth sections under each functional

area are told, for the most part, from an individual’s personal experience, using his or her own words.

Each institution is like a small city, with staffs that are expected to perform in a manner consistent with the agency’s core

values: to use sound correctional practices, interact with inmates in a constructive and effective manner, and help

prepare inmates for release. Each BOP staff member must serve as a role model for inmates and each is responsible for

conducting him or herself in a manner that promotes positive perceptions of the agency.

During institution emergencies, staff may be required to work extended and/or irregular hours, covering different shifts,

days, and custody posts, or other positions in support of the institution’s needs. As “correctional workers first,” correctional

responsibilities precede all others. Institution staff takes part in mock exercise training scenarios to ensure the institution

is well-prepared for any potential emergency or disturbance.

Correctional Services (Custody)

Correctional Services, or Custody, has primary responsibility for institution security and safety.3 Correctional Services

has a paramilitary structure and operates under the leadership of the Captain. A single Operations Lieutenant per shift

acts as the Captain’s second in command. This command structure is present across Bureau institutions.

Correctional Services employs a duty roster for each of three shifts during a 24-hour period that comprises a fairly

standard list of custody posts (or functional staff positions), including housing unit officer, compound officer, special

housing unit officer, control center officer, tower officer (at high security institutions), and visiting room officer. The

transfer of responsibilities for individual custody posts across shifts is relatively seamless, with outgoing staff from one

shift passing on pertinent information to incoming staff. A sick and annual leave/morning watch officer can back-up the

various duty posts in the event officers are absent or need assistance.

Correctional Services staff and others may be certified to carry out specialized functions, for example, Basic Prisoner

Transportation (Armed) in which an officer escorts inmates outside the institution, including in life-threatening, emergency

medical situations. Other collateral duties may include participation in Special Operations Response Teams (SORT) and

Disturbance Control Teams (DCT).

The following sections describe the individual custody post assignments and the kinds of activities that officers in these

positions may face on a daily basis.

3

Because Correctional Services is the largest department at all BOP facilities, we describe this department first, with the

others following in alphabetical order.

Snapshot of Disciplines
12

Operations Lieutenant

The operations lieutenant provides the day-to-day supervision of all custody staff

on duty. He or she answers directly to the captain, who has ultimate responsibility

for custody-related matters at an institution. Duties of the operations lieutenant

are varied and can change at a moment’s notice.

To illustrate the kinds of situations an operations lieutenant might encounter in the course of day, we follow an operations

lieutenant at USP Hazelton, who during one shift:

• relieved the morning watch lieutenant and exchanged equipment and pertinent information (including the institution

being on lockdown due to an inmate-on-staff assault);

• reviewed the Correctional Services roster for unassigned institution and outside hospital posts, making the necessary

adjustments;

• conducted a conference with assigned personnel to update them of the status of the lockdown, then followed it with

training that occurs daily;

• responded to a body alarm in C-1 housing unit, which was triggered by an inmate-on-inmate fight; directed and

assisted staff in separating and restraining the inmates who were involved; supervised their escort to Health Services

for medical assessments, treatment, and photographs; completed appropriate documentation; identified and checked

restraints of inmate #1, who was being escorted on a scheduled medical trip;

• responded to a body alarm in D-2 unit for a medical emergency and followed up as indicated (because medical staff

determined the inmate needed to be transported to an outside hospital by ambulance due to a drug overdose, instructed

the Control Center to activate EMS/911, identified an armed escort team consisting of three members, contacted the

armory via radio and instructed staff to prepare the equipment and weapons needed for the emergency medical trip);

• conducted rounds to all correctional posts to review logbooks and conduct training;

• coordinated delivery and feeding of lunch meals to the inmate population in their cells because the institution was on

lockdown status;

• identified and checked restraints for inmate #2, who was being escorted on a scheduled medical trip;

• identified an inmate in the population who required protection and had him placed in SHU;

• identified inmate #1 upon return to the institution from the scheduled medical trip;

• processed an incident report and placed an inmate in SHU for violation of BOP rules;

• identified inmate #2 upon return to the institution from the scheduled medical trip; and

• relieved by evening watch lieutenant and passed on all pertinent information and equipment.

Housing Unit Officer

The housing unit officer provides supervision, care, and treatment to inmates. His or her primary daily focus is maintaining

the safety and security of the unit and ensuring the health and welfare of inmates housed there. The housing unit officer

routinely enforces institution rules and regulations related to facility security, as well as inmate accountability, conduct,

and personal hygiene. To ensure inmate accountability, the unit officer must maintain an accurate roster and bed-book

for emergency counts and must be very familiar with all inmates housed in the unit. The unit officer monitors the unit’s

atmosphere, including inmate behavior, moves, noise level, and tempo, and reports any unusual situations to the operations

lieutenant. The unit officer serves as the primary point of contact for inmates on the unit; he or she must communicate

Lt. Tom Watson, USP Hazelton
13

Compound Officer Barfield,

FCI Marianna

effectively with inmates to identify and resolve potential concerns. Unit officers provide oversight to ensure inmates are

where they are supposed to be and report to their daily work assignments. In addition, they conduct random searches, pat

downs of inmates entering and exiting the housing unit, and area searches within the housing unit itself. On occasion,

the unit officer participates in team meetings as a member of the unit team, which consists of the unit manager, case

manager, counselor, psychologists, teachers, and others working to formulate and carry out a plan to meet the programming

needs of individual inmates. Housing officers’ duties also include keeping a 24-hour log and an inventory of tools, and

ensuring unit sanitation is maintained at high standards.

Compound Officer

Many duties rest on the shoulders of the compound officer. First, lieutenants rely heavily on this officer to maintain a

secure compound. This officer ensures that all inmate activity on the compound is monitored, conducts controlled

movements4 to minimize risks and the potential for disruptions, and supervises compound orderlies (i.e., inmates who

maintain the area). All departments must coordinate with the compound officer to have an inmate sent to a specific

location. The officer not only communicates frequently with other line staff, but with supervisors and department heads

representing all institution disciplines. Between controlled movements, the compound officer ensures that all grills or

building entrances are secure, which enhances inmate accountability. He or she performs area searches and inspects

fences, doors, and roof areas, visiting other program or service areas (e.g., education, psychology, the chapel, recreation,

and medical) as needed. Making rounds ensures the officer is readily available to respond in the event of an emergency.

Additionally, their presence reminds inmates that they are closely monitored, which in turn deters misconduct and the

manufacture of contraband, as well as prevents and minimizes disturbances.

The compound officer randomly pat-searches inmates not only during controlled

movements, but when they exit the Food Service dining area as well. His or her presence

deters the theft of food and other items from Food Service; these contraband items can

be used by inmates to manufacture intoxicants.

The compound officer’s job “is rewarding 24 hours per day, 7 days per week – a job

that gives a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the shift when the officer knows

that his or her actions stopped the flow of contraband, prevented even minor

disturbances, or made staff feel more safe in [their] correctional environment.”

L to r: Unit Officers Harmon, USP Leavenworth; Riollano, FCC Butner; and Morton, USP Hazelton

4 Controlled movements occur only at the most restrictive facilities; generally at

high security institutions.
14

Special Housing Unit (SHU) Officer

The Special Housing Unit (SHU) officer has one of the most challenging and important set of responsibilities within a

correctional institution. The inmates under his or her supervision have been identified as needing special care due to

behavioral or management issues.

A typical day for a SHU officer at a Federal correctional institution begins by picking up keys and a radio from the

Control Center. A short meeting with custody staff is held to discuss the goals and expectations for that day. Daily duties

may change dramatically and suddenly in a SHU. On any given day, SHU officers:

• Search all areas of the unit, including the outside recreation area, inmate law library, and showers for contraband.

This must be done prior to commencing any activity within the unit. Routine inspections of all cells and inmate areas

(including pulling on all cell doors) are performed to ensure they are secure.

• Check with each inmate to see if he or she wants to participate in outside recreation. Inmates must first clean their

cells before recreation is permitted. Staff maintains records on each inmate who receives or refuses recreation.

• Ensure unit sanitation is maintained at its highest level at all times. The inmate orderly must constantly be supervised

to ensure that nothing is passed to another inmate.

• Search and inspect all food carts and trays upon arrival and before distribution to inmates. No inmates can be used to

prepare, distribute, or retrieve trays. If trays are not properly prepared or fail to contain the listed menu items, Food

Service and the operations lieutenant are notified and a log entry is made describing the discrepancy. Staff members

serving meals are required to wear gloves and beard nets, if appropriate. Food trays are distributed to all inmates

through food slots in cell doors, which are then closed for the entire meal. Meal refusals and other relevant information

are recorded on a regular and consistent basis.

• Retrieve food trays once inmates have finished eating and account for all utensils and equipment prior to releasing the

inmate orderlies to work. Food Service and the compound officer are notified when food carts can be retrieved.

• Escort inmates outside to begin recreation activities, searching the recreation area thoroughly prior to permitting

inmates to enter. Inmates are pat-searched and scanned with a hand-held metal detector for contraband any time they

are removed from their cells. While inmates are on outside recreation, searches (commonly known as shakedowns)

and security inspections of individual cells and the entire unit are conducted. Recreation terminates one hour after the

last inmate is placed in the outside recreation cage. When an inmate is removed from the recreation cage, he or she

undergoes the same search procedures.

• Routinely escort inmates to meetings or interviews with their unit teams and the disciplinary hearing officer.

Sr. Officer Mancha (SHU),

FCI Big Spring

 Tower #5 Officer Schoenborn,

FCC Victorville

Visiting Room Officer Barney,

FCI Ashland

Institution Control Center
15

Control Center Officer

The Control Center is the center of activity within a correctional facility. Nothing comes into or leaves the institution

without the involvement of the Control Center. The control center officer is responsible for facilitating inmate movements

within the institutions; at times, the control center officer can be under a great deal of pressure. He or she is a senior

member of the Correctional Services’ team.

The Control Center is responsible for monitoring the institution’s gates, fences, cameras, and other detection devices;

issuing keys to staff; issuing badges to non-BOP personnel; recording inmate counts; monitoring body alarms, telephone

alarms, fence alarms, and radios; and operating the after-hours switchboard.

Tower Officer

The tower officer post does not exist at all BOP institutions; they exist only at high security institutions. A routine duty

tour for the #5 tower officer at FCC Victorville (USP) illustrates the kinds of activities a tower officer experiences during

a regular tour of duty. The officer reports for duty directly to the assigned tower (the USP at this complex has a total of

seven towers). Upon arrival, the operations lieutenant is notified via phone that the officer has officially taken responsibility

for that post. In turn, the operations lieutenant provides the officer with any pertinent information about the day’s

activities around the facility. All equipment assigned to the tower is inventoried to ensure everything is present and in

working order; any discrepancies are noted and the operations lieutenant notified. Once tower sanitation is inspected,

the other assigned tower officers are contacted to review information about inmate movement and scheduled programs

occurring at the facility that are relevant to tower officers. At this facility, the #5 tower officer is responsible for opening

and closing the rear gate when instructed to do so by the rear gate officer. The rear gate officer is contacted to establish

a duress word for the day, which, if used, would signify a potential breach and trigger certain security procedures. Until

relieved, the officer monitors the perimeter fence line and ensures no inmates come into contact with it.

In Depth: Visiting Room Officer5

The visiting room officer greets visitors in a polite and professional manner. He greets and searches inmates entering the

visiting area. He must complete all necessary documentation regarding the inmate and visitor(s). The visiting room

officer must answer any questions that arise from inmates and/or their visitors based on his knowledge of BOP policy,

and he must control children or others who are loud or disruptive to ensure a relaxed visiting atmosphere for all. He also

must maintain constant surveillance of everyone in the visiting room and be alert for any medical or other emergency

that might occur.

5 From the perspective of a visiting room officer at FCI Ashland.

At the beginning of his tour of duty, the visiting room officer

draws his keys and a radio from the Control Center, and he

speaks with the shift lieutenant to obtain any pertinent

information. The visiting room officer must be keenly aware

of all national and local policies as it relates to the dress,

behavior, and activities of visitors and inmates. He must be

well-versed in the areas of contraband identification and

concealment.

The visiting room officer wakes in the morning with

the day’s tasks on his mind. He cleans, shaves, and

dresses in a neatly pressed uniform, knowing that his

task is both difficult and worthy: for eight hours, he

will not only be a correctional officer, but he also will

serve as an ambassador representing the institution

and the BOP to the public.
16

Sick & Annual/Morning Watch Officer

Staff assigned to cover “sick and annual” on the morning watch posts provides assistance to the operations lieutenant in

running a safe and secure institution by conducting area searches designed to control the flow of contraband; backing up

all unit counts on inmates; conducting urinalysis and breathalyzer testing on inmates; supervising an inmate work detail

responsible for cleaning the visiting room; assisting unit officers in screening mail; monitoring inmate phone calls in

support of the institution’s Special Investigative Service; conducting inmate interviews and operating the Control Center

as needed; conducting fire and security checks when necessary; and providing oversight and training to new and/or less

experienced officers, as indicated. Area searches may be performed in the UNICOR factory, recreation, Education’s

Library, the Facilities department, and all areas where there is high inmate traffic. These searches can result in locating

a wide range of contraband, from narcotics and homemade alcohol, to homemade weapons, tattooing materials, and

nuisance contraband.

The sick and annual morning watch officers can serve in a variety of custody posts in the

event regularly scheduled officers need assistance or are absent from their posts. In many

ways, these officers serve as jacks of all trades. The BOP philosophy and approach to

training that each institution staff member is a correctional officer first ensures that the

morning watch officers are prepared to step into any Correctional Services’ post should

the need arise. The purpose of this post is to provide back-up in case critical posts need

filling on a short-term basis (e.g., if person assigned to post calls in sick).

Correctional Systems/Case Management

The Correctional Systems Department (CSD) is responsible for the admission and release of inmates, computing and

tracking inmate sentence information, and providing secure mail services to inmates and BOP staff. Responsibilities

include ensuring the legality of an inmate’s admission and release, processing inmate property, establishing and maintaining a “records control system” to effect the release of inmates on the correct date, coordinating and monitoring the

release of inmates to other jurisdictions upon completion of their sentence(s) or for temporary release for court appearances, responding to requests for records, determining and verifying outstanding charges from other agencies/jurisdictions, and coordinating the placement of detainers. CSD also operates the mail rooms at each institution, processing all

incoming and outgoing inmate and official mail.

It should be noted that CSD staff at the institutions does not make decisions regarding inmate placement. Those fall

under the auspices of the DSCC located in Grand Prairie, Texas. The DSCC not only ensures placement of inmates in

facilities commensurate with their security, program, and health care needs, but also computes sentences to establish an

inmate’s release date; audits sentence computations; and much more.

Sr. Officer Specialist Condo,

FCI Fairton

At the end of the visiting day, the visiting room officer screens all non-inmates departing the visiting

room. This is a very important task as it prevents potential escape attempts by inmates. Once all visitors

have left, the visiting room officer must complete a visual search of all inmates who are exiting the

visiting room and returning to the compound. Each inmate must be carefully and thoroughly searched

for contraband.

Once everyone has departed, the officer must search the entire visiting area for any contraband items left

in the area. Once done, he will gather the visiting room trash and remove it from the facility. He then

contacts the lieutenant and passes along any pertinent information resulting from the day’s shift.
17

At an institution, the CSD operates under the direction of the case management coordinator; it generally consists of a

supervisory correctional systems specialist and correctional systems officers.

Case Management Coordinator

The institution’s case management coordinator (CMC) assists the facility’s administration,

staff, and inmates by providing accurate information and direction regarding the

application of correctional programs policy in the institution setting. The CMC reviews

the work products developed by unit teams to ensure the documents meet the requirements

of policy. Daily tasks include conducting meetings and training for unit team members

and Correctional Systems’ staff, as well as thoroughly examining the lists of inmates

due to be admitted and released. The CMC serves as coordinator of the facility’s Victim

Witness Program and the Central Inmate Monitoring System, providing general oversight

of these program areas.

Additionally, the CMC is responsible for the operation of the CSD. Duties include providing administrative oversight of

the inmate records and receiving and discharge functions. The CMC oversees the processing of inmate personal property

and the processing and distribution of the institution’s daily mail.

Correctional Systems Officer (CSO)

CSOs perform duties in three separate areas of the institution and normally rotate through these areas on a quarterly

basis.

