About Good Time Credits (GTC)

GTC: Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 29/Friday, February 11, 2022/Rules and Regulations

This video is a straightforward explanation of Good Time Credit.

For a personal, one-on-one call with me to discuss your current issue, or that of a loved one, give me a call (240.888.7778). If I am unable to answer, please leave a brief message, as I personally return all of my calls. Dr. Marc

We are not Attorneys; You Need Legal Representation.

Available to all incarcerated persons,

However, not to those serving life or a sentence of less than a year.
Good Time Credit is changed from 47 to 54 days per year, off Their Imposed Sentence
The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), per BOP Policy,

To Get Good Time Credit, you must either have the following;

Earned your GED or,
Made satisfactory progress toward reaching your GED and
Avoid disciplinary infractions.

Good Time credit can be taken away after being given,

But only for ‘good cause’, and only in these ‘two examples:

For e.g., riot, food strike, work stoppage, etc., or
Misbehavior, where the BOP only learned about it – after the good time was given.

Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) Calculation

“…for every year of imprisonment, you can earn up to 54 days of credit against AGAINST EVERY YEAR – UP FRONT YEARLY.
(“Term of Imprisonment” is widely understood as meaning the sentence of imprisonment imposed by the judge.)”

Simply Put:

For someone in the federal system serving a term of 5 years (THAT EQUALS 1826 days, including an extra day for a leap year), with

With Excellent Conduct, and only if he/she earns all possible good time.

Federal sentences are to be served at approximately 85% of each year, or:

(The 54 Days of GTC is included in the 311.)
311 Days x “5 Years” = 1555 Days Until Release [54 + 311 = 365 | 311 x 5 = 1555]

This means he/she earns

54 Days OFF Of Good Time as they complete each set of 311 days.

By the end of five sets (x) 311 days/year)years,

(5) x (311) = 1555 days = 85%,

of their 1826-Day Sentence; or ~ 85%

INFRACTIONS: COULD KEEP YOU FROM RECEIVING THESE BENEFITS

Challenging these Infraction Charges or any other issue is done through
The Administrative Remedy Process, by using BP- 8, 9, 10, 11, and Title 28 U.S.C. § 2241

EARLY RELEASE OPTIONS

This video explains self-advocating for Early Release, but no one can guarantee what the BOP will do.

I) GOOD TIME CREDIT 15%

time reduction from the date the sentence was imposed.
Don’t get in trouble – No Infractions.

II) First Step Act (FSA): LAW 12 MONTHS

The program allows up to 365 days of earned time credits (ETC), which will apply to early release if you:

The court ordered your supervised release
You have a Low or Minimum PATTERN score
You have kept your PATTERN: Men, Women, the risk level for at least two consecutive assessments conducted by your Unit Team.
You have no detainers or unresolved charges, including immigration status
You have accepted all required programs and are earning status.
What happens if You Have Declined To Take The Programs Offered before or after 1/2023?
- An internal memorandum distributed to halfway house and home confinement overseers asserted that FTC “recalculation is expected to be complete by January 9, 2023.”

III) RDAP

Time off Sentence with RDAP
- sentenced > 36 months, you may receive up to 12 months off the sentence.
- Sentenced> 30 months, you may receive up to 9 months off the sentence.
- Sentenced> 24 months, you may receive up to 6 months off the sentence.
IN ADDITION TO THE (UP TO ) 1 YEAR OF CREDITS – FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF Other FSA PROGRAMS
Following completion of RDAP
- Program Statement, 7430.02 Community Transitional Drug Abuse Treatment requires drug abuse treatment while in the community, either in HH or in HC. It has been understood that the BOP prefers HH or Halfway House, but that differs from their Program Statement, 7430.02.

IV) You are Educated With a Degree and Experience, Create a Course

Start planning a curriculum on a topic that you feel would be interesting
Organized for classes to meet twice per week for several months,
Then you run the idea by your case manager; maybe it could help those with their GED; who knows?
Once all parties agree, your case manager will be happy, and your reentry plan will look great!
It’s just one more thing Working For You.

V) Second Chance Reauthorization Act (SCRA). 12 MONTHS in an RRC Law

No one can be released to HC for more than 10% of their sentence, with a maximum of 6 months, whichever is shorter.

If an individual has,

An established release plan and
Does not need the services of a Halfway House, and
Has a 60-month sentence,
That individual cannot receive more than 180 days of home confinement.

Or,

If your sentence is > 60 mo. (5 yrs) = last 6 mo. on home confinement.
If your sentence is < 60 mo. (5 yrs) = last 10% on home confinement.

The regulation mandates that.
- “Inmates may be designated to community confinement as a condition of pre-release custody and Programming during their final months not to exceed twelve months.” 28 C.F.R. § 570.21(a).
This regulation also provides for
- home detention as a condition of pre-release custody during their final months of imprisonment,
- not to exceed the shorter of ten percent of the inmate’s term of imprisonment or
- six months.”
BOP staff is required to review inmates for RRC placement 17-19 months before their projected release date. Inmates must be individually considered using the five factors listed in §3621(b).
- (1) the resources of the facility contemplated;
- (2) the nature and circumstances of the offense;
- (3) the history and characteristics of the prisoner;
- (4) any statement by the court that imposed the sentence—
  - (A) concerning the purposes for which the sentence to imprisonment was determined to be warranted; or
  - (B) recommending a type of penal or correctional facility as appropriate and
- (5) any pertinent policy statement issued by the Sentencing Commission pursuant to section 994(a)(2) of title 28.
  - No favoritism shall be shown to prisoners of high social or economic status in designating the place of imprisonment or making transfers under this subsection.
  - The Bureau may, at any time, having regard for the same matters, direct the transfer of a prisoner from one penal or correctional facility to another.
  - The Bureau shall make appropriate substance abuse treatment available for each prisoner the Bureau determines has a treatable substance addiction or abuse condition.
  - Any order, recommendation, or request by a sentencing court that a convicted person serve a term of imprisonment in a community corrections facility shall have no binding effect on the Bureau’s authority under this section to determine or change that person’s place of imprisonment.
  - Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a designation of a place of imprisonment under this subsection is not reviewable by any court.
Elderly Home Detention through the First Step Act: Program availability is rare at all BOP facilities.
- The qualifying age is 60+ years, and You can serve that last part at Home
- You must have served two-thirds of the sentence must be served to be eligible.
- The offender must be serving a term of imprisonment other than life imprisonment based on a conviction for an offense or offenses that
- the offender must not have been convicted in the past of any Federal or State crime of violence, sex offense, or other offense enumerated in the statute.
- The offender must not have escaped or attempted to escape from a BOP institution;
- The BOP must determine that the release of the offender to home detention will result in a substantial net reduction of costs to the federal government and
- The BOP must determine that the offender poses no substantial risk of engaging in criminal conduct or endangering anyone if released to home detention.

6/17/2025

6-17-2025 Directive to Fully Implement First Step Act Download

BOP_ Dir. Marshall and Deputy Dir. Smith Hit the Compound Download

A positive example of breaking the recidivism paradigm

LastMile.org, a program started at San Quentin State Prison. Located at San Quentin State Prison, where they started the program, they prepare “incarcerated individuals for successful reentry through business and technology training.”

If You Suspect You’re The Target of a Federal Investigation | Before The Presentence Interview (PSI) | After The PSI – But Before The Sentencing Hearing | After Sentencing or You’re Already Incarcerated | There Are Still Things We Can Do

For a personal, one-on-one call with me to discuss your current issue or that of a loved one, call me (240.888.7778). If I cannot answer, please leave me your name, number, and a brief message as I return all my calls.

We are not Attorneys; you need legal representation.

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