(a) The purpose of this subpart is to describe procedures for the earning and application of Time Credits as authorized by 18 U.S.C. 3632(d)(4) and Section 101 of the First Step Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-391, December 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5194) (FSA), hereinafter referred to as “FSA Time Credits” or “Time Credits.”
(b) Generally, as defined and described in this subpart, an eligible inmate who successfully participates in Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) Programs or Productive Activities (PAs) that are recommended based on the inmate's risk and needs assessment may earn FSA Time Credits to be applied toward prerelease custody or early transfer to supervised release under 18 U.S.C. 3624(g).
(a) Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) Program. An EBRR Program is a group or individual activity that has been shown by empirical evidence to reduce recidivism or is based on research indicating that it is likely to be effective in reducing recidivism; and is designed to help prisoners succeed in their communities upon release from prison. EBRR Programs may include, but are not limited to, those involving the following types of activities:
(1) Social learning and communication, interpersonal, anti-bullying, rejection response, and other life skills;
(2) Family relationship building, structured parent-child interaction, and parenting skills;
(3) Classes on morals or ethics;
(4) Academic classes;
(5) Cognitive behavioral treatment;
(6) Mentoring;
(7) Substance abuse treatment;
(8) Vocational training;
(9) Faith-based classes or services;
(10) Civic engagement and reintegrative community services;
(11) Inmate work and employment opportunities;
(12) Victim impact classes or other restorative justice programs; and
(13) Trauma counseling and trauma-informed support programs.
(b) Productive Activity (PA). A PA is a group or individual activity that allows an inmate to remain productive and thereby maintain or work toward achieving a minimum or low risk of recidivating.
(c) Successful participation. (1) An eligible inmate must be “successfully participating” in EBRR Programs or PAs to earn FSA Time Credits for those EBRR Programs or PAs.
(2) “Successful participation” requires a determination by Bureau staff that an eligible inmate has participated in the EBRR programs or PAs that the Bureau has recommended based on the inmate's individualized risk and needs assessment, and has complied with the requirements of each particular EBRR Program or PA.
(3) Temporary operational or programmatic interruptions authorized by the Bureau that would prevent an inmate from participation in EBRR programs or PAs will not ordinarily affect an eligible inmate's “successful participation” for the purposes of FSA Time Credit eligibility.
(4) An eligible inmate, as described in paragraph (d) of this section, will generally not be considered to be “successfully participating” in EBRR Programs or PAs in situations including, but not limited to:
(i) Placement in a Special Housing Unit;
(ii) Designation status outside the institution (e.g., for extended medical placement in a hospital or outside institution, an escorted trip, a furlough, etc.);
(iii) Temporary transfer to the custody of another Federal or non-Federal government agency (e.g., on state or Federal writ, transfer to state custody for service of sentence, etc.);
(iv) Placement in mental health/psychiatric holds; or
(v) “Opting out” (choosing not to participate in the EBRR programs or PAs that the Bureau has recommended based on the inmate's individualized risk and needs assessment).
(5)(i) If an eligible inmate “opts out,” or chooses not to participate in any of the EBRR programs or PAs that the Bureau has recommended based on the inmate's individualized risk and needs assessment, the inmate's choice must be documented by staff.
(ii) Opting out will not, by itself, be considered a disciplinary violation. However, violation of specific requirements or rules of a particular recommended EBRR Program or PA, including refusal to participate or withdrawal, may be considered a disciplinary violation (see this part).
(iii) Opting out will result in exclusion from further benefits or privileges allowable under the FSA, until the date the inmate “opts in” (chooses to participate in the EBRR programs or PAs that the Bureau has recommended based on the inmate's individualized risk and needs assessment, as documented by staff).
(d) Eligible inmate—(1) Eligible to earn FSA Time Credits. An inmate who is eligible to earn FSA Time Credits is an eligible inmate for the purposes of this subpart. Any inmate sentenced to a term of imprisonment pursuant to a conviction for a Federal criminal offense, or any person in the custody of the Bureau, is eligible to earn FSA Time Credits, subject to the exception described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.
(2) Exception. If the inmate is serving a term of imprisonment for an offense specified in 18 U.S.C. 3632(d)(4)(D), the inmate is not eligible to earn FSA Time Credits.
(a) When an eligible inmate begins earning FSA Time Credits. An eligible inmate begins earning FSA Time Credits after the inmate's term of imprisonment commences (the date the inmate arrives or voluntarily surrenders at the designated Bureau facility where the sentence will be served).
(b) Dates of participation in EBRRs or PAs. (1) An inmate cannot earn FSA Time Credits for programming or activities in which he or she participated before December 21, 2018, the date of enactment of the First Step Act of 2018.