• Mailroom: An eight-hour work day at FCI Texarkana, TX, begins with a CSO driving to the local post office to

deliver mail from the institution and pick up incoming mail. Mail bags received from the post office undergo scanning

via an x-ray machine. Mail is visually inspected for contraband. The process of opening, inspecting, and sorting mail

takes between three and four hours. Mail bags are distributed to the appropriate housing units, after which the CSO

returns to the mailroom to complete rejection notices if applicable and address any sanitation issues. The CSO holds

open house for the inmate population from 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. weekdays to address questions and concerns.

• Receiving and Discharge (R&D): During a typical work day in R&D, duties

include identifying inmates being released and verifying the appropriate

authorization has been completed, ensuring inmates are dressed in the proper

clothing, making sure that medical staff has prepared the medication needed for

inmate release and movement, and completing the related SENTRY transactions.

CSOs receive incoming inmates arriving via the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS),

self-surrenders, camp furloughs, and airlifts. Photos and fingerprints are taken,

visual searches conducted, inmates are screened with a hand-held metal detector,

inmate property is inventoried and issued, and receipts for currency received

during intake processing are written. CSOs maintain R&D files for inmate

personal property records, as well as certified mail, USMS and transfer receipts; verify commitment documents and

inmate identification; and they ensure the unit team and Health Services have completed their intake screening on

each inmate.

CMC Milton, USP Hazelton

CSO Antoine, FCI Texarkana
18

• Records Office: On a typical day, a CSO creates folders for incoming inmates and lists of inmates scheduled for

release within the next three months to ensure release paperwork is complete and up-to-date. Release paperwork

received from the units is audited to ensure all applicable forms are on file. The CSO places, removes, or sends

inquiries regarding detainers/possible detainers and notifies the appropriate staff. Paperwork is prepared for Interstate

Agreement on Detainers as requested by inmates; for inmates departing via State or Federal writ; and for inmates

scheduled for movement via the BOP bus, USMS, medical airlifts, etc. CSOs assigned to this office communicate with

law enforcement officials and the general public regarding inmate issues. An open house is held for inmates to address

detainer and/or sentence computation issues.

Computer Services: Information Technology (IT) Specialist

An IT specialist reports to the computer services manager, who reports directly to the

warden or an associate warden. Much of the direction regarding information security and

IT program management originates in Central Office from the Office of Information

Systems. As part of the computer services team, the IT specialist helps institution staff

with computer hardware and software issues.

On any given day, the IT specialist’s duties include:

• monitoring the network back-up routine, verifying the last back-up, and ensuring the next is scheduled. If necessary,

network back-up tapes are changed and used tapes are stored properly;

• maintaining the administrative file servers available for staff access and performing required file server upgrades and

maintenance;

• keeping the local area network (LAN) connection available and operating correctly at an acceptable speed (e.g., the

fiber optic backbone, network switches, and other LAN devices must be kept functioning properly);

• ensuring the local institution’s connection to BOPNet and the Internet function properly;

• maintaining workstations (each computer attached to the LAN) by trouble-shooting problems and repairing any hardware

or software issues that occur, as well as problems involving computer peripherals (e.g., printers, scanners, monitors,

label-makers, pointing devices, and projectors);

• connecting workstations to whatever audio/video devices might be needed to carry out any assigned task effectively;

• assisting staff in person, by phone, or via remote control software on a wide range of issues, such as password problems,

restoring deleted files, and issues with software and hardware operations, as well as addressing questions about hardware

and software performance;

• providing staff, contractors, and inmates with good information security techniques to prevent the unauthorized

disclosure of Sensitive But Unclassified information;

• teaching Information Security Awareness classes to staff, contractors, and volunteers;

• supporting video and teleconferencing (VTC) by scheduling local VTC; providing information, instruction, and support

to staff who may schedule use of this capability, and ensuring that the video device being used connects properly;

• monitoring departmental compliance with information security standards and policy; and

• participating in network and other computer-related investigations by collecting evidence, as needed, regarding alleged

violations of policy or of a criminal matter, and writing reports documenting the investigation findings.

In Depth: Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO)

BOP rules and regulations must be enforced to create a safe and orderly environment for staff and inmates. Disciplinary

action must be imposed on inmates who do not comply with BOP rules and regulations. The Discipline Hearing Officer

Informaton Technology

Specialist Luu, FCC Beaumont
19

(DHO) is responsible for conducting independent, administrative fact-finding hearings regarding misconduct committed

by inmates. The DHO imposes disciplinary sanctions based on the nature of the offense. At some institutions, the DHO

is responsible for certifying disciplinary packets from RRCs in their respective regions. To ensure independence, the

DHO reports directly to the regional office that oversees the institution in which the DHO works. Staff at an institution

cannot influence the independent work of the DHO.

Inmates charged with any act(s) of misconduct are entitled to various procedural protections that satisfy the due process

requirements of the U.S. Constitution. These include the right to have:

• written notice of the charges against them at least 24 hours before the discipline hearing;

• charges heard by an impartial hearing body (the DHO);

• an opportunity to present witnesses and documentary evidence;

• help to understand the charge(s) if needed and present a defense; and

• a written statement of the evidence relied upon after a finding that the inmate committed a prohibited act and the

reasons for the disciplinary action.

It is the DHO’s responsibility to ensure inmates charged with prohibited act(s) receive the rights to which they are

entitled and to determine whether allegations of misconduct are supported by the evidence submitted. The technical

expertise provided by the DHO has a direct impact on the effectiveness of the BOP’s disciplinary program and has

significant bearing on the security of the institution and inmate and staff morale.

Below is an example of a typical day for the DHO at FMC Devens6

:

8:30 a.m. SHU, mental health unit, compound: Hearings are usually conducted in either the SHU, mental health unit,

the general compound, or a combination of all three areas. After an inmate is called into the hearing, the DHO will

confirm his or her identity and that of any staff representative. The DHO will inform the accused of why he or she is

there, as it may be the first hearing ever attended by the inmate. The inmate will be advised of each right to which he or

she is entitled at the hearing as it is the DHO’s responsibility under policy to ensure the inmate knows and understands

his or her rights. After confirming the inmate understands his or her rights and is ready to proceed, the DHO reads the

charges against the inmate. The inmate is provided an opportunity to call relevant witnesses, present written documentation,

and/or provide a statement in his or her defense.

6 Text boxes in this section represent the perspective of the DHO at FMC Devens.

7:30 a.m. DHO’s office: The DHO arrives at the office and reviews disciplinary reports

and supporting documentation on inmates scheduled for disciplinary hearings to (1)

become familiar with the charge(s) and evidence submitted, (2) ensure all required documentation has been included, and (3) verify that correct procedures were followed by the

reporting staff member, investigating lieutenant, and the UDC (each housing unit has its

own UDC that consists of two or more staff members from the unit who are ...[designated]

by the warden).
20

11:00 a.m. dining hall: The DHO attends the afternoon meal and makes him or herself available to answer any questions

inmates may have about the discipline process. He or she also assists in providing additional staff coverage to ensure the

meal is served without incident. In addition, the DHO assists staff with any questions regarding the disciplinary hearing

process.

12:15 p.m. DHO’s office: The DHO must enter all the procedural hearings conducted earlier in the day into the Daily

Discipline Log via SENTRY. It is the DHO’s responsibility to ensure the required information is accurately entered into

the inmate’s Chronological Disciplinary Record. If an inmate was found not to have committed a prohibited act, the

DHO will expunge the incident report from the inmate’s file.

1:00 p.m. weekly SHU meeting, Warden’s conference room: Once a week, the warden; associate warden for programs

and medical; captain and SIS lieutenant, CMC, and unit managers; psychology, psychiatry, and medical staff; and the

DHO meet to discuss and review the justification for the assignment of each individual inmate in Administrative Detention

and Disciplinary Segregation.7

 During the meeting, the DHO advises the warden and other participants of the status of

each inmate with a pending discipline case and those who have had a hearing and been sanctioned appropriately. The

DHO also provides recommendations on inmates who may need to receive disciplinary transfers.

Education/Recreation

The BOP offers an array of education programs to improve inmates’ potential for successful reentry into society following

release from prison. Studies have shown that inmates who participate in education classes/programs are 16 percent less

likely to recidivate than similar non-participating offenders (Federal Bureau of Prisons, 1985; Harer, 1995; Saylor &

Gaes, 1997, 1999). All BOP facilities offer literacy classes, adult continuing education, ESL, parenting and wellness

classes, library services instruction, and instruction in leisure-time activities.

DHO Johnson, FMC Devens

7 Administrative Detention is a form of separation from the general inmate population and is used when the continued

presence of an inmate within the general population would pose a serious threat to life, property, self, staff, or other inmates, or to the

security or orderly running of the institution. It also may include inmates who require protective custody, inmates on holdover status

en route to another institution, and those awaiting a DHO hearing. Administrative Detention is a non-punitive form of segregation.

Disciplinary Segregation, on the other hand, is punitive. Disciplinary Segregation is a form of separation from the general population

that occurs when an inmate is found to have committed a prohibited act for which he or she is sanctioned by the DHO.

After giving the inmate a final opportunity to present anything further in his

or her defense, the inmate is excused and deliberation begins. During this

time, the DHO reviews the information and/or materials the inmate presented in his or her defense, and the evidence presented against the inmate.

The DHO must base a finding that the inmate committed a prohibited act on

at least some facts or, if conflicting evidence, the greater weight of the evidence. When the charge is sustained, the DHO makes a determination

regarding an appropriate sanction. After deliberation, the inmate is brought

back into the hearing and advised of the DHO’s decision, how the decision

was reached, any sanction(s) to be imposed, and the reason for such sanctions. The inmate is again advised of his or her right to appeal the DHO’s

decision to the Regional Director within 20 days from the day he or she

receives a copy of the written DHO report (ordinarily 10 days after the hearing).
21

On any given day in FY08, 35 percent of the designated inmate population (i.e., inmates who have been sentenced to

serve a term of incarceration) was enrolled in one or more education programs. During FY08, 5,878 inmates obtained a

GED certificate, and at the close of FY08, 20,729 inmates were enrolled in literacy (GED) classes. At the end of FY08,

77 percent of inmates within 6-7 months of release did not have a literacy need (i.e., they either had a high school degree

or had earned a GED), and 23 percent were either enrolled in or on the waiting list to participate in the GED class.

All institutions offer additional education programs beyond the GED and ESL programs depending upon the needs of

their particular inmate populations. For example, the Education department at FCI Fort Dix conducts a Reading Is

Fundamental (RIF) program, which promotes reading in children and youth through age 19 who live in disadvantaged

areas. RIF events are held in the visiting rooms of both the FCI and FDC and are scheduled to coincide with Mothers’

Day or Fathers’ Day. Each child who attends is able to choose two books to read with his or her mother or father while

visiting and to take them home when visiting concludes. In a continuation of the program, inmates may choose an

additional book to be mailed home at a later date. During the parenting class, inmates are encouraged to read children’s

books and discuss different subject matters with their children. For graduation, inmates may select one book per child,

which is then mailed home to his or her children. During FY08, 200 children and 90 inmates participated. The RIF

program stresses the importance of reading and reading to one’s children, promotes parenting skills, and encourages

development of literacy skills in the children of inmates.

Vocational (VT) and occupational training (OT) programs offered at BOP institutions help inmates acquire marketable

skills in traditional trade areas and emerging occupations. Inmates receive on-the-job training and can participate in

certified apprenticeship programs that target existing and projected workforce needs, thus increasing post-release

employment options. During FY08, a total of 14,302 program completions were documented in these types of programs,

and at the close of FY08, another 11,119 inmates were actively engaged in occupational training. Research has found

that inmates who participate in VT are 33 percent less likely to recidivate as compared to similar non-participating

inmates (Federal Bureau of Prisons, 1985; Harer, 1995; Saylor & Gaes, 1997, 1999). Examples of BOP’s occupational

programs include:

• FCI Edgefield’s small appliance repair and culinary arts programs have been in existence since 1999. Both programs

allow inmates to progress to the apprenticeship level, which is certified by the South Carolina Department of Labor

(DOL). These programs are popular among the inmate population and have high completion rates. The FCI’s satellite

camp has implemented several VT programs, including those for fork lift operation, floor care maintenance, Purdue

University’s Pest Control program, and the DOL’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) safety course,

which is mandatory for all inmates involved in these programs. These programs are certified by outside organizations

and the certification is recognized nationwide. Computer VT is now available, along with the Money Smart program,

Mavis Beacon Typing, and various employment courses.

• FCI Safford offers a 100-hour Fitness Trainer program through Eastern Arizona Community College. This advanced

occupational education program is certified by the National Fitness Trainers Program (NFPT). As a result, inmates

have obtained gainful employment in the field with their certification.

• The St. Joseph’s Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies program offered at FCI Ray Brook consists of 267 hours of

training following an approved curriculum provided by credentialed staff from the highly regarded St. Joseph’s

Rehabilitation Center, Inc. The curriculum includes classes necessary for inmates to become credentialed alcohol and

substance abuse counselors. Screening to participate in this program is rigorous: inmate applicants must have a high

school diploma or GED; be actively involved in or have completed the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program
22

(IFRP); have a minimum of one year of clear conduct; be recommended by his unit team, Psychology, Education, and

Work Supervisor; and successfully complete an interview with the Director of St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Center. Out

of the more than 60 inmate applicants, only 25 are selected to participate.

• FCI Dublin’s Safety department certifies inmates in pest control and the OSHA 511 course. This training course is a

40-hour program that provides instruction on preventing industrial accidents/mishaps. The Facilities department also

provides VT, with certification upon successful completion, in the areas of welding, plumbing, landscaping, electrical,

carpentry, and HVAC programs.

• FDC Honolulu and the District of Hawaii’s U.S. Probation Office created a 150-hour Pre-Apprenticeship Construction

Training (PACT) program opportunity to enhance post-release employment for ex-offenders. Based on consideration

of the projected needs for a construction workforce in Hawaii, the program combines basic craft math, communication

prerequisites, construction safety courses, basic principles in construction specialties, and job readiness courses to

help inmates acquire the skills needed to qualify for employment in that industry.

• FCC Victorville collaborates with U.S. Probation Departments from the Central and Eastern Districts of California to

offer two specialty programs to inmates: Ready to Work and Guide for Successful Living (Through the Eyes of an

Offender). These programs are designed to prepare inmates to deal with barriers they may face upon release, particularly

in the areas of employment, housing, and relationships. The FCC and Veterans Administration (VA) jointly facilitate

reentry for inmates with histories of military service by providing quarterly pre-release informational sessions that

cover those services to which the incarcerated inmates may be entitled. Furthermore, the VA assists inmates in completing

the paperwork necessary to ensure assistance is readily available upon release.

Teacher

Teachers at Federal correctional facilities coordinate and teach literacy, GED, and ESL classes. Additionally, they plan

and conduct individualized instructional programs based on inmate assessment data, learning styles, and availability of

resources. Teachers establish the forum in which instruction occurs – e.g., individualized study, small groups instruction,

media instruction, and/or peer tutoring. To the degree resources permit, teachers may instruct in one or a combination of

other academic, social, and occupational disciplines that might include adult continuing education, related trades,

parenting, and release preparation.

Teachers in the BOP serve not only as educators, but must maintain accountability of all inmates under their supervision

and assist in preserving the security of the institution. This is achieved through a variety of strategies, including conducting

random area searches, monitoring inmates entering or leaving the department, and verbally questioning inmates as

needed.

In addition to teaching requirements, the Education Department at each institution is

responsible for maintaining the law library so inmates have access to materials needed

to pursue legal actions and a reference library that promotes reading. Each institution

provides access to a full range of materials for education and leisure purposes, with

library availability at least three hours per day and eight hours over the weekend.

Vocational Training Instructor

Vocational training programs may focus on auto body repair, drafting, welding, woodworking, building trades, horticulture,

business education, culinary arts, barbering, masonry, auto mechanics, electronics, graphic arts, cabinet making, printing,

Teacher Whitley, FCI Ashland
23

and other trades available at individual institutions. The VT instructor must know the mechanics of a particular vocation/

occupation and possess basic teaching and planning skills to develop an inmate in an apprenticeship environment.

