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104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3655

To amend title 18, United States Code, to reform Federal prisons.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 13, 1996

Mr. TATE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to reform Federal

prisons.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND FINDINGS.

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the

5 ‘‘Federal Prison Reform Act of 1996’’.

6 (b) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—

7 (1) criminals have become an increasing threat

8 to our personal safety;

9 (2) law-abiding citizens feel less secure and

10 more afraid because of the threat of crime, especially

11 violent crime;
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1 (3) unless criminals face serious consequences

2 for their actions, they will continue to threaten our

3 communities;

4 (4) criminals should pay dearly for violating our

5 laws and threatening our communities;

6 (5) Federal prisons must enforce real punish7 ment by ending the use of amenities, such as exer8 cise equipment, cable television, and pool tables; and

9 (6) prison incarceration should focus on the de10 velopment of a meaningful work ethic through hard

11 labor and stress the importance of responsibility,

12 self-control, discipline, and respect for law abiding

13 Americans.

14 SEC. 2. PRISON REFORM.

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 301 of title 18, United

16 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow17 ing:

18 ‘‘§ 4014. Federal prison standards

19 ‘‘(a) EFFECT OF OUTSIDE ACCREDITATION STAND20 ARDS.—Each Federal facility for the confinement of per21 sons convicted of offenses against the United States shall

22 insofar as practical observe the standards for prisoner liv23 ing space and other prison conditions that are established

24 by recognized prison accreditation agencies, but may fail

25 to meet any such standards when, in the judgment of pris-
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1 on officials, overcrowding, financial strain, prison size, ab2 sence of on-site facilities, or other circumstances make it

3 necessary to do so.

4 ‘‘(b) SPECIFIC STANDARDS.—Each Federal prison

5 shall observe the following rules:

6 ‘‘(1) MANUAL LABOR.—

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Prisoners shall spend

8 a minimum of 10 hours per day 6 days a week

9 doing manual labor, such as—

10 ‘‘(i) trash collection along Federal

11 highways and on Federal lands, including

12 national parks;

13 ‘‘(ii) unskilled manual labor, digging

14 ditches, breaking rocks, manually cutting

15 grass, or other menial work; or

16 ‘‘(iii) whatever work is deemed nec17 essary and appropriate at the discretion of

18 the warden.

19 ‘‘(B) DISPLACEMENT.—Labor under this

20 paragraph shall not result in the displacement

21 of privately employed workers.

22 ‘‘(2) CHAIN GANGS.—Chain gangs may be used

23 to satisfy the work requirement of paragraph (1) for

24 minimum and low security inmates, but in no case

25 shall inmates currently or previously sentenced for a
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1 crime of violence or a sex offense be eligible for a

2 chain gang to satisfy such requirement. For the pur3 poses of carrying out this paragraph, wardens or ad4 ministrators of the Federal system may handcuff,

5 shackle, detain, or immobilize inmates as necessary

6 to protect the safety of prison personnel and the

7 public.

8 ‘‘(3) NUTRITION.—Federal prisoners shall re9 ceive no more than 3 meals per day. Each meal

10 must not exceed minimum nutritional guidelines re11 quired under the Constitution.

12 ‘‘(4) EXERCISE.—There shall be an area of ap13 propriate size for exercise, running, calisthenics, and

14 related activities. Machine exercise equipment, bar15 bells, dumbbells, free weights, treadmills,

16 stairmasters, and other exercise equipment is

17 banned. All Federal prison athletic and body build18 ing equipment shall be donated by the prison au19 thorities to appropriate public agencies, such as

20 community schools or recreation centers.

21 ‘‘(5) MEDIA.—Media shall be limited by prison

22 officials to education, vocational training, and other

23 matter that emphasizes standards of morality, re24 sponsibility, self-control, and respect for law abiding

25 Americans.
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1 ‘‘(6) AMENITIES.—Amenities, regardless of the

2 source of their financing, such as catered meals, fea3 ture films, lounges, pool tables, hot plates, micro4 waves, and radios shall not be provided.

5 ‘‘(c) CONSTRUCTION.—This section shall not be con6 strued to permit any violation of the Constitution of the

7 United States.’’.

8 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections

9 at the beginning of chapter 301 of title 18, United States

10 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new

11 item:

‘‘4014. Federal prison standards.’’.

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