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EXPLAINED: FSA, SCA, AND COMPUTATION OF ETC

Assistant to the Director, FSA Subject-Expert, Rick Stover.

January 21, 2026

Overview.

Calculations of Time Credits Was a Software Issue.

Now, FSA Time Credits are being done correctly.

Reentry Services: Moving inmates to RRC and or HC isn’t great – But improving.

Designation and Sentencing Computation Center started a Triage Team to work with the Reentry Services Division.

Two points:

  1. Addressed ETC for those in RRC, and moved those eligible to HC.

  2. FSA staff lack training; they made an Online Slide tutorial for staff to use. This covers FSA ETC Calculations.

Earned Time Credits (ETC), The Law. “These have to be ‘earned’ before they can be applied.”

  • “Opt-In,” while in the institution. OLD WAY: Case Managers would wait until the program was completed – and then provide the credits.

  • This was flawed because months had passed by the time that the referral was approved, and now, beyond the date for the amount of time credits that the inmate earned.

  • The language under FSA is very definitive: it’s ‘will’ and ‘shall’. These credits will and shall be applied.

  • The BOP feels that even though you’re placed, LATE, into the RRC – and you still have your sentence to serve: the BOP has the discretionary authority here.

Conditional placement dates.

  • You have to be serving a time for an offense that is not disqualifying, and a pattern score that is a minimum or low.

  • As we were calculating these dates, there should be no expectation on the part of the inmates that this was a guarantee.

  • We are now absolutely, positively calculating FSA dates correctly. Now, those calculations run every day. Every day.

To the case managers out there. we do not want case managers doing manual calculations.

  • If inmates are going to the staff, saying, “I did a manual calculation. Can you verify this?” We’re not going to do that. We’re not in the business of doing the manual calculations. We’ve got the formula working right. The program is working right. (opps, Dr MJB).

June 17th memo – SCA:

  • Inmates who need HH go there; those who don’t and are eligible go to HC.

  • Place inmates at the end of their sentence into the community for up to 12 months, six months, or 10%, whichever is less.

  • The five factors are the Law and discretion.

THE BUCK DOESN’T STOP HERE?

It’s really not an FSA problem. It’s a problem of two separate laws. (opps, Dr MJB).

  • FSA, if you’re eligible, essentially places you in the community for a much longer time than was allowable under the Second Chance Act. So the easiest way to describe it is, for every 30 days, you get 15 days in the community, or 15 days are either off your sentence. That would be the first 365 days; anything beyond that, you don’t get it off your sentence, but you do get it towards your community placement, either in an RC or home confinement.

If a HH has open beds, from the BOP Perspective: we’re dealing with contracts and contract quotas- not open beds? Why? Their empty beds may be contracted to a state, jail or other facility.