The VT Instructor at FCI Greenville is responsible for the daily training/teaching of inmates on several pieces of equipment

designed to make cabinets. This program is unique: it is conducted in partnership with the Sangamon County Habitat for

Humanity Chapter. All material purchases, from raw lumber to screws and glue, are billed to the Chapter. In return,

Habitats in 10 counties, as well as in the City of St. Louis, receive completed sets of cabinets for the cost of materials

only.

The cabinet-making program is available to students of all backgrounds and

abilities. As a result, instruction may range from teaching an inmate the

basics of how to use a ruler to the advanced stages of learning how to design

kitchen and bath cabinets on the computer. All steps in the creation process

are taught to each inmate. They are taught how to set up and operate each

machine, but inmates also learn teamwork and a positive work ethic. Each

inmate gains pride in workmanship as he sees “the fruits of his labor come

together before his eyes.”

The program at FCI Greenville produces 18-22 complete sets of kitchen and bath cabinets annually. Each order is placed

in the production schedule according to house completion deadlines. Students with advanced skills, who have learned

how to create kitchen orders on the computer, produce all of the necessary production drawings and cut lists necessary

for a particular job. Beginning students are shown how to read these sheets and begin the production process. Under the

direction of the instructor, these students will continue to learn the full set of skills and perform all steps needed to

complete each order, playing an important role in preparing the individual for gainful employment upon release. Aside

from teaching the complete cabinet-making operation, the instructor also handles the ordering, inventory, and quality

control checks, as well as coordinates shipments with several outside organizations to ensure on-time delivery of the

completed product.

In addition to overseeing the cabinet-making program, the VT instructor is responsible for the apprenticeship program

sponsored by the Illinois DOL. This program currently has 43 inmates, but is growing rapidly. Serving in this capacity

involves continuous communication with the Illinois DOL and representatives of the 10 different trades the program

sponsors, as well as ensuring the administrative requirements are met for each enrollee. This program also helps inmates

acquire the skills needed to obtain employment upon release. In short, the majority of the VT instructor’s day consists of

duties designed to reduce recidivism.

Recreation Specialist

Recreation staff provides quality programs in a safe and secure environment for inmates to

improve their physical well-being and reduce idleness, which in turn enhance safety and

security. Recreation specialists directly supervise the operation of recreation and leisure

time programs for the inmate population. He or she will solicit suggestions from the inmate

population, plan and create recreational activities based upon research, purchase the

equipment and supplies needed for such programs, draw up necessary tournament rosters,

VT Instructor Jansen, FCI Greenville

Recreation Specialist Dobrich,

FCI Dublin
24

and carry out any other activities required to ensure a smoothly operating recreational activity. The recreation specialist

also is responsible for developing special recreation programs consistent with the needs of the inmate population, as well

as supervising athletic activities and team sports.

At FCI Dublin, CA, the recreation specialist ensures a high quality of instruction and participation in recreation programs.

The specialist’s day starts with an accountability check of the inmate work crew to ensure all inmates are present. Once

accountability is established, all supplies and rosters for the day’s wellness and leisure classes are prepared. Many

different classes and activities occur at the same time, so inmate clerks are used to help coordinate and instruct programs.

As the day progresses, the specialist performs spot checks and/or makes rounds to all inside and outside recreation areas

to ensure no unauthorized participation or activity is underway. During these rounds, equipment is inspected, work

crews supervised, classes monitored, and shakedowns conducted. As more recreation staff arrives to cover other shifts,

the specialist shifts attention to other assigned duties. These might involve refereeing a volleyball match, supervising the

mailing of inmate hobby crafts, or updating the SENTRY data for inmates who have completed programs.

Several times during the week, the recreation specialist goes to the Federal Detention Center (also located on the institution

reservation) to escort inmates to the recreation yard for an hour of outside recreation. Each inmate is pat-searched and

must pass through a metal detector both when he leaves the housing unit and before he returns. While outside, the

specialist supervises such team sports as basketball or volleyball to ensure fair play and monitors other inmates participating

in individualized recreation activities (e.g., walking and stretching).

During the weekend, inmate participation in recreation activities is at its peak with more programs and activities that

involve a larger percentage of the population. Intramural leagues, inmate photographs, institution movies, and many

cultural events take place. The recreation department generally is fully staffed during this hectic time, and staff works

together as a team to manage all activities. These events attract many inmate spectators; as a result, staff must be highly

visible and actively engaged in supervising the various programs. Some events, such as the institution movie in the

gymnasium, might require three recreation staff members to ensure adequate coverage. On these occasions, a recreation

specialist supervises the inmate crew that sets up and tears down the theater area, while other staff members monitor

ticket purchases, audio/visual equipment, seating, and entrance procedures.

Employee Services

The Employee Services Department (ESD) at BOP facilities is responsible for the institution’s immediate and longrange planning of staffing needs. Staffing functions performed by this department include developing recruitment and

staffing plans, requesting certificates of eligible prospective employees, scheduling and conducting interviews, and

preparation of security clearance requests.

The institution’s training and employee development program falls within this department’s scope of responsibilities.

ESD staff trains and develops in-house trainers and instructors in teaching concepts and techniques; develops course

outlines, lesson plans, course schedules; and designs effective tools for evaluating the training program’s success. ESD

staff develops a needs assessment and an Annual Refresher Training (ART) plan, maintains records to ensure required

programs are implemented and meet BOP and ACA standards, and tracks mandatory training compliance and evaluations.
25

Employee Services Manager

The employee services manager (ESM) is the Warden’s primary advisor in matters relating to employee needs.

Responsibilities include labor management negotiations, disciplinary and grievance procedures, staffing (recruitment,

interviewing, and pre-employment processing), workforce projections, career counseling, the performance evaluation

and incentive awards programs, time and attendance, leave administration, compensation,

and employee development functions. The ESM is responsible for developing local

training needs and plans; providing training and ensuring compliance and evaluations;

and the staff mentoring program.

Employee Services Assistant

The employee services assistant provides administrative support that includes such things

as receiving and screening all ESD correspondence; preparing documents in final format;

ensuring correct punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc.; ordering office supplies; ordering

and controlling BOP credentials; and other administrative duties as required.

The ESD at FPC Montgomery consists of an ESM and one employee services assistant. As a result, the assistant performs

his or her duties plus those ordinarily performed by employee services specialists. A typical day may include:

• assisting employees, supervisors, and the institution’s executive staff on personnel services and resources;

• notifying staff of scheduled training;

• coordinating and scheduling job interviews for the FPC;

• preparing for staff recalls;

• preparing requests for reassignments, promotions, Leave Without Pay (LWOP) actions, and staffing and reservist

reports;

• purchasing supplies for the ESD and incentive award items used for the entire staff complement;

• processing security clearance requests for new hires and contractors;

• initiating tickets to process personnel actions (promotions, reassignments, transfers, benefit enrollment/changes, payroll

actions, etc.);

• processing new hires, staff transferring from other sites, and retirees;

• providing expertise to staff in matters related to employee performance, time and attendance, leave, and compensation;

• assisting with the position classification program;

• notifying staff about policy changes and related staff matters;

• assisting employees in completing employment-related forms;

• conducting training on subjects such as time and attendance and performance appraisals;

• helping resolve leave discrepancies and conducting leave audits; and

• ensuring personnel documents, files, and reports are processed accurately.

Facilities

The Facilities department provides management oversight, planning, maintenance, and construction programs that

ensure maximum efficiency of the BOP’s physical plants, and compliance with all appropriate codes and standards.

Facilities staff supervises all institution utilities, existing and new construction projects, and repair or improvement

projects.

Employee Services Assistant

Rodriguez and ESM Chalon S.

Moore, FPC Montgomery
26

Examples of Facilities staff work in the Mid-Atlantic Region include:

• USP McCreary installed motion sensor lighting in inmate restrooms that produced an annual savings of $7.4 million.

• USP Hazelton installed locked cages over the thermostats in Food Service and all housing units to maintain a constant

temperature and reduce energy consumption. The Secure Female Facility at USP Hazelton is implementing use of a

greenhouse to decrease dependence on commercial resources.

• USP Lee installed timers on food service equipment that resulted in a $24,000 annual energy savings.

The Facilities department at an institution consists of varied functional positions required for the physical upkeep of

what amounts to a small or medium-sized town. These include a general foreman, shop or project foremen, facilities

assistant, engineering technician, chief of utilities, utility plant operators, HVAC technicians, operators of sewage or

water plants, steam fitters, and construction representatives.

General Foreman

The general foreman is responsible for the remodeling, alteration, repair,

and maintenance of all housing units and buildings located on institution

grounds. The foreman directs subordinate supervisors responsible for painting,

plumbing, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), carpentry,

welding, masonry, pipefitting, electrical, and general maintenance. He or she

directs an institution’s various utility systems (e.g., the power, water treatment,

and/or a wastewater treatment plant), which includes overseeing the operation and maintenance of the high voltage

distribution system; emergency electric generating plant; potable water supply system; sewage systems; and the central

heating plant, remote heating systems, and all heating supply piping throughout the institution.

The general foreman’s responsibilities often include operations outside the perimeter fence; for example, motor pool

operations (maintenance and repair of the institution’s vehicles and equipment fleet); road and grounds operations

(grounds/landscaping, roadway and parking maintenance); maintenance of the wellness centers, training centers, institution

warehouses; and if applicable, SORT courses and the staff housing complex. Operation of the institution’s energy

conservation programs often falls under the general foreman’s purview.

HVAC Foreman

The HVAC foreman supervises inmate workers involved in new construction, rehabilitation, repair, and maintenance of

an institution’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, including installing, dismantling, recognizing the

cause of faulty equipment, and making necessary repairs on refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning units and systems.

He or she performs routine preventive maintenance on systems that operate continuously.

A typical day for a HVAC foreman/supervisor, in this case from FCC Butner, NC,

begins at 7:00 a.m., with a review of the preventive maintenance work requests

submitted by staff from departments throughout the institution. At 7:30 a.m.,

inmates assigned to the HVAC work detail report for duty, and the HVAC foreman

assigns specific work projects, issues appropriate protective equipment, and

General Foreman Dolchan, USP Hazelton

HVAC Foreman Tilley, FCC Butner
27

Budget Analyst Peeples,

FCC Tucson

provides inmates on the work crew with passes that authorize their movement to the specific areas where the work must

be completed. The foreman escorts the crew to project areas, directs work on maintenance projects (such as replacing

parts to food service equipment or repairing A/C units), and provides direct supervision. During the remainder of the

work shift, the foreman provides classroom instruction and training to inmates on HVAC-related subjects, helping them

acquire marketable skills that can be used post-release to obtain financially viable employment.

Financial Management

The Financial Management department at BOP institutions consists of a Business Office and a Trust Fund department.

The Business Office oversees an institution’s financial elements and service operations, which is comprised of accounting,

budgeting, and purchasing needed for daily operations. Other responsibilities include accounts payable, credit card,

budgeting, outside contracting, purchasing, travel expenses, inventory management, and fiscal operations of the institutions.

The Trust Fund department oversees inmate service operations for an institution, such as the Deposit Fund, which is

responsible for the collection and management of inmate funds. It maintains the Commissary, which allows inmates to

purchase merchandise with money from their own accounts. It also maintains an inmate calling system (ITS), the Trust

Fund Limited Inmate Computer System, which provides inmates access to multiple services, including electronic

messaging, contact list management, account transaction viewing, and electronic law library research; laundry services;

and warehouse operations.

Budget Analyst

Salary expenditures make up approximately 80 percent of an institution’s budget, which

means that the budget analyst spends much of his or her time on payroll issues – verifying

the integrity of payroll information by ensuring the accuracy of the accounting data,

ensuring staff is paid properly, etc. After verifying the data, the analyst prepares salary

projections for use by the institution’s executive staff in making staffing decisions. Salary

projections include projected regular salary expenditures, overtime, holiday pay, incentive awards, and premium pay; it also accounts for future staff changes (new hires, terminations, transfers, and retirements).

The analyst reviews daily reports generated from several financial systems to ensure the accuracy of the data, identifying

and correcting errors as needed. This review facilitates identification of concerns regarding budget shortfalls and unused

surpluses, as well as spending trends indicative of possible waste, fraud, and abuse. The analyst assists department

budget managers with budget development and budget execution issues, helping them reconcile their financial reports

and credit card statements, and identifying future budget requirements. Sometimes, the analyst serves as a certifying

officer, officially certifying vendor payments, travel settlements, and inmate release documents.

Food Service

The work of the Food Service department is critical to maintaining a safe and secure institution.

Inside prison walls, food not only affects health and nutrition; it also serves as a temperature gauge

reflecting the climate of the population. Insufficient or poor quality food can trigger discontent in

the inmate population, which may lead to hunger strikes or institution disturbances. Food service

departments focus on meeting inmates’ nutritional needs, as well as medical and religious

r: FCI Beckley

Food Service
28

requirements. Inmate cadres assist food service staff in all tasks associated with feeding the inmate population and

ensuring sanitary conditions in the kitchen and dining areas.

Food Service Supervisor

Food service supervisors wear many hats. Each institution has a cadre of food service supervisors that works as a team to

meet strict time frames for serving the three daily meals. Unlike public dining facilities, inmates are served meals from

a standardized menu used nationwide, and regardless of circumstances – equipment failure; power outage due to inclement

weather; emergencies – “the meal must go on!”

Typically, food service supervisors plan, control, and evaluate an institution’s food service;

develop menus for nutritionally adequate meals and evaluate inmate acceptance; develop

specifications for food, equipment, and supplies procurement; manage the food distribution

center, planning layout designs, and determining equipment requirements; conduct studies

to improve operational efficiency and food quality; and implement and monitor the food

safety program. The supervisor manages food service preparation in compliance with the

best cooking, baking, and meat cutting principles and ensures that food is palatable, of proper

consistency and temperature; that quantities meet nutritional requirements; and that food is

presented and served in a clean and sanitary environment.

Health Services

Institution staff in Health Services ensures that inmates receive necessary medical, dental, and psychiatric care in accordance

with proven standards of care without compromising public safety concerns. Health Services delivers medical care

according to a set of core principles:

• Inmates have value as human beings and deserve medically necessary health care;

• Health care for inmates must be delivered within the constraints of correctional concerns and responsibilities inherent

in the BOP’s overall mission;

• Inmates must understand their right to access health care, as well as their responsibilities to participate in health care

in a manner that ensures maximal benefit from offered services;

• Standards of care for inmates will employ proven treatment strategies, generally supported by outcome data;

• Inmate health interventions that prevent the spread of contagious diseases and reduce preventable diseases and injuries

are important to public health;

• Medical services provided to Federal inmates will be obtained at the lowest possible cost. Comprehensive contracts for

medical services with discounted rates will be pursued wherever possible;

• Medically necessary interventions will aim to improve inmate functioning to a level that facilitates performance of

daily living activities within the correctional environment; and

• Clinicians treating inmates will appropriately weigh the risks and benefits of various treatment options, and recognize

and address the psycho-social needs of inmates with terminal illnesses and other serious medical conditions.

In Depth: Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (NREMTP)

EMT-P positions in the BOP were first filled in the mid-1990s to complement Health Services staff with the addition of

a clinician trained in advanced emergency medical care. From a paramedic’s first day of professional education, these

providers are trained to perform in high stress, high demand situations. Whether responding to an inmate-on-inmate

assault or to a staff member with chest pain, the BOP’s paramedics, who often come to the BOP from other public service

Food Service Supervisor

Ashline, FCI Estill
29

agencies, fit well within the agency’s structure, becoming a vital part of the BOP’s law enforcement paradigm. What

follows is an account8

 of a typical day for a BOP EMT at USP Lewisburg, PA.

It’s a chilly Saturday morning as I arrive at the minimum security camp adjacent to

USP Lewisburg. Here, I will begin my day by opening the morning pill line for “campers.” Pill lines ensure that prescribed insulin is available to those who require it and

that psychiatric medication is provided only under the observation of trained medical

staff. At pill line, the EMT may have time to answer a few questions or attend to urgent

medical needs, but most of these will need to wait until the afternoon pill line, which

allows more time for non-urgent needs and questions regarding medical care.

After closing the camp pill line, the EMT secures the medications behind double locks and heads “inside the

wall” of the main facility, where the EMT will open the pill line for inmates housed in the USP. While similar in

its function, this pill line is run from behind thick plexiglass and 5/8-inch steel bars that separate the EMT and

his stock of needles, syringes, and medications from the 1,500 inmates in the institution’s general population. As

the breakfast meal comes to a close, the “open for business” light is turned off, the window is secured, and the

EMT gathers the insulin syringes and psychiatric medications needed for delivery to the USP’s Special Housing,

Special Management, and Holdover Units.

Pill lines, whether in locked units or in the general population, are more than just the delivery of prescribed medications.

During these times, the EMT has an opportunity to interact one-on-one with his or her clientele, answer questions, allay

concerns, or even pick up some piece of valuable intelligence regarding the potential introduction of drugs into the

institution or an assault that may be planned for later in the day.

After completing the morning pill lines, the EMT moves from pharmacy operations to medical records, where he or she

can work on a number of projects at the same time. For example, this particular EMT is developing a presentation on

seizure activity that will be presented at next month’s staff meeting, as part of the department’s ongoing continuing

medical education. The institution’s paramedics are each assigned specific tasks in addition to their normal clinical

duties. These may include restocking/ordering medical supplies and equipment; teaching CPR/Advanced Cardiac Life

Support classes and other continuing education classes; researching, compiling, and studying data for the USP’s Improving

Organizational Performance activities; and creating or updating emergency medical protocols and administrative policies

for the Health Services unit.

On this morning, the EMT’s radio transmits a request from a SHU officer requesting a call back. That conversation confirms that the inmate in cell 215 has now missed his 9th consecutive meal, which means he now meets the

BOP criteria for being “on hunger strike.” The officer has notified the operations lieutenant per custody’s protocol, and the EMT requests the inmate be removed from his cell and escorted to Health Services for examination.

Most “hunger strikers” terminate their fasts within the first few days, returning to their food trays. Occasionally,

an inmate endures for several days or even weeks. The examination the EMT performs establishes a baseline

against which the physician will compare this inmate’s health over the next few days or weeks. If and when this

patient’s health deteriorates sufficiently, the physician will prescribe liquid nutrition, which will be administered

via a nasal to stomach tube by one of the paramedic staff.

USP Lewisburg

8 Graphic boxes in this section represent direct materials from the NREMPT.
30

The mid-day pill line begins at 11:30 and is relatively short due to fewer mid-day prescribed medications. Usually, the

EMT is asked several questions from general population inmates seeking advice about medical concerns or sick call

access, or from those trying to avoid a sick call copay by getting routine medical issues looked at under the guise of

“emergency.” Following the mid-day pill line, the EMT and his colleagues work on their other duties and attempt to

make a dent in the growing pile of administrative tasks.

Silence in medical records is shattered when the radios announce, “Assistance needed on B-Block.” One

medical staff member goes to the emergency equipment room where the unit has a litter with an AED, emergency response bag complete with airway management tools and oxygen, a long backboard for stabilization,

and a trauma bag with sterile pressure dressings ready for use. The EMT can trust these items will be ready for

use because the outgoing staff from the previous shift is required to check on all emergency response equipment.

This check ensures response bags are complete and emergency equipment, such as suction units or cardiac

defibrillators, are charged and operational.

The EMTs respond immediately to B-Block, where an inmate who is bleeding from the left side of his face is

being escorted toward the unit entrance/exit. One EMT accompanies this patient to the urgent care room and

his colleague checks the housing unit for remaining injuries. He returns to the urgent care room as his partner

finishes cutting away the patient’s clothing. There are numerous puncture wounds to the chest, abdomen, and

back. “My mind goes back to the basics of training, the ABCs – airway, breathing, circulation. I apply oxygen to

the patient while my partner places a blood pressure cuff on his right upper arm... the blood pressure continues

to fall.”

I hear the patient say, “I can’t breathe.” My colleague is tuned into this as well and turns to the “crash” cart,

pulling out the IV fluid, needles, and pneumothorax kits. I listen to his lungs and chest, but hear no lung sounds

present in the left lower aspect. Numerous puncture wounds to the chest, significant bleeding, and the absence

of breath sounds make my next action mandatory. This inmate probably has air rushing through one or more

puncture wounds into his chest, and he also may have blood collecting in the space around his lungs. Whether

it is air or blood, or both, if it stays, it will keep pressing in on lung tissue until the lung becomes useless.

My partner notifies the operations lieutenant that this patient must go by ambulance with... [advanced life

support] staff to the local emergency department as soon as possible for further treatment and evaluation. I give

the patient a quick explanation of what I’m about to do. I will introduce a needle into the space on the side of his

chest, and that will make it easier for him to breath. Then I do it. Below the armpit between the fifth and sixth

ribs, I insert a large needle wrapped in a flexible catheter. As soon as I hear the hiss and see blood start to fill the

attached tube, I stop. I slip the needle all the way out, but leave the tube in place. The natural pressure of

breathing will push the extra air and fluids out through the patient’s newest chest hole. Almost immediately the

patient begins to breathe easier and in the next couple of minutes, his heart rate starts to fall and his blood

pressure rises.

The operations lieutenant advises that the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) from the

local hospital is on its way. The EMT has just taken another blood pressure reading

when EMS arrives. The inmate’s pressure is much better than when he first arrived. The

EMT reports to the transporting paramedics, and advises them of the findings during

the patient’s physical exam, as well as the treatments... [provided] up to this point.

r: EMT Burkett

USP Lewisburg
31

Only an hour ago everything was properly organized, but now my partner and I gaze at the disheveled room

before us. I expect my partner is thinking it as well – that one was close. Without prompt recognition and

treatment, the patient’s chance of survival would have been decreased significantly. My partner begins to tidy

the room, putting away supplies and disinfecting surfaces so the room is ready for its next patient, while I begin

to chart the notes I took during the course of the last patient’s treatment. By the time I finish my medical

documentation, it’s almost 3:45 p.m., and time to get ready for the afternoon insulin line.

The 4:15 p.m. stand-up count has cleared and the diabetic patients begin to arrive at the pharmacy window to

take their insulin before going to the dining hall for the evening meal. Again, this pill line is relatively short

because it is for diabetics only. My colleague will cover the long one at 8:30 p.m., when most psychiatric

medications are administered. Insulin pill line concludes and the two Health Services staff members split up to

deliver the afternoon medications to the locked units: the EMT covers SHU and his colleague delivers medications in the Holdover and Special Management Units.

Mid-Level Practitioner (MLP)

Mid-level practitioners (MLPs) are responsible for providing primary health care for inmate patients. MLPs work

collaboratively with staff and consulting physician(s) in planning, instituting, evaluating, and revising program plans;

and assist in determining conditions, resources, and policies essential to the delivery of health care services. Their

primary duties include comprehensive assessment and management of uncomplicated acute and stable, chronic health

problems within the inmate population. MLPs provide patient education, counseling, and continuity of care. They promote

good health practices, disease prevention, and management with each patient encounter.

An average eight-hour day consists of performing routine sick call and chronic care evaluations on inmates and attending

to any emergency medical situations. MLPs are required to evaluate the total health care needs of patients and develop

plans to meet those needs, as well as request and interpret the results of clinical laboratory studies. MLPs also are

responsible for differentiating between normal and abnormal findings to detect early stages of serious physical, emotional,

or mental problems. MLPs document all clinical encounters using the BOP’s Electronic Medical Record system.

MLPs conduct medical assessments and screenings for new commitments, and followup with a history and physical examination within 14 days of an inmate’s arrival. For

the female inmate population, MLPs also provide pelvic and breast examinations within

14 days of admission, and follow-up with annual pap tests and mammograms. MLPs

participate in planned use of force situations (such as forced cell moves and forced

medications), providing medical evaluation and treatment to inmates and staff. MLPs

also are responsible for maintaining security through regular accountability of tools and

equipment, direct observation of inmate behavior, and inmate counseling regarding

discipline issues.

Psychology Services

All newly sentenced inmates are assessed by BOP psychologists. During FY08, BOP psychologists conducted 100,825

initial intake screenings, as well as other assessment services – e.g., forensic evaluations, eligibility interviews for

treatment programs, and suicide risk assessments. In all, psychologists conducted 332,754 mental health assessments.

MLP Mahmoodi, FMC Carswell
32

The BOP delivers mental health services comparable to mental health care in the community. These services include

inpatient psychiatric treatment, residential treatment, and outpatient psychological and psychiatric services. Most mental

health care is provided on an outpatient basis at the local institution by Psychology Services staff, working in collaboration

with either a full-time or consultant psychiatrist. During FY08, Psychology departments across the BOP conducted

45,815 individual counseling sessions and 1,668 crisis counseling sessions. As part of the BOP’s suicide prevention

program, 4,481 suicide risk assessments and 2,030 suicide watches were conducted. These suicide prevention efforts

contribute to a suicide rate in the BOP that is significantly lower than that of the U.S. general population.

The BOP’s Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), the most intensive treatment offered by the Bureau, is available at

59 institutions through Psychology Services. During FY08, 17,523 inmates participated in RDAP and 84 percent of

participating inmates completed the program. There is enormous demand for RDAP in part due to the potential for some

(non-violent) offenders to earn a sentence reduction following successful completion. By successfully completing RDAP,

4,800 inmates received a sentence reduction averaging 7.6 months during FY08. In addition, 23,230 inmates participated

in a drug abuse education course and 14,208 received non-residential treatment, services aimed at reducing the potential

for relapsing to drug use and available at all BOP institutions. Research has demonstrated that inmates who completed

the RDAP are 16 percent less likely to recidivate and 15 percent less likely to relapse to drug use three years after release,

when compared to similar inmates who did not participate in RDAP (Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2000; Pelissier, 2000;

Pelissier, Rhodes, Saylor, Gaes, Camp, Vanyur, & Wallace, 2001; Pelissier, Wallace, O’Neill, Gaes, Camp, Rhodes, &

Saylor, 2001).

Several specialized treatment programs offered across the BOP are based on the same effective values- and skillsbuilding components and evidence-based practices used in RDAP. Each program targets specific objectives or inmate

needs. Residential treatment options include:

• The Challenge Program, available at 10 BOP USPs, targets the treatment needs of penitentiary inmates with substance

use disorders and/or mental illnesses. In FY08, 1,728 inmates participated in this program.

• The Skills Program for inmates with significant cognitive deficits from chronic mental illness, mental retardation, or

traumatic brain injury at FCC Coleman (FCI Medium) is designed to improve the basic life skills and ability to

function independently. In doing so, it enhances institutional adjustment and reduces misconduct.

• Stepdown units at FCC Butner (FCI Medium) and at FCI Danbury, for males and females respectively, provide ongoing,

intensive treatment for inmates with chronic mental illnesses to reduce their need for hospitalization.

• The BOP’s Rehabilitation and Values Enhancement (BRAVE) program at FCI Beckley facilitates the adjustment of

young inmates serving their first significant term of incarceration, by reinforcing pro-social values and behaviors and

encouraging involvement in self-improvement activities while incarcerated.

• FPCs Alderson and Bryan, the satellite camp at FCI Marianna, and the Secure Female Facility at USP Hazelton offer

the Resolve and Rehabilitate (R&R) program for female inmates with trauma-related mental illnesses.

Staff Psychologist

The staff psychologist makes professional decisions concerning diagnosis and treatment of inmates under his or her

care. He or she participates in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of objective and projective tests of personality

dynamics, intelligence, aptitude, interests, and achievement. Based on data from testing, interviewing, and review of

relevant records containing social, medical, educational, personal, and institutional adjustment data, the staff psychologist

prepares comprehensive psychological inmate reports for use in programming. Staff psychologists regularly organize
33

and facilitate individual and group psychotherapy, as well as individual treatment and crisis intervention sessions on an

as-needed or emergency basis.

The best way to describe a typical eight-hour day for a BOP staff psychologist is “atypical!” Psychologists receive the

same basic training as correctional officers – from the proper way to handcuff and transport inmates, to firearms training,

to self-defense. Because BOP psychologists are also correctional workers, it is vital to stay informed and be aware of

what is happening with the inmate population. Communication via e-mail, phone, or face-to-face meetings occurs

among different departments on a daily basis. In addition to contacting the psychologist directly to refer inmates for

mental health treatment or assessment, the psychologist receives daily updates and information on incoming or current

inmates’ security concerns, gang affiliations, and other issues (such as proposed or new laws that might affect the inmate

population).

During a typical day, a psychologist conducts intake interviews with newly committed inmates to screen for mental

health concerns and educate inmates about the treatment opportunities available through the Psychology department

(e.g., crisis support, group therapy on anger management, trauma treatment, and drug treatment options). Psychologists

visit SHU, where inmates are confined in single cells for administrative or disciplinary reasons, to assess how confinement

is affecting inmates’ mental health. During SHU meetings, which include staff from other departments, each SHU

inmate’s mental health, security, medical, and other concerns that have arisen or might arise are discussed.

Suicide risk assessments are performed as needed, and when an inmate is deemed to be at risk for suicide or self-harm,

he or she is placed in a room specifically designed for the purpose of constant observation and keeping the inmate safe.

Psychologists see inmates on suicide watch on a daily basis. Inmates taking psychotropic medications are tracked and

monitored regularly. While psychologists are mandated to follow up with some inmates, inmates can refer themselves.

These self-referrals generally lead to brief counseling or individual therapy sessions, enrolling the inmate in a group, or

referring the inmate to self-help materials available in the department.

Psychologists provide training for new staff and annual training for seasoned staff on such

topics as suicide prevention, sexually abusive behavior and prevention, Employee Assistance

Program, and mental health issues in the prison population. The BOP has 10 doctoral internship

sites approved by the American Psychological Association, where psychologists provide daily

supervision to interns. They also participate in the employment application panel interview

process for prospective BOP hires.

Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist

The drug abuse treatment specialist (DATS) delivers drug treatment services to inmates

with substance abuse disorders. These include direct services, individual therapy, group

counseling, drug education, and residential and non-residential treatment services, depending upon the services offered at the institution.

The role of the DATS goes well beyond group and individual inmate counseling. According

to the DATS at the MCC New York, “It is not just about drug education or drug treatment;

it is more about life.” The Positive Lifestyle/Drug Education class covers: anger management,

DATS Douglass, MCC New York

Top: Dr. Ann, Staff

Psychologist, FCI Tallahassee
34

parenting, relationships, self-discipline, and many other topics. The parenting and adult relationships classes are the

two favorite among inmates at MCC New York. The classes meet three times per week, for a total of approximately 40

hours. Participation is voluntary, and both designated and pre-trial inmates may attend. Presently, 70 inmates are

participating and more than 50 are on the waiting list.

Religious Services

Nationwide, 245 contractors and approximately 7,000 volunteers support the work of the BOP’s chaplains to accommodate the religious practices of the 31 faith groups represented in the inmate population. About 60,000 inmates participate

in religious programming weekly. Consistent with President Bush’s government-wide Faith-Based and Community

Initiative, the BOP in FY02 established the Life Connections Program (LCP) to facilitate personal growth and reduce

recidivism. The LCP is the BOP’s residential multi-faith-based program that provides for the development of inmates’

faith commitment with a goal of reducing recidivism. The LCP consists of an intensive, multi-phase program that

instills values and character through a curriculum of personal, social, and moral development. Currently, more than 900

mentors assist with the LCP and more than 900 community/faith-based organizations partner with LCP to empower

inmates’ successful reentry into local communities. LCP currently operates at five BOP institutions with FMC Carswell

operating the BOP’s only LCP for female inmates. The female program runs cohorts that average 25 inmates each (at the

end of FY08, three cohorts were underway for a total of 73 inmates). By the end of FY08, 888 inmates had completed the

program and 419 were participating; however, a substantial number await their opportunity to participate.

The LCP’s curriculum supports the goals of the Inmate Skills Development Initiative with modules designed to improve

daily living, wellness, interpersonal, and leisure time skills; to address inmate character; and to enhance spirituality.

Inmates take part in seminars on restorative justice to reflect on the impact of their crimes on their victims, and in

community service projects in which inmates contribute to the community in positive ways. Mentors serve as role models

for the inmates and, during weekly meetings, provide support and guidance. Upon release, inmates are connected with

faith-based community organizations.

The LCP has proven to be quite successful (it is anticipated that 750 inmates will participate in the LCP in FY09), and

inmate interest presaged a need to adapt the program, offering one that was shorter in length and non-residential in

character to accommodate inmates who did not qualify for LCP. The Threshold Program grew from that need and is

designed for inmates with two years or less left to serve on their sentence. It started at FMC Carswell and spread to other

institutions with active programs currently at 24 institutions. The program varies somewhat from institution to institution, but its focus is the spiritual growth of individual inmates. Participants in the Threshold Program meet for two hours

on a weekly basis for six to eight months, depending upon the requirements at individual institutions. The program

operates with the assistance of BOP Chaplains and volunteers/mentors. At the end of September 2008, 215 inmates had

completed the program and 144 were participating.

Supervisory Chaplain

The supervisory chaplain is responsible for all chaplaincy services available at an institution, including the organization,

supervision, and administration of all religious programs. At FCC Florence, for example, the supervisory chaplain is

responsible for the oversight of all religious activities and programs for the four prisons in the complex: the Administrative Maximum (ADX), USP, FCI, and FPC. The supervisor’s leadership empowers six full-time chaplains, two counse-
35

lors, two secretaries, and several contract religious staff members to provide superior spiritual and religious programming to the more than 3,200 inmates at the FCC and 980 staff members and their families.

Daily tasks are balanced to ensure administrative and organizational goals are met, along with the daily spiritual and

ministerial needs of inmates and staff, the latter accomplished through pastoral counseling, emergency interventions,

religious consultations, and by coordinating ministerial resources. Worship services coordinated and led by the supervisor and other chaplains occur weekly. On any given day, the supervisor may coordinate a clergy visit for an inmate with

a Priest, Rabbi, Imam, or other ordained religious leader; reply to an inmate request; or interview an inmate requesting

to be placed on a “pork-free” common fare religious diet. Inmates from all faith groups are allowed to be on special

religious diets at their request. Weekly rounds are made to the housing units to provide easy inmate access to Religious

Services program opportunities. Once a year, Religious Services coordinates with Food Service to provide a ceremonial

religious meal – e.g., the Eid Ul Adha after Ramadan or the Seder Meal required during Jewish Passover.

The supervisory chaplain ensures that all religious groups are given equal time and access to

the Chapel areas and resources. A wide selection of religious books and videos is available for

inmates from Chapel libraries to enhance their spiritual journey during the incarceration

process.

The supervisory chaplain also coordinates with community religious organizations to ensure

services are available for all religious groups represented in the inmate population, which, at

FCC Florence, includes more than 20 faith groups (e.g., Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Native

American, Buddhist, Nation of Islam, Moorish Science Temple of America, Hindu, Mormon,

Jehovah Witness, Santeria, Rastafarian, Protestant Christian, and others).

Safety

The Safety department is responsible for (1) providing a safe and healthy environment for staff and inmates to work and

live; and (2) examining the potential impact of occupational safety, environmental, and fire protection issues and regulations

on the BOP; developing strategies for managing these effectively; and overseeing their implementation. The Safety

department conducts safety and environmental inspections of the institution and documents their findings, including

recommendations for correcting deficiencies. Staff revises existing or develops new safety instructions as needed to

ensure the effective operation of safety and environmental programs. It conducts thorough investigations of safety accidents,

injuries suffered by staff and/or inmates, and property damage, offering recommendations to eliminate or minimize the

possibility of future accidents. It also conducts safety training classes for the inmate population and staff to enhance

safety awareness and protection of the environment. Numerous safety initiatives are underway; for example:

• USP McCreary’s food waste composting program was recognized as an agency best practice: institution food waste

that typically would have gone to a landfill is diverted to the program for later use in the USP’s garden, reducing

landfill fees and wear-and-tear on the USP’s trash truck. As of January 2008, 348,943 pounds of food waste had been

diverted from the landfill.

• FCI Englewood manages a highly successful recycling program for the facility and several outside Federal agencies.

Processing the majority of its waste stream material has led to a significant reduction in landfill waste and a concomitant

cost savings to the institution.

Supervisory Chaplain

Merrill, FCC Florence
36

• FCC Florence manages several successful recycling programs throughout the FCC, processing the majority of its

waste stream material. In addition, the FCC implemented a new composting program and the donation of non-recyclable

pallets to a local Fire Department for use in training exercises. As a result, 1,113,347 pounds of recycled materials and

$50,910 in revenue were generated.

Safety Specialist

The safety specialist promotes the facility’s adherence to safety policy, provides leadership in various staff and inmate

related safety activities, and assists in the training of staff and inmates in the techniques of firefighting, occupational

safety, and environmental protection. The safety specialist conducts safety and environmental inspections of the institution and prepares a report for the safety manager. Safety staff endures a rigorous training regimen, covering such topics

as occupational safety, environmental compliance, fire protection, emergency response, and employee compensation

procedures and forms.

For a safety specialist at FCC Lompoc, the day starts at 6:00 a.m. Mornings consist of working and following up on

workers’ compensation cases, attending daily meetings on safety projects, and conducting safety inspections. An inspection of the entire FCC is performed at least weekly, during which sprinklers, fire extinguishers, exit routes, and other fire

safety issues, sanitation, pest control, and proper use and storage of flammable and hazardous chemicals are checked for

compliance. In the afternoon, the focus shifts to recycling and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Specifically, the recycling area is inspected to ensure all materials are properly separated and any hazardous waste is

disposed of according to Federal, State, and local rules and regulations. Once all inspections are complete, findings are documented and shared with each department head so any

discrepancy noted can be corrected.

The safety specialist assists in training both staff and inmates in proper firefighting techniques, occupational safety, and environmental protection, and specifically instructs inmates on sanitation, the use of chemicals, and personal protection equipment. Every year,

the specialist develops lesson plans on fire protection, environmental safeguards, and workers’ compensation laws.

UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries)

Federal Prison Industries, more commonly known by its trade name, UNICOR, employed 21,836 inmates (17 percent of

the work-eligible Federal inmate population) in its 109 factories at the end of FY08. Through this important correctional

program, inmate workers gain marketable skills in such business areas as electronics, textiles, services, recycling, fleet

management, and vehicle repair. Research has shown that inmates who participate in FPI are less likely to revert to

criminal behavior and are more likely to be gainfully employed following release from prison.

FPI uses Lean Six Sigma as its continuous process improvement philosophy and methodology. FPI has adopted Lean Six

Sigma in response to its success and widespread use in the public sector; the Lean Six Sigma approach is quickly

becoming the business standard across the country. Lean refers to a streamlining process that identifies and eliminates

waste throughout a business operation or organization. Six Sigma refers to the implementation of rigorous, proven

quality assurance principles and techniques to achieve virtually error-free business performance. FPI’s use of both

methodologies – Lean and Six Sigma – reflects a commitment to achieving world-class levels of performance. A Corporate

Safety Specialist Menjivar,

 FCC Lompoc
37

Continuous Improvement Branch was established to oversee FPI’s use of Lean Six Sigma quality improvement

methodologies. Several Lean Six Sigma projects have been completed at various field locations and Central Office. FPI’s

use of Lean Six Sigma has expanded with the training of additional staff.

UNICOR Fabric Worker Foreman

The fabric worker foreman supervises the inmate detail that produces textile products, which includes any sewn product

or product made from fabric. His or her responsibilities include work product quality assurance and the economic and

efficient accomplishment of work assignments. The fabric worker foreman provides training to inmates working in the

textile factory, including how to cut, assemble, and package a finished product that meets rigid Department of Defense

and other government and private sector specifications in sufficient quantity and quality.

The foreman helps inmates acquire work and daily living skills to facilitate community reentry and motivates them to

achieve UNICOR’s objectives. This involves training new inmates, delegating work assignments, establishing procedures

for accomplishing specific tasks, coaching, providing guidance, and managing the inmate work detail so as to ensure

staff and inmate safety. The supervisor conducts meetings with the work detail, establishes strategic plans that help the

crew deal with any anticipated or existing obstacles to their performance objective, and makes recommendations to

management on inmate labor needs.

The fabric foreman places all inmates on a 30-day training cycle prior to commencing the work. Depending on the

complexity of the operation, most inmates reach proficiency during the training period. Typically, a few may require

training beyond the initial 30 days.

A computerized production application system facilitates monitoring of production

needs and comparison of the availability of raw materials for work in process.

The system measures each inmate’s performance in terms of quality and quantity.

The foreman uses this system to plan and schedule daily production work. In

practical terms, this management tool is critical to projecting priorities accurately

to meet contract deadlines and customer needs.

The fabric worker foreman at FCI Waseca, MN, serves as UNICOR’s inmate department reentry specialist with

responsibility for ensuring the employment resource center (ERC) is regularly updated and current, with the latest

information on job market trends and qualification requirements. A log is maintained to track resource use and confirms

an average monthly tally in excess of 2,000, accessing information on military veterans, common interview questions,

careers for workers over 50, and overseas jobs. The ERC maintains numerous resources for inmate use: Minnesota

Driving Manuals in English and Spanish, Commercial Driver’s License Manuals, Minnesota Bus Drivers Manual,

Career Changes through Volunteering, and the Employment Information Handbook. Information also is available on

Federal student financial aid, resumé construction, employment in the trades (warehousing, transportation, hotel,

restaurant, etc.), State-specific information on drivers’ licenses, birth certificate forms, local area helping organizations,

the Social Security Administration, housing, credit, apprenticeships, programs for Native Americans, disabilities, ERCs,

and numerous colleges.

UNICOR Fabric Worker Foreman

Grangruth, FCI Waseca
38

UNICOR Foreman/Paint Line

The paint line foreman supervises the inmate work crew, ensuring that:

• inmates and the work area are in compliance with all applicable safety standards;

• the production is optimally efficient, and the product is of high, uniform quality;

• all supplies needed to maintain and operate the paint line are purchased; and

• the safe and secure storage of related supplies, light and heavy equipment, and chemicals.

At FCI Terminal Island, CA, the paint line foreman also serves as the primary custodian of

the UNICOR factory entrance gate and metal detector, which means that the foreman ensures

the gate is open at 6:50 a.m. and that no unauthorized inmates or property pass through the

gate. The same holds true for all periods of controlled movement during which the gate is

open. The foreman operates this gate to accommodate inmate visits, trash removal, or as

needed.

Unit Management

Unit Management’s mission is to determine inmate program needs; monitor program participation to encourage prosocial behaviors that benefit inmates, staff, victims, and society; and work with inmates to facilitate reentry. Unit teams

are multi-disciplinary and maintain responsibility for inmates in their units.

The underlying philosophy of unit management is to place inmates in close physical proximity to the staff working with

them so that staff and inmates are easily accessible to one another on a daily basis. Unit management staff generally has

offices in the unit, thereby increasing direct inmate access. This creates an environment more conducive to positive staffinmate and inmate-inmate interactions, which minimizes the surfacing of adverse issues and concerns that negatively

affect unit inmates. This approach maximizes operational efficiency, communication effectiveness, and prompt resolution

of inmate concerns or issues at the lowest possible level. Unit staff duties include conducting initial and progress reviews

with inmates in their units, dealing with inmate issues that surface on a day-to-day basis (e.g., visitation and phone lists,

disciplinary action/hearings), and preparing paperwork for placement at RRCs. Statistics from the most recent quarter

available show that the BOP exceeded current RRC utilization target goals for each security level.

Unit Manager

The unit manager directs and manages the housing unit and is responsible for the unit’s

operation and security, as well as for planning, developing, implementing, supervising, and

coordinating individual programs tailored to meet the needs of individual inmates. The unit

manager supervises unit staff, including case manager, correctional counselors, and unit

secretaries. The unit manager is held accountable for the success of his or her unit and the

unit’s progress toward meeting its goals. To that end, the unit manager’s daily routine

encompasses numerous tasks that safeguard unit safety and security. He or she reviews and

signs progress reports, transfer and RRC referrals, security point assessments, central

inmate monitoring assignment packets and clearances, requests for management variables, and victim/witness notifications.

The unit manager chairs unit team meetings that involve all members of an inmate’s team, including the inmate. This

process involves a review and assessment of the progress of each offender throughout his or her incarceration. It provides

Unit Manager Edwards,

FCI El Reno

UNICOR Foreman/Paint Line

Cooper, FCI Terminal Island
39

an opportunity to identify existing or remaining needs and resources an inmate may need to complete the balance of his

or her incarceration successfully, and to assist in preparing the inmate for a seamless transition back into society.

In Depth: Unit Manager/Inmate Skills Development & Reentry Coordinator9

As I walk through FCI Ray Brook’s compound gate to begin the work day, the air is

clear and crisp, the grounds and buildings are peaceful and quiet. A visit to the

lieutenants’ office, the hub of the institution, is the first order of business; [it is]

where lieutenants on duty discuss the previous evening’s inmate activities and

operations. I check for any incident reports requiring discipline that might have

been written on inmates under my supervision. I am responsible for the oversight of

three housing units, approximately 625 inmates, and nine incredibly astute staff

members. Surely, there is bound to be at least one incident report in the mix to be

heard later in the day. I depart the lieutenants’ office, the inmate work call is

announced over the public address system, and inmates begin streaming from the

housing units, down the unit sidewalks to report to their respective work sites. I am greeted by several inmates

as we pass each other on the sidewalk... some with questions or issues that we mutually arrange for a later time

to discuss. Another routine day has begun.

With oversight of three housing units, the need to balance and equally share my presence with inmates and staff

throughout the day is important... I mentally determine which housing unit has the most need for my presence

this morning and direct my energies toward that unit. After entering the unit and greeting the staff, I enter my

office and check telephone messages and e-mails and begin responding. From an e-mail, I see that a mock job

fair is going to be held... [in the near future]. I respond to the institution volunteer coordinator’s e-mail to get

more details and offer my assistance.

At FCI Ray Brook, the unit manager also serves as the institution’s coordinator for the BOP’s Inmate Skills Development and Reentry (ISDR) initiative. The ISDR coordinator is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and coordination of programs to best prepare inmates to reenter their communities successfully upon their release.

For the bi-annual mock job fair, many local employers and community organizations are invited to the institution to meet

with staff and inmates who are within 18 months of their release. Inmates practice job interviewing, meet representatives

of organizations that may assist them in finding gainful employment, housing, family counseling, and other services to

further develop their job skills, education, spirituality, and positive social networks.

The morning progresses quickly, and at 10:30 a.m., it is time to stand mainline, the inmate lunch call. I report

to the dining hall where I am present to observe inmate behavior, address inmates’ questions and concerns, and

collect and log in the daily inmate legal mail. Through mainline, staff has the ability to resolve most inmate

issues and concerns, thereby preventing escalation of undue anxiety and frustration. After a successful mainline, I join other staff in the staff dining hall for our own lunch and discussion of the day’s evolution and

continued goals. When finished, I deliver the legal mail to the mail room, and interact with staff in other

departments located in the main building to address issues and accomplish tasks requiring their expertise.

Much of the afternoon is spent in weekly unit team meetings with individual inmates. At these meetings, also known as

inmate program reviews, the team discusses the inmate’s adjustment to incarceration, family concerns, financial responsibility for court-ordered fines, work evaluations, and behavior. Most importantly, the team focuses on reviewing the

9 Graphic boxes in this section represent the perspective of an FCI Ray Brook unit manager.

FCI Ray Brook
40

inmate’s progress on previously [established] measurable goals. We continue to discuss and establish future goals, which

may involve education, vocational training, work, health and fitness, spiritual, or other programming to further enhance

the individual inmate’s release preparation.

As I depart the institution, I reflect on many of the inmate program

review assessment plans I observed today, and the accomplishments

of the unit teams in meeting the BOP’s goals of the ISDR initiatives.

Since ISDS implementation at the FCI, all staff has a better understanding of the importance of each member’s input regarding an

inmate’s progress and how the input [contributes to]... promoting

inmate progress and preparation of a successful reentry. We are better able to see an inmate’s progress under this system.”

Correctional Counselor

The correctional counselor develops and implements programs to meet the needs of individual inmates housed in the

unit. As part of the unit intake, the correctional counselor interviews newly admitted inmates to begin the process of

gaining a general awareness of each individual. The correctional counselor plans and conducts individual and group

counseling sessions, but also resolves day-to-day problems with on-the-spot counseling.

