PLACING INMATES WITHIN 500 DRIVING MILES: AN DOJ-OIG REPORT
FSA amends 18 U.S.C. § 3621(b), requiring the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to place inmates in facilities as close to their primary residence as possible.
18 U.S.C. § 3621(b) Placing inmates close to home during incarceration reduces recidivism, eases the harm to family members, and strengthens family ties. Use the interactive dashboard available online at oig.justice.gov, in the attachment below.
The BOP’s mileage calculations were based on a straight-line distance method, not driving miles.
The BOP must consider multiple factors when placing, or “designating” an inmate to a facility. These factors include;
- bed availability,
- security level,
- program needs,
- faith-based requests,
- sentencing court recommendations, and other BOP security concerns
HEALTHCARE
- Also, the BOP classifies inmates into four care levels and places them in facilities that meet their medical and mental health needs. Lower care levels are for those whose medical and mental healthcare needs are minimal
- Inmates classified at higher care levels require higher levels of care, but the number of facilities that can meet these needs decreases.
- When a mental healthcare need is higher than the medical care requirement, placement is based on their mental healthcare level.
The FSA mandated the Attorney General to report to Congress from 2020 to 2025 on the progress made, including the number of inmates located more than 500 miles from their release residences.
OIG RECOMMENDATIONS
- Ensure that the mileage calculation process accurately records driving miles as required by the FSA.
- Make sure that every inmate placement decision is thoroughly supported by the necessary documentation.
- Implement controls, including address standardization and verification, to guarantee that each inmate’s legal address is accurate at all times.
M