(2) An eligible inmate, as defined in this subpart, may earn FSA Time Credits for programming and activities in which he or she participated from December 21, 2018, until January 14, 2020.
(3) An eligible inmate, as defined in this subpart, may earn FSA Time Credit if he or she is successfully participating in EBRR programs or PAs that the Bureau has recommended based on the inmate's individualized risk and needs assessment on or after January 15, 2020.
(c) Amount of FSA Time Credits that may be earned. (1) For every thirty-day period that an eligible inmate has successfully participated in EBRR Programs or PAs recommended based on the inmate's risk and needs assessment, that inmate will earn ten days of FSA Time Credits.
(2) For every thirty-day period that an eligible inmate has successfully participated in EBRR Programs or PAs recommended based on the inmate's risk and needs assessment, that inmate will earn an additional five days of FSA Time Credits if the inmate:
(i) Is determined by the Bureau to be at a minimum or low risk for recidivating; and
(ii) Has maintained a consistent minimum or low risk of recidivism over the most recent two consecutive risk and needs assessments conducted by the Bureau.
(a) Procedure for loss of FSA Time Credits. An inmate may lose earned FSA Time Credits for violation of the requirements or rules of an EBRR Program or PA. The procedures for loss of FSA Time Credits are described in 28 CFR part 541.
(b) How to appeal loss of FSA Time Credits. Inmates may seek review of the loss of earned FSA Time Credits through the Bureau's Administrative Remedy Program (28 CFR part 542).
(c) Restoration of FSA Time Credits. An inmate who has lost FSA Time Credits under this subpart may have part or all of the FSA Time Credits restored to him or her, on a case-by-case basis, after clear conduct (behavior clear of inmate disciplinary infractions under 28 CFR part 541) for two consecutive risk and needs assessments conducted by the Bureau.
(a) How Time Credits may be applied. For any inmate eligible to earn FSA Time Credits under this subpart who is:
(1) Sentenced to a term of imprisonment under the U.S. Code, the Bureau may apply FSA Time Credits toward prerelease custody or supervised release as described in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.
(2) Subject to a final order of removal under immigration laws as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17) (see 18 U.S.C. 3632(d)(4)(E)), the Bureau may not apply FSA Time Credits toward prerelease custody or early transfer to supervised release.
(3) Serving a term of imprisonment pursuant to a conviction for an offense under laws other than the U.S. Code (see Section 105 of the FSA, Pub. L. 115-391, 132 Stat. 5214 (not codified; included as note to 18 U.S.C. 3621)), the Bureau may not apply FSA Time Credits toward prerelease custody or early transfer to supervised release. This paragraph (a)(3) will not bar the application of FSA Time Credits, as authorized by the DC Code, for those serving a term of imprisonment for an offense under the DC Code.
(b) Consideration for application of FSA Time Credits. Where otherwise permitted by this subpart, the Bureau may apply FSA Time Credits toward prerelease custody or early transfer to supervised release under 18 U.S.C. 3624(g) only if an eligible inmate has:
(1) Earned FSA Time Credits in an amount that is equal to the remainder of the inmate's imposed term of imprisonment;
(2) Shown through the periodic risk reassessments a demonstrated recidivism risk reduction or maintained a minimum or low recidivism risk, during the term of imprisonment; and
(3) Had the remainder of his or her imposed term of imprisonment computed under applicable law.
(c) Prerelease custody. The Bureau may apply earned FSA Time Credits toward prerelease custody only when an eligible inmate has, in addition to satisfying the criteria in paragraph (b) of this section:
(1) Maintained a minimum or low recidivism risk through his or her last two risk and needs assessments; or
(2) Had a petition to be transferred to prerelease custody or supervised release approved by the Warden, after the Warden's determination that:
(i) The prisoner would not be a danger to society if transferred to prerelease custody or supervised release;
(ii) The prisoner has made a good faith effort to lower their recidivism risk through participation in recidivism reduction programs or productive activities; and
(iii) The prisoner is unlikely to recidivate.
(d) Transfer to supervised release. The Bureau may apply FSA Time Credits toward early transfer to supervised release under 18 U.S.C. 3624(g) only when an eligible inmate has, in addition to satisfying the criteria in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section:
(1) An eligible inmate has maintained a minimum or low recidivism risk through his or her last risk and needs assessment;
(2) An eligible inmate has a term of supervised release after imprisonment included as part of his or her sentence as imposed by the sentencing court; and
(3) The application of FSA Time Credits would result in transfer to supervised release no earlier than 12 months before the date that transfer to supervised release would otherwise have occurred.