At FCI Williamsburg, SC, correctional counselors provide services to the unit inmates by:

• providing immediate counseling or guidance to inmates daily on a range of issues or concerns (medical, laundry,

commissary account, phone account, death of a loved one, legal issues, etc.);

• conducting group counseling sessions with participants interested in self-improvement (at FCI Williamsburg, examples

include Keys to Success and Alcoholics Anonymous groups);

• preparing for (and attending) unit team meetings with inmates by gathering updates on the inmate’s participation in

the Institution Financial Responsibility Program (IFRP)10 (from the work site supervisor, unit officer, Education/

vocational training instructor, etc.);

• processing informal resolution attempts and distributing Administrative Remedy forms

when indicated;

• processing inmate phone and visitation requests;

• monitoring inmate work details and housing quarter assignments so institution security

and safety needs are met;

• conducting intake screenings of newly admitted inmates to ensure they are appropriately

designated and determine if they can safely enter the general compound;

• picking up incident reports daily from the lieutenant’s office for processing by the Unit

Discipline Committee (UDC) and scheduling UDC hearings of incident reports; and

• conducting rounds of the housing unit each morning, thoroughly inspecting all inmate

living areas and common areas to ensure sanitation standards are maintained, and

SHU rounds at least weekly to address inmate issues.

10 The IFRP was implemented to ensure sentenced inmates make payments from their earnings to satisfy court-ordered

fines, victim restitution, child support, and other monetary judgments.

Correctional Counselor

Etheridge, FCI Williamsburg

Unit Manager Darrah in unit team

meeting at FCI Ray Brook
41

Volunteer Coordinator

Fagg, FCC Terre Haute

Volunteer Program

Volunteers contribute to ensuring smooth institution operations and to reducing the potential for recidivism in releasing

inmates. Like many other government agencies, the BOP does not have the resources to fill every inmate need; therefore,

it relies on the more than 10,000 volunteers to supplement existing services. Volunteers serve as role models and reinforce

the pro-social values many inmates lack. Their contributions are wide-ranging and numerous; for example:

• During FY08, BOP institutions held 140 mock job fairs involving more than 7,000 inmates and 1,545 employers,

agency representatives, and community volunteers who offered their time to help inmates prepare for post-release job

searches, interviews, and employment.

• FPC Montgomery provides a 10-week victim impact and restorative justice group, which covers drugs and society,

child mistreatment, domestic violence, victims of gang violence, robbery, crimes against the elderly, property and

violent crimes (including sexual assault and homicide), and drunk driving. Victim Impact Panels augment the group

discussions, and outside speakers representing the following agencies participate: Alabama Child Protect, Counsel on

Substance Abuse – National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., Angel House, Alabama’s Crime

Victims’ Compensation Commission, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Standing Together Against Rape, Sunshine

Center, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer and Citizen Participation Program Coordinator (VC) is responsible for identifying

training needs of volunteers, providing guidance and assistance, and enhancing the institution’s

volunteer services. Duties include recruitment of volunteers from the community, ensuring the

required documentation is obtained and proper procedures are followed in determining suitability

for participation, and ensuring compliance with related security procedures. Additionally, the

VC provides the requisite volunteer training and develops/coordinates appropriate activities to

recognize volunteer efforts and contributions.

The VC for FCC Terre Haute, IN, is responsible for the overall development and cultivation of good community relations

leading to continued involvement and support of the institutions’s mission and programs. This means assisting in the

development of relationships with internal and external constituencies to increase citizen participation and the number

of community partnerships. The VC plays a key role in the implementation of faith-based and other programs or pilot

programs at the institution.
42

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) operates correctional

facilities across the country. To successfully manage these

facilities requires administrative, policy, training, program

review, and other support functions that are carried out by

the BOP’s Central Office, regional offices, Grand Prairie Office

Complex, training centers, and community corrections

management offices.

Central Office

The BOP’s headquarters, or Central Office, is located at 320

First Street NW, Washington, DC 20534, and it includes the

following components:

Administration Division (ADM): develops and administers

the BOP’s budget, oversees financial management, and is

responsible for the agency’s capacity planning, site selection, construction and acquisition of new BOP institutions,

and facilities management programs.

Correctional Programs Division (CPD): develops activities

and programs designed to help inmates develop the skills

necessary to facilitate successful reintegration into their communities upon release and to ensure institution security, safety

of staff and inmates, and orderly institution operations. Programs include psychology and religious services, drug abuse

treatment, programs for special needs offenders and females,

and case management. CPD provides national policy direction for correctional services, intelligence gathering and

counter-terrorism activities, emergency preparedness, the

Federal Witness Security Program, notification of releaserelated activities to crime victims, designations and sentence

computation, inmate transportation, disciplinary process, and

the coordination of transfer of inmates to and from other

countries. CPD has responsibility for various functions related to contract residential reentry centers (RRCs), community corrections field offices, federally sentenced juveniles,

community-based drug treatment, and liaisons with the U.S.

Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Division staff provides direct oversight to field staff that

monitors contract compliance and coordinates the BOP’s

privatization management efforts.

Bureau Components

Health Services Division (HSD): manages the BOP’s health

care programs, ensuring that Federal inmates receive essential medical, dental, and psychiatric services. HSD is responsible for the BOP’s safety, environmental, and food services

programs.

Human Resource Management Division (HRMD): is responsible for recruitment, selection, training, and development of

BOP staff; employee pay and position management; security

and background investigations; labor/management relations;

equal employment opportunity services; and diversity management.

Industries, Education, and Vocational Training (IEVT): oversees Federal Prison Industries, also known by its trade name

UNICOR, a wholly owned Government corporation that provides employment and training opportunities for inmates confined in Federal correctional facilities. IEVT manages the

BOP’s education, vocational training, inmate transition, and

leisure time programs.

Information, Policy, and Public Affairs (IPPA): manages the

BOP’s information and security technologies (including mission critical systems, wide area network, and public and internal websites); research and evaluation programs; communications and archives, public affairs, and legislative affairs

offices; and policy development.

Office of General Counsel (OGC): provides legal advice,

assistance, and representation to agency officials in the following areas: legislative, correctional, ethics, Freedom of

Information Act, and Privacy Act issues; equal employment

opportunity, labor, real estate and environmental, and commercial law; administrative and discrimination complaints;

and inmate litigation.

Program Review Division (PRD): assesses the strength of

internal systems of control; provides oversight of BOP program performance through strategic planning and the internal audit (program review) process; and evaluates compliance with laws, regulations, and standards, coordinating the

BOP’s responses to external audits, such as those conducted
43

by the General Accountability Office (GAO), the Office of the

Inspector General (OIG), and the American Correctional Association (ACA).

National Institute of Corrections (NIC): provides technical

assistance, training, and information to State and local corrections agencies and to BOP employees; and operates the

NIC Information Center clearinghouse. NIC has seven divisions: Jails, Community Corrections, Prisons, Academy,

Offender Workforce Development, Financial Management,

and Research and Evaluation.

NIC Headquarters

320 First Street NW

Washington, DC 20534

800-995-6423 Fax: 202-307-3361

website: www.nicic.gov

NIC Academy/Information Center

National Corrections Academy

791 N. Chambers Road

Aurora, CO 80011

Academy: 800-995-6429 Fax: 303-365-4458

Information Center: 800-877-1461 Fax: 303-365-4456

Regional Offices

The BOP’s six regional offices directly support the operations of facilities within their respective geographic areas by

providing management and technical assistance to institution and community corrections personnel; conducting specialized training; providing technical assistance to State and

local criminal justice agencies; and contracting to provide

RRC placements for offenders. Regional staff includes administrators who are subject matter experts in all disciplines represented at the institution level. They maintain close contact

with institution staff to ensure effective BOP operations.

Staff Training Centers

Training is integral to BOP staff development. Introductory

training is conducted at the BOP’s Staff Training Academy.

Specialized professional training is provided at the Management and Specialty Training Center.

Staff Training Academy (STA)

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Building 21

Glynco, GA 31524

912-267-2711 Fax: 912-267-2983

Management and Specialty Training Center (MSTC)

National Corrections Academy

791 N. Chambers Road

Aurora, CO 80011

303-340-7800 Fax: 303-340-7968

Grand Prairie Office Complex

Located in Grand Prairie, TX, the BOP’s Grand Prairie Office

Complex (GRA) provides consolidated services in three functional areas to better serve employees and achieve more

efficient and cost-effective operations. Subject matter expertise is available at GRA in human resources, inmate systems, inmate classification and designation, and financial

management.

Grand Prairie Office Complex (GRA)

U.S. Armed Forces Reserve Complex

346 Marine Forces Drive

Grand Prairie, TX 75051

Components:

Consolidated Employee Services Center (CESC)

972-352-4200 Fax: 972-352-4220

E-mail address: GRA-HRM/Chief-CESC@bop.gov

Designation and Sentence Computation Center (DSCC)

972-352-4400 Fax: 972-352-4395

E-mail address: GRA-DSC/

PolicyCorrespondence&AdminRemedies@bop.gov

Field Acquisition Office (FAO)

972-352-4500 Fax: 972-352-4545

E-mail address: GRA/FieldAcquisitionOffice@bop.gov
44

The BOP operates institutions of five different security levels

(i.e., minimum, low, medium, high, and administrative).

Security levels are distinguished based upon such features

as the type of inmate housing within the institution; the

presence of external patrols, towers, security barriers, or

detection devices; internal security features; and the staffto-inmate ratio.

Minimum Security: also known as Federal Prison Camps

(FPCs), are work- and program-oriented facilities with dormitory housing, limited or no perimeter fencing, and a relatively

low staff-to-inmate ratio. Some FPCs are located next to military bases, making it possible for inmates to help serve the

labor needs of the base. A number of BOP facilities have a

small, minimum security camp adjacent to the main facility.

Often referred to as satellite prison camps (SPCs), these provide inmate labor to the main institution and to off-site work

programs.

Low Security Federal Correctional Institutions (FCIs): have

double-fenced perimeters with electronic detection systems,

mostly dormitory or cubicle housing, and strong work and

program components. The staff-to-inmate ratio is somewhat

higher than that in FPCs.

Medium Security FCIs: have strengthened (double-fenced

with electronic detection systems) perimeters, mostly celltype housing, a wide variety of work and treatment programs,

a higher staff-to-inmate ratio than that in low security FCIs,

and greater internal controls.

High Security United States Penitentiaries (USPs): have

highly secured perimeters featuring walls or reinforced fences,

multiple- and single-occupant cell housing, the highest staffto-inmate ratio, and close control of inmate movement.

Administrative Facilities: have special missions, such as

the detention of pretrial offenders; the treatment of inmates

with serious or chronic medical problems; or the containment

of extremely dangerous, violent, or escape-prone inmates.

Administrative Facilities include Metropolitan Correctional

Centers (MCCs), Metropolitan Detention Centers (MDCs),

Federal Detention Centers (FDCs), Federal Medical Centers

(FMCs), the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP),

the Federal Transfer Center (FTC), and the AdministrativeMaximum USP (ADX) .

Federal Correctional Complexes (FCCs): FCCs locate institutions with different missions and security levels in close

proximity, allowing them to share services, enable staff to

gain experience at institutions of many security levels, and

enhance emergency preparedness by having additional resources readily available.

Satellite Low Security Facilities: FCIs Elkton and Jesup each

have a small low security satellite facility adjacent to the main

institution. FCI La Tuna has a low security facility affiliated

with, but not adjacent to, the main institution.

Institution Security Levels

Mobile patrol monitors perimeter fence.
45

FPC Alderson

P.O. Box A

Glen Ray Rd.

Alderson, WV 24910

304-224-3300

Fax: 304-445-3320

Security Level: Minimum/Female

Judicial District: Southern West Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: 1,136

Location: In the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, 270 miles southwest

of Washington, DC; 12 miles south of I-64, off State Hwy 12.

FCC Security Levels: Low, Medium, High/Male

Judicial District: Middle Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: 3,870

Location: 197 miles north of Washington, DC; 11 miles south of Williamsport,

PA; 2 miles north of Allenwood, on US Route 15.

FCI Ashland

P.O. Box 888

State Route 716

Ashland, KY

41105-0888

606-928-6414

Fax: 606-929-4395

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Kentucky

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,226 Camp: 277

Location: In the highlands of northeastern Kentucky, 125 miles east of Lexington; 5 miles southwest of the city of Ashland; off State Route 716, 1 mile

west of US 60.

Bureau Institutions

Note: Population numbers effective 10/02/08.

FCC

Allenwood

P.O. Box 3500

White Deer, PA 17887

570-547-0963

Fax: 570-547-9201

USP Atlanta

601 McDonough Blvd.,

SE

Atlanta, GA 30315-0182

404-635-5100

Fax: 404-331-2137

Security Levels: Medium/Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Northern Georgia

Region: SER

Population: USP: 1,999 Camp: 441

Location: In southeast Atlanta, at the junction of Boulevard and McDonough

Blvd; off I-20 (south on Boulevard) or I-285 (north on Moreland Ave., left on

McDonough Blvd.).

• AAALDERSONSON

AATLANTA

•

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern California

Region: WXR

Population: USP: 974 Camp: 117

Location: On a portion of the former Castle Air Force Base, about 130 miles

from San Francisco.

USP Atwater

P.O. Box 019001

#1 Federal Way

Atwater, CA 95340

209-386-0257

Fax: 209-386-4635

ATWATER

•

ASASHLAND•

• AALLENWOODD

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,190 Camp: 182

Location: 30 miles southeast of Austin, 8 miles south of Elgin, 8 miles north

of Bastrop, off Hwy 95.

FCI Bastrop

 P.O. Box 730

1341 Hwy 95 N

Bastrop, TX 78602

512-321-3903

Fax: 512-304-0117

•

BBASTROP

Regions:

MXR Mid-Atlantic

NCR North Central

NER Northeast

SCR South Central

SER Southeast

WXR Western
46

FCI

Big Spring

1900 Simler Ave.

Big Spring, TX

79720-7799

432-466-2300

Fax: 432-466-2556

Security Levels: Administrative/ Male, Female

Judicial District: Eastern New York

Region: NER

Population: 2,500

Location: In the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs

of New York City.

MDC

Brooklyn

P.O. Box 329001

Brooklyn, NY 11232

718-840-4200

Fax: 718-840-5005

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: South Carolina

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,620 Camp: 124

Location: In Marlboro County off Hwy 9, 86 miles from Myrtle Beach.

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Kentucky

Region: MXR

Population: USP: 1,444 Camp: 109

Location: In Eastern Kentucky, 11 miles south of Inez on Rt. 3 South; 18 miles

southeast of Paintsville and 15 miles northeast of Prestonburg.

FCC Security Levels: Low, Medium, High with adjacent Minimum Camp/

Male

Judicial District: Eastern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: 4,462

Location: On the Texas Gulf coast, about 90 minutes from Houston. From

US 10, take Route 69; exit at Florida Avenue; turn right on West Port Arthur

Rd., then right on Knauth Rd.

FCC

Beaumont

P.O. Box 26035

Beaumont, TX 77720-

6035

409-727-8188

Fax: 409-626-3700

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern West Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,811 Camp: 390

Location: Approximately 51 miles southeast of Charleston, WV and 136 miles

northwest of Roanoke, VA.

FCI Beckley

P.O. Box 1280

1600 Industrial Park Rd.

Beaver, WV 25813

304-252-9758

Fax: 304-256-4956

• BEAUMONT

• BECKLEY

FCI

Bennettsville

696 Muckerman Rd.

Bennettsville, SC 29512

843-454-8200

Fax: 843-454-8219

USP

Big Sandy

P.O. Box 2067

Inez, KY 41224

606-433-2400

Fax: 606-433-2596

•

BENNETTSVILLE

BECKLEY

• BIG SANDY

BIG SPRING

•

BIG SPRING

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Northern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,331 Camp: 178

Location: Midway between Dallas and El Paso, on the southwest edge of

Big Spring, at the intersection of I-20 and U.S. Hwy 80.

BIG SPRING

BROOKLYN

•
47

Security Level: Minimum/Female

Judicial District: Southern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: 920

Location: 95 miles northwest of Houston and 165 miles south of Dallas, in

the town of Bryan at the intersection of Ursuline Ave. and 23rd St.

FPC Bryan

P.O. Box 2197

1100 Ursuline

Bryan, TX 77805-2197

979-823-1879

Fax: 979-775-5681

FCC Security Levels: Low, Mediumwith adjacent Minimum Camp, Administrative/Male

Judicial District: Eastern North Carolina

Region: MXR

Population: 4,445

Location: Near the Research Triangle area of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel

Hill; 5 miles off I-85 on old Hwy 75.

FCC Butner

Old NC Hwy 75

P.O. Box 1600

Butner, NC 27509

919-575-3900

Fax: 919-575-4801

USP Canaan

P.O. Box 400

Waymart, PA 18472

570-488-8000

Fax: 570-488-8130

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Middle Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: USP: 789 Camp: 131

Location: In the most northeastern county in Pennsylvania, 20 miles east of

Scranton and 134 miles north of Philadelphia.

