Federal prison placement, profiles, and tips
The newest edition of Federal Prison Guidebook is now available from James Publishing, Inc.
How to ensure that your client gets into the best possible prison and is released at the earliest opportunity.
Although it is Bureau of Prisons policy to place an individual in the least restrictive facility within 500 miles of the inmate’s release residence, many inmates end up far from their families in harsher conditions than necessary. It doesn’t have to be that way.
You can
take three steps to ensure that your clients do their time in the best
possible facilities. First, learn how the BOP classifies its facilities,
and the characteristics of each type of facility. Second, understand how
the BOP decides what type of prison is appropriate. Finally, learn how
to increase the odds of a favorable placement.
For assistance with all three steps, turn to Alan Ellis and Michael
Henderson’s Federal Prison Guidebook.
Click here to learn more about Federal Prison Guidebook.
In 400 pages, or about 4 pages each, 105 federal prisons are described under the headings listed below. Most valuable and difficult to obtain is the institution-specific information on educational, vocational, religious, and recreational opportunities.
• Education
• Library
• Vocational/Apprenticeship
• UNICOR
• Counseling/Rehab Services
• Health Services
• Housing
• Smoking Areas
• Fitness/Recreation
• Religious Services
• Commissary
• Telephone Policy
• Inmate Mail
• Visiting Hours
• Lodging/Accommodations Nearby
• Directions to Facility
2.
Understand BOP designation process
16% of all federal inmates are housed
in camps and community settings. The designation information in Federal
Prison Guidebook explains how camp inmates and higher security level
designees are selected, and what you can do to influence BOP’s scoring.
• Scoring the defendant’s security criteria
• Self-surrender
• Public safety factors
• Medical care level
• Management variables
• Central inmate monitoring information
To see 9 practice tips from Federal Prison Guidebook, click here.
3. Increase odds of favorable
placement
Some judges mistakenly think the BOP does not follow their
recommendations. While not binding, the BOP actually follows 85% of
judicial recommendations. Overcrowding is making supported judicial
recommendations more important. Federal Prison Guidebook explains how
counsel can affect recommendations and placement.
• The role of defense counsel
• Ensuring the accuracy of the presentence investigation report
• Obtaining an appropriately-supported judicial recