Justice Department Announces New Rule for Non-Violent Prisoners

Justice Department Announces New Rule for Non-Violent Prisoners

The Department of Justice recently announced that a new rule has been submitted to the Federal Register implementing the Time Credits program required by the First Step Act for persons incarcerated in federal facilities who committed nonviolent offenses.

As part of the implementation process, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has begun transferring eligible inmates out of BOP facilities and into either a supervised release program or into Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) or home confinement (HC).

“The First Step Act, a critical piece of bipartisan legislation, promised a path to an early return home for eligible incarcerated people who invest their time and energy in programs that reduce recidivism,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today, the Department of Justice is doing its part to honor this promise, and is pleased to implement this important program.”

The First Step Act of 2018 provides eligible inmates the opportunity to earn 10 to 15 days of time credits for every 30 days of successful participation in Evidence Based Recidivism Reduction Programs and Productive Activities. The earned credits can be applied toward earlier placement in pre-release custody, such as RRCs and HC.

In addition, at the BOP Director’s discretion, up to 12 months of credit can be applied toward Supervised Release. Inmates are eligible to earn Time Credits retroactively back to Dec. 21, 2018, the date the First Step Act was enacted, subject to BOP’s determination of eligibility.

Implementation will occur on a rolling basis, beginning with immediate releases for inmates whose Time Credits earned exceed their days remaining to serve, are less than 12 months from release, and have a Supervised Release term. Some of these transfers have already begun, and many more will take place in the weeks and months ahead as BOP calculates and applies time credits for eligible incarcerated individuals.

The rule, as it was submitted to the Federal Register, can be viewed here: https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/docs/bop_fsa_rule.pdf

4 Responses to "Justice Department Announces New Rule for Non-Violent Prisoners"

  1. Well This Is my husbands first time ever getting in trouble & they gave him 3 years when I seen people wit the same charge & was out on bail for it & caught the same charge he was out on only get 6 month in the county it’s not fair at all I am home with three babies under the age 4 years old taking care of them by myself with no family help at all & they give my husband three years he was goin to court back to back for 2 years for this charge & Not Once did he get in any more Trouble for anything ESLE the system is sooo messed up it’s ridiculous his charge is Non – violent so I hope he’s out by the end of this year. I pray every night. I hope he’s allowed to get this I just pray ? pray ?

  2. Non-violent. You mean like Madoff could have been out early? Go down the list of what you know to be non-violent.

  3. Make it 5 days of time credits for every 30 days of successful participation in Evidence Based Recidivism Reduction Programs and Productive Activities, they still committed a CRIME that got them sent to Prison.

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