BIG SPRING

BRYAN

•

• BUTNER

• CANAAN

Security Levels: Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Northern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FMC: 1,520 Camp: 277

Location: In the northeast corner of the Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve

Base; 1 mile from Hwy 183 and 3 miles from I-30.

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Northern Illinois

Region: NCR

Population: 710

Location: In downtown Chicago, at the intersection of Clark and Van Buren

Sts.

FCC Security levels: Low, Medium, High/Male; Minimum Camp adjacent to

Medium/Female

Judicial District: Middle Florida

Region: SER

Population: 7,489

Location: In central Florida, south of the town of Coleman, off Hwy 301 on

State Rd 470 in Sumter County; about 50 miles northwest of Orlando, 60

miles northeast of Tampa, and 35 miles south of Ocala.

FMC

Carswell

P.O. Box 27066

Fort Worth, TX 76127

817-782-4000

Fax: 817-782-4875

MCC Chicago

71 W Van Buren

Chicago, IL 60605

312-322-0567

Fax: 312-347-4012

FCC

Coleman

P.O. Box 1024

Coleman, FL 33521

352-689-7000

Fax: 352-689-7012

CARSWELL •

• CHICAGO

LOS ANGELES L COLEMAN

•
48

FMC Devens

P.O. Box 880

Ayer, MA 01432

978-796-1000

Fax: 978-796-1118

Security Levels: Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Massachusetts

Region: NER

Population: FMC: 1,099 Camp: 103

Location: In north central Massachusetts, about 39 miles west of Boston

and 20 miles north of Worcester on the decommissioned military base of Fort

Devens; off Route 2, exit 37B. Take the first right; institution is 0.5 mile on the

right.

Security Levels: Low/Female; Administrative/Male with adjacent Minimum

Camp/Female

Judicial District: Northern California

Region: WXR

Population: FCI: 1,248 Camp: 313

Location: 20 miles southeast of Oakland, off I-580; take Hopyard/Dougherty

Rd. exit, then proceed east to the Camp Parks Army Base.

FCI Dublin

5701 8th St., Camp Parks

Dublin, CA 94568

925-833-7500

Fax: 925-833-7599

Security Level: Minimum/Male

Judicial District: Minnesota

Region: NCR

Population: 852

Location: On the southwestern tip of Lake Superior, halfway between Minneapolis-St. Paul and the U.S.-Canadian border; 7 miles north of Duluth, off

Hwy 53 at Stebner Rd.

FPC Duluth

P.O. Box 1400

Duluth, MN 55814

218-722-8634

Fax: 218-733-4701

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: South Carolina

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,660 Camp: 463

Location: On the South Carolina/Georgia border, northeast of Augusta,

approximately 30 miles northeast of I-20 on Hwy 25.

FCI Edgefield

P.O. Box 723

Edgefield, SC 29824

803-637-1500

Fax: 803-637-9840

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Maryland

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,239 Camp: 298

Location: In western Maryland, 130 miles northwest of Washington, DC; 6

miles south of I-6,8 miles off State Route 51 South.

FCI

Cumberland

14601 Burbridge Rd., SE

Cumberland, MD

21502-8274

301-784-1000

Fax: 301-784-1008

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Connecticut

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,210 Camp: 209

Location: In southwestern Connecticut, 70 miles from New York City, 3 miles

north of Danbury on State Route 37.

FCI Danbury

Route 37

Danbury, CT 06811

203-743-6471

Fax: 203-312-5110

CUMBERLAND

•

DANBURY •

DEVENS •

• DUBLIN

DULUTH •

• EDGEFIELD
49

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Oklahoma

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,142 Camp: 251

Location: 30 miles west of Oklahoma City. From I- 40, take exit 119 (Old Hwy

66), proceed 1.5 miles (institution on the right).

FCI El Reno

P.O. Box 1000

El Reno, OK 73036-1000

405-262-4875

Fax: 405-262-7626

EGLIN EL RENO •

Security Levels: Low with satellite Low Facility/Male

Judicial District: Northern Ohio

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,873 FSL: 593

Location: In northeastern Ohio, less than an hour from Pittsburgh, Youngstown, and Canton.

Security Levels: Low/Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Colorado

Region: NCR

Population: FCI: 377* Camp: 165

Location: 15 miles southwest of Denver, off I-285.

* undergoing population change

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: South Carolina

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,110 Camp: 279

Location: In Hampton County, off State Rd. 321, about 3 miles south of Estill.

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: New Jersey

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,437 Camp: 102

Location: 50 miles southeast of Philadelphia and 40 miles west of Atlantic

City, off State Hwy 55 at 655 Fairton-Millville Rd.

FCC Security Levels: Medium, High, Administrative Maximum with adjacent

Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Colorado

Region: NCR

Population: 3,069

Location: On State Hwy 67, 90 miles south of Denver, 45 miles south of

Colorado Springs, and 40 miles west of Pueblo.

FCC

Florence

5880 State Hwy 67

Florence, CO 81226

719-784-9464

Fax: 719-784-5290

FCI Fairton

P.O. Box 280

Fairton, NJ 08320

856-453-1177

Fax: 856-453-4186

FCI Estill

P.O. Box 699

100 Prison Rd.

Estill, SC 29918

803-625-4607

Fax: 803-625-5635

FCI

Englewood

9595 W Quincy Ave.

Littleton, CO 80123

303-985-1566

Fax: 303-763-2553

FCI Elkton

P.O. Box 89

Elkton, OH 44415

330-420-6200

Fax: 330-420-6436

ELKTON

•

ENGLEWOOD •

ESTILL

•

FAIRTON •

FLORENCE

•
50

MDC

Guaynabo

P.O. Box 2008

Cataño, Puerto Rico

00963-2008

787-749-4480

Fax: 787-775-7824

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

Region: SER

Population: 1,481

Location: 6 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico, off Hwy 22 at the intersection of Roads 165 and 28.

FCC Security Levels: Medium, Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Arkansas

Region: SCR

Population: 3,838

Location: In eastern Arkansas, between Little Rock (85 miles east) and Memphis (45 miles west), near I-40.

FCI Fort Dix

P.O. Box 38

Fort Dix, NJ 08640

609-723-1100

Fax: 609-723-6847

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: New Jersey

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 3,676 Camp: 419

Location: In central New Jersey, approximately 45 minutes east of Philadelphia, off Route 68; follow signs for Fort Dix/McGuire Air Force Base.

FCC

Forrest City

P.O. Box 7000

Forrest City, AR 72336

870-494-4200

Fax: 870-494-4496

Security Level: Low/Male

Judicial District: Northern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: 1,741

Location: In north central Texas, in southeast Fort Worth; north of I-20 and

east of I-35.

FCI

Fort Worth

3150 Horton Rd.

Fort Worth, TX

76119-5996

817-534-8400

Fax: 817-413-3350

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Northern West Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,767 Camp: 121

Location: In central West Virginia, 85 miles northeast of Charleston and 150

miles from Pittsburgh, PA.

FCI Gilmer

P.O. Box 5000

201 FCI Ln.

Glenville, WV

26351-9500

304-462-0395

Fax: 304-462-0396

FORREST CITY

•

FORT DIX •

Security Levels: Medium/Male with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Southern Illinois

Region: NCR

Population: FCI: 1,212 Camp: 302

Location: Approximately 43 miles east of St. Louis, MO and 63 miles from

Springfield, IL.

FCI

Greenville

P.O. Box 4000

Greenville, IL 66246

618-664-6200

Fax: 618-664-6372

FORT WORTH

•

GILMER •

GREENVILLE

•

GUAYNABO

•
51

USP

Hazelton

P.O. Box 450

Bruceton Mills, WV

26525

304-379-5000

Fax: 304-379-5039

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male; Secure Female

Facility (SFF)

Judicial District: Northern District of West Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: USP: 1,560 Camp: 118 SFF: 751

Location: In the mountains of Preston County, WV in the community of

Bruceton Mills, about 35 minutes from Morgantown; 45 minutes from

Uniontown, PA; and 45 minutes from Cumberland, MD.

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern California

Region: WXR

Population: FCI: 945 Camp: 119

Location: In the Sierra highlands of northern California, 50 miles northwest

of Reno, NV and about 30 miles south of Susanville, CA.

FCI Herlong

P.O. Box 900

Herlong, CA 96113

530-827-8000

Fax: 530-827-8024

FDC

Honolulu

P.O. Box 30547

351 Elliott Street

Honolulu, HI 96820

808-838-4200

Fax: 808-838-4507

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Hawaii

Region: WXR

Population: 657

Location: Adjacent to Honolulu International Airport on the Hawaiian Airlines side.

AAHAZELTONSON •

HERLONG

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Southern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: 836

Location: In downtown Houston at the intersection of Texas and San Jacinto

Avenues.

FDC Houston

P.O. Box 526245

Houston, TX

77052-6245

713-221-5400

Fax: 713-229-4200 • HOUSTON

•

• HONOLULU

Security Levels: Medium with satellite Low Facility and adjacent Minimum

Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern Georgia

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,170 FSL: 593 Camp: 147

Location: In southeast Georgia on Route 301, 65 miles southwest of Savannah, 40 miles northwest of Brunswick, and 105 miles northwest of Jacksonville, FL.

FCI Jesup

2600 Hwy 301 S

Jesup, GA 31599

912-427-0870

Fax: 912-427-1125

• JESUPUP

FCI La Tuna

P.O. Box 1000

8500 Doniphan

Anthony, NM-TX 88021

915-791-9000

Fax: 915-791-9858

Security Levels: Low with satellite Low Facility and adjacent Minimum Camp/

Male

Judicial District: Western Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,021 FSL: 318 Camp: 281

Location: On the Texas/New Mexico border, 12 miles north of the city limits

of El Paso, off I-10 on State Hwy 20.

•LA TUNA
52

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Kansas

Region: NCR

Population: USP: 1,921 Camp: 415

Location: 25 miles north of Kansas City on Hwy 73.

USP

Leavenworth

P.O. Box 1000

Leavenworth, KS 66048

913-682-8700

Fax: 913-578-1010

USP Lee

P.O. Box 900

Jonesville, VA

24263-0900

276-546-0150

Fax: 276-546-9116

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: USP: 1,483 Camp: 117

Location: 8 miles east of Jonesville, off U.S. 58 at the intersection of State

Route 638.

• LEAVENWORTH

•

LEE

Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male; High Security

Special Management Unit

Judicial District: Middle Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: USP: 1,552 Camp: 531

Location: In central Pennsylvania, in the town of Lewisburg, 200 miles north

of Washington, DC; 170 miles west of Philadelphia; 6 miles south of I-80 and

2 miles off U.S. Route 15.

USP Lewisburg

2400 Robert F. Miller Dr.

Lewisburg, PA 17837

570-523-1251

Fax: 570-522-7745

• LELEWISBURG

Security Levels: Administrative/Male with adjacent Minimum/Female Camp

Judicial District: Eastern Kentucky

Region: MXR

Population: FMC: 1,620 Camp: 290

Location: 7 miles north of Lexington on US Hwy 421.

FMC

Lexington

3301 Leestown Rd.

Lexington, KY 40511

859-255-6812

Fax: 859-253-8821

FCC Security Levels: Low, Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Central California

Region: WXR

Population: 3,715

Location: 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles, adjacent to Vandenberg Air

Force Base.

FCC Lompoc

3901 Klein Blvd.

Lompoc, CA 93436

805-735-2771

Fax: 805-736-1292

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,269 Camp: 152

Location: In southwest Pennsylvania between Altoona and Johnstown, 90

miles east of Pittsburgh, off Route 22, between I-80 and the Pennsylvania

Turnpike via Route 220.

FCI Loretto

P.O. Box 1000

Loretto, PA 15940

814-472-4140

Fax: 814-471-1507

LEXINGTON •

•

LOMPOC

LOS ANGELES L

• LORETTO
53

FCI Marianna

3625 FCI Rd.

Marianna, FL 32446

850-526-2313

Fax: 850-718-2014

Security Levels: Medium/Male with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Northern Florida

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,250 Camp: 267

Location: In the Florida panhandle, 65 miles west of Tallahassee and 5 miles

north of the town of Marianna, off Hwy 167.

USP Marion

P.O. Box 2000

Marion, IL 62959

618-964-1441

Fax: 618-964-2058

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern Illinois

Region: NCR

Population: USP: 896 Camp: 307

Location: 300 miles from Chicago, 120 miles from St. Louis, 9 miles south of

Marion, off I-57 via Hwy 148 north; east on Little Grassy Rd.

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Kentucky

Region: MXR

Population: USP: 1,601 Camp: 126

Location: In the southern part of Kentucky, off I-75 via State Hwy 92 or via

US 27.

USP

McCreary

330 Federal Way

Pine Knot, KY 42635

606-354-7000

Fax: 606-654-7190

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,304 Camp: 282

Location: In northwest Pennsylvania between Bradford and Kane, 90 miles

south of Buffalo, off Route 59, 1/4 mile east of the intersection of State Route

59 and US Route 219.

FCI McKean

P.O. Box 5000

Bradford, PA 16701

814-362-8900

Fax: 814-363-6822

FCI

Manchester

P.O. Box 3000

Manchester, KY 40962

606-598-1900

Fax: 606-599-4115

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Kentucky

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,190 Camp: 410

Location: 75 miles south of Lexington off I-75; 28 miles east of London on the

Hal Rogers Pkwy; on Route 8 (Fox Hollow Rd.), off State Hwy 421.

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Central California

Region: WXR

Population: 1,055

Location: In downtown Los Angeles, off Hollywood Freeway (Hwy 101), on

the corner of Alameda and Aliso Streets.

MDC Los

Angeles

535 N Alameda St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

213-485-0439

Fax: 213-253-9510

• LLOS ANGELES

MANCHESTER

•

• MARIANNA

•

 MARION

• MCCREARY

MCKEAN •
54

Security Levels: Medium with satellite Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Tennessee

Region: MXR

Population: FCI: 1,218 Camp: 300

Location: In the northeast section of Memphis near the intersection of I-40

and Sycamore View Rd.

FCI Memphis

1101 John A. Denie Rd.

Memphis, TN 38134

901-372-2269

Fax: 901-384-5462

•

IMEMPHIS

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern Florida

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,084 Camp: 398

Location: In southwest Dade County, 30 miles from downtown Miami, off

the Florida Turnpike (Homestead Extension, 152nd St. exit), 2.5 miles to 137th

St. south.

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Southern Florida

Region: SER

Population: 1,659

Location: East of Miami International Airport in downtown Miami, located at

the corner of NE 4th St. and N Miami Ave.

Security Levels: Low, Administrative/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Michigan

Region: NCR

Population: 1,463

Location: 45 miles south of Detroit and 35 miles north of Toledo, in the town

of Milan, off US 23 (exit 27).

Security Level: Minimum/Male

Judicial District: Middle Alabama

Region: SER

Population: 860

Location: On Maxwell Air Force Base, off I-65 and I-85.

Security Level: Minimum/Male

Judicial District: Northern West Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: 1,132

Location: In north central West Virginia, on the southern edge of Morgantown,

off State Hwy 857 (Greenbag Rd.).

FCI Miami

15801 SW 137th Ave.

Miami, FL 33177

305-259-2100

Fax: 305-259-2160

FDC Miami

P.O. Box 019118

Miami, FL 33101-9118

305-577-0010

Fax: 305-536-7368

FCI Milan

P.O. Box 9999

E Arkona Rd.

Milan, MI 48160

734-439-1511

Fax: 734-439-5535

FPC

Montgomery

Maxwell Air Force Base

Montgomery, AL 36112

334-293-2100

Fax: 334-293-2326

FCI

Morgantown

P.O. Box 1000

Morgantown, WV

26507-1000

304-296-4416

Fax: 304-284-3600

• IMIAMI

• IMIAMI

• MILAN

•

MONTGOMERY

• MORGANTOWN
55

Security Levels: Medium/Male with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Central Illinois

Region: NCR

Population: FCI: 1,215 Camp: 311

Location: Located on Route 29 South in Pekin, about 10 miles south of

Peoria, 170 miles southwest of Chicago, and 170 miles northeast of St. Louis.

FCI Pekin

P.O. Box 7000

Pekin, IL 61555-7000

309-346-8588

Fax: 309-477-4685

• PPEKIN

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Southern New York

Region: NER

Population: 759

Location: In downtown Manhattan, adjacent to Foley Square and across the

street from the Federal courthouse.

MCC

New York

150 Park Row

New York, NY 10007

646-836-6300

Fax: 646-836-7751

FCC Security Levels: Low, Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/

Male; High Security Special Management Unit

Judicial District: Western Louisiana

Region: SCR

Population: 2,066

Location: In central Louisiana, 35 miles south of Alexandria, 58 miles north of

Lake Charles, off State Hwy 165 on Whatley Rd.

FCC

Oakdale

P.O. Box 5050

Oakdale, LA 71463

318-335-4070

Fax: 318-215-2547

• NEW YORK

•

OAKDALE

•

FTC Oklahoma

City

P.O. Box 898802

7410 S MacArthur Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73189

405-682-4075

Fax: 405-680-4203

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Western Oklahoma

Region: SCR

Population: 1,550

Location: 3 miles west of I-44 and 4 miles south of I-40.

FCI Otisville

P.O. Box 600

Otisville, NY 10963

845-386-6700

Fax: 845-386-6727

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern New York

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,106 Camp: 110

Location: In southeastern part of New York State, near the Pennsylvania and

New Jersey borders; 70 miles northwest of New York City (NYC).

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Western Wisconsin

Region: NCR

Population: FCI: 1,077 Camp: 201

Location: In central Wisconsin, 60 miles north of Madison, off I-39 at the

intersection of County Rd. G and Elk Ave.

FCI Oxford

P.O. Box 500

Oxford, WI 53952-0500

608-584-5511

Fax: 608-584-6371

•

OOXFORD

• OKLAHOMA CITY

• OTISVILLE
56

FCC

Petersburg

P.O. Box 90026

Petersburg, VA 23804

804-504-7200

Fax: 804-504-7204

FCC Security Levels: Medium, Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Virginia

Region: MXR

Population: 3,540

Location: 25 miles southeast of Richmond. From I-95, take Exit 54 (Temple

Ave./Hwy 144), proceed east about 3 miles, then turn left on River Rd.

Security Levels: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Eastern Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: 1,116

Location: Center City, Philadelphia.

FDC

Philadelphia

P.O. Box 572

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215-521-4000

Fax: 215-521-7220

FCI Phoenix

37900 N 45th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85086

623-465-9757

Fax: 623-465-5199

Security Levels: Medium/Male with adjacent Minimum Camp/Female

Judicial District: Arizona

Region: WXR

Population: FCI: 948 Camp: 287

Location: 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix, off I-17, Pioneer Rd. exit.

Security Level: Minimum/Male

Judicial District: Northern Florida

Region: SER

Population: 689

Location: 175 miles west of Tallahassee, 50 miles east of Mobile, AL on

Saufley Field, off I-10.

FPC

Pensacola

110 Raby Ave.

Pensacola, FL

32509-5127

850-457-1911

Fax: 850-458-7291

PPENSACOLA

•

• PETERSBURG

• PHILADELPHIA

• PPHOENIX

FCC Security Levels: High with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male; activation

of Medium/Male underway

Judicial District: Western Louisiana

Region: SCR

Population: 1,494

Location: In central Louisiana between Hwys 165 and 167, approximately 12

miles north of Alexandria.

Security Level: Medium/Male

Judicial District: Northern New York

Region: NER

Population: 1,236

Location: In upstate New York, midway between the villages of Lake Placid

and Saranac Lake, off Route 86.

FCC Pollock

P.O. Box 1000

1000 Airbase Rd.

Pollock, LA 71467

318-561-5300

Fax: 318-561-5391

FCI

Ray Brook

P.O. Box 300

128 Ray Brook Rd.

Ray Brook, NY 12977

518-897-4000

Fax: 518-897-4216

PPOLLOCK •

•

RAY BROOK
57

Security Levels: Low, Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Northern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: 1,904 Camp: 159

Location: 11 miles southeast of Dallas, off Hwy 175 (Hawn Freeway).

FCI

Seagoville

2113 N Hwy 175

Seagoville, TX 75159

972-287-2911

Fax: 972-287-5466

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Middle Pennsylvania

Region: NER

Population: FCI: 1,299 Camp: 292

Location: 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia, 46 miles northeast of Harrisburg; west of I-81 off State Hwy 901.

FCI

Schuylkill

P.O. Box 700

Minersville, PA 17954

570-544-7100

Fax: 570-544-7224

FCI

Sandstone

P.O. Box 999

Sandstone, MN 55072

320-245-2262

Fax: 320-245-0385

Security Level: Low/Male

Judicial District: Minnesota

Region: NCR

Population: 1,241

Location: 100 miles northeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul, 70 miles southwest of

Duluth, off I-35. Take Sandstone exit, follow Hwy 23 to Route 123 east;

institution is 2 miles from the intersection.

• SSANDSTONEAE

• SCHUYLKILL

• SEAGOVILLE

Security Level: Administrative/Male

Judicial District: Minnesota

Region: NCR

Population: 905

Location: In southeastern Minnesota, 2 miles east of downtown Rochester,

off Fourth St.

FMC

Rochester

P.O. Box 4600

2110 E Center St.

Rochester, MN

55903-4600

507-287-0674

Fax: 507-424-7600

FCI Safford

P.O. Box 820

Safford, AZ 85548

928-428-6600

Fax: 928-348-1331

Security Level: Low/Male

Judicial District: Arizona

Region: WXR

Population: 848

Location: In southeastern Arizona, 127 miles northeast of Tucson, 165 miles

east of Phoenix, off Hwy 191, 7 miles south of the town of Safford.

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Southern California

Region: WXR

Population: 1,116

Location: In downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Federal Courthouse.

MCC

San Diego

808 Union St.

San Diego, CA

92101-6078

619-232-4311

Fax: 619-595-0390

• ROCHESTER

•

ASAFFORD

•

SAN DIEGO
58

Security Level: Administrative/Male, Female

Judicial District: Western Washington

Region: WXR

Population: 899

Location: 12 miles south of Seattle, 16 miles north of Tacoma, 1 mile west of

I-5 (200th St. exit).

FDC SeaTac

2425 S 200th St.

P.O. Box 13901

Seattle, WA

98198-1091

206-870-5700

Fax: 206-870-5717

FCI Sheridan

P.O. Box 8000

27072 Ballston Rd.

Sheridan, OR

97378-9601

503-843-4442

Fax: 503-843-3408

Security Levels: Medium and Administrative with adjacent Minimum Camp/

Male

Judicial District: Oregon

Region: WXR

Population: FCI: 1,400 Camp: 480

Location: In northwestern Oregon, 90 minutes south of Portland, off Hwy 18

on Ballston Rd.

• SEATAC

•

SHERIDAN

Security Level: Administrative/Male

Judicial District: Western Missouri

Region: NCR

Population: 1,111

Location: At the corner of Sunshine St. and the Kansas Expressway, off I-44.

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male; High

Security Special Management Unit

Judicial District: Northern Alabama

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 808 Camp: 357

Location: In northeast Alabama, 50 miles east of Birmingham, 100 miles west

of Atlanta, GA; off the 275 bypass on Renfroe Rd.

Security Levels: Low/Female, Administrative/Male

Judicial District: Northern Florida

Region: SER

Population: 1,275

Location: Three miles east of downtown Tallahassee, on Hwy 319 at its

intersection with Park Ave. and Conner Blvd.

Security Level: Low/Male

Judicial District: Central California

Region: WXR

Population: 1,079

Location: In Los Angeles Harbor, between San Pedro and Long Beach; off

Harbor Freeway (110 South) at the Terminal Island exit. Cross the Vincent

Thomas Bridge to the Ferry St. exit.

MCFP

Springfield

P.O. Box 4000

1900 W Sunshine

Springfield, MO

65801-4000

417-862-7041

Fax: 417-837-1717

FCI

Talladega

565 E Renfroe Rd.

Talladega, AL 35160

256-315-4100

Fax: 256-315-4495

FCI

Tallahassee

501 Capital Cir., NE

Tallahassee, FL

32301-3572

850-878-2173

Fax: 850-216-1299

FCI Terminal

Island

1299 Seaside Ave.

Terminal Island, CA

90731

310-831-8961

Fax: 310-732-5335

• SPRINGFIELD

• TALLADEGA

• TALLAHASSEE

•

TERMINAL ISLAND
59

FCI

Texarkana

P.O. Box 9500

Texarkana, TX 75505

903-838-4587

Fax: 903-223-4424

Security Levels: Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Eastern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,381 Camp: 338

Location: In northeast Texas near the Arkansas border, 175 miles east of

Dallas, 70 miles north of Shreveport, LA; off Route 59 S on Leopard Dr.

• TEXARKANA

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern Texas

Region: SCR

Population: FCI: 1,021 Camp: 298

Location: About 80 miles south of San Antonio and 73 miles northwest of

Corpus Christi, off I-37 on Hwy 72; 8 miles west of the town of Three Rivers,

across from Choke Canyon Lake.

FCI

Three Rivers

P.O. Box 4000

Three Rivers, TX

78071

361-786-3576

Fax: 361-786-5051

FCC Tucson

9300 S Wilmot Rd.

Tucson, AZ 85756

520-663-5000

Fax: 520-663-5024

FCC Security Levels: Medium/Male; Administrative/Male, Female; High with

adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Arizona

Region: WXR

Population: 1,558

Location: In southern Arizona, 10 miles southeast of the city of Tucson, near

I-10 and Wilmot Rd.

FCC

Victorville

P.O. Box 5400

Adelanto, CA 92301

760-530-5000

Fax: 760-530-5103

FCC Security Levels: High, Medium/Male with adjacent Minimum Camp/

Female

Judicial District: Central California

Region: WXR

Population: 4,750

Location: In San Bernardino County, approximately 85 miles northwest of

Los Angeles, on I-15.

FCI Waseca

P.O. Box 1731

1000 University Dr., SW

Waseca, MN 56093

507-835-8972

Fax: 507-837-4547

Security Level: Low/Male

Judicial District: Minnesota

Region: NCR

Population: 964

Location: In southern Minnesota, 75 miles south of Minneapolis on I-35; 13

miles west of Owatonna on State Hwy 57.

•

WASECAA

•

THREE RIVERS

VICTORVILLE VICTORVILLE •

TTUCSON

VICTORVILLE

•

FCC

Terre Haute

4700 Bureau Rd. S

Terre Haute, IN 47802

812-244-4400

Fax: 812-244-4791

FCC Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp, High (includes

Special Confinement Unit for inmates under Federal death sentences)/Male

Judicial District: Southern Indiana

Region: NCR

Population: 3,424

Location: On Hwy 63, 2 miles south of the City of Terre Haute, which is 70

miles west of Indianapolis on I-70.

THREE RIVERS

• TERRE HAUTE
60

FPC Yankton

P.O. Box 680

Yankton, SD 57078

605-665-3262

Fax: 605-668-1113

Security Level: Minimum/Male

Judicial District: South Dakota

Region: NCR

Population: 797

Location: In southeastern South Dakota, 60 miles northwest of Sioux City, IA

and 85 miles southwest of Sioux Falls, SD; off US Hwy 81.

FCI

Williamsburg

P.O. Box 340

Salters, SC 29590

843-387-9400

Fax: 843-387-6961

Security Levels: Medium with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: South Carolina

Region: SER

Population: FCI: 1,614 Camp: 129

Location: In Williamsburg County, off Hwy 521.

FCC

Yazoo City

P.O. Box 5666

2225 Haley Barbour

Pkwy.

Yazoo City, MS 39194

662-716-1020

Fax: 662-716-1036

FCC Security Levels: Medium, Low with adjacent Minimum Camp/Male

Judicial District: Southern Mississippi

Region: SER

Population: 3,313

Location: 36 miles north of Jackson, MS, off Hwy 49.

BIG SPRING

•

WILLIAMSBURG•

• YANKTON

•

YAZOO CITY
61

Inmate Population

Inmates by Security Level

Minimum: 16.9%

Low: 38.4%

Medium: 28.9%

High: 11.3%

Unclassified:4 4.3%

4

Not yet assigned a security level.

Inmates by Gender

Male: 93.3%

Female: 6.7%

Inmates by Race

White: 57.0%

Black: 39.5%

Native American: 1.8%

Asian: 1.7%

Ethnicity Hispanic: 31.7%

Average Inmate Age: 38

Citizenship

United States: 73.5%

Mexico: 17.2%

Colombia: 1.5%

Cuba: 0.9%

Dominican Republic: 1.4%

Other/Unknown: 5.5%

FY 2008 Statistics1

Sentence Imposed

Less than 1 year: 1.8%

1-3 years: 12.1%

3-5 years: 14.9%

5-10 years: 29.9%

10-15 years: 19.7%

15-20 years: 8.7%

More than 20 years: 9.7%

Life: 3.1%

Death: 50

Types of Offenses

Drug Offenses: 52.4%

Weapons, Explosives, Arson: 15.0%

Immigration: 10.6%

Robbery: 4.9%

Burglary, Larceny, Property Offenses: 3.6%

Extortion, Fraud, Bribery: 4.9%

Homicide, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping: 3.0%

Miscellaneous: 1.1%

Sex Offenses: 3.2%

Banking & Insurance, Counterfeit, Embezzelment: 0.5%

Courts or Corrections: 0.4%

Continuing Criminal Enterprise: 0.3%

National Security: 0.1%

Staff Breakdown

Staff by Gender

Male: 72.4% Female: 27.6%

Staff by Race/Ethnicity

White (Non-Hispanic): 63.7%

African American: 21.3%

Hispanic: 11.4%

Asian: 2.1%

Native American: 1.5%

Total population: 201,498

Inmates in BOP institutions: 165,693

Inmates in privately managed, state or local secure facilities: 2 22,890

Inmates in RRCs:3 12,915

1 All numbers as of 09/27/08. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. 2 Includes inmates housed in facilities under contract with the BOP or with a government that has an Intergovernmental Agreement

(IGA) with the BOP.

3 Includes inmates housed in residential reentry centers (RRCs) and on home confinement.
62

Federal Bureau of Prisons, PREP: Post Release Employment Project Interim Report, 1985.

Federal Bureau of Prisons, TRIAD Drug Treatment Evaluation Project Final Report of Three-Year Outcomes: Part I,

Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2000.

Harer, Miles D., Prison Education Program Participation and Recidivism: A Test of the Normalization Hypothesis,

Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Prisons, 1995.

Pelissier, Bernadette M., BOP TRIAD Drug Treatment Evaluation Three-Year Outcome Report, Washington, DC:

Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2000.

Pelissier, Bernadette M., William Rhodes, William G. Saylor, Gerald G. Gaes, Scott D. Camp, Suzy D. Vanyur, and Sue

Wallace, “TRIAD Drug Treatment Evaluation Project,” Federal Probation Journal, 65(3), U.S. Courts Website,

2001.

Pelissier, Bernadette M., Sue Wallace, Joyce Ann O’Neil, Gerald G. Gaes, Scott Camp, William Rhodes, and William G.

Saylor, “Federal Prison Residential Drug Treatment Reduces Substance Use and Arrests After Release,”

American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 27(2): 315-337, 2001.

Saylor, William G. and Gerald G. Gaes, “PREP: Training Inmates Through Industrial Work Participation and Vocational

and Apprenticeship Instruction,” Corrections Management Quarterly, 1(2): 32-43, 1997.

Saylor, William G. and Gerald G. Gaes, The Differential Effect of Industries and Vocational Training on Post Release

Outcome for Ethnic and Racial Groups, Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Prisons, 1999.

References
Published annually by:

Federal Bureau of Prisons

U.S. Department of Justice

Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General

Harley G. Lappin, Director

Federal Bureau of Prisons

320 First Street, NW

Washington, DC 20534

202-307-3198

The Attorney General has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of

public business required by law and the Department of

Justice.

Cover design by:

Office of Communications and Archives

Printed by:

Federal Prison Industries

Internet Access to Information

The Bureau’s public website (www.bop.gov) maintains

information about each of its institutions, offices, and

training centers, as well as abbreviated contact information

for privately operated, secured facilities housing inmates

under the Bureau’s jurisdiction. We encourage you to visit

www.bop.gov if you are interested in learning more about

a specific facility.
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Federal Bureau of Prisons

Washington, D.C. 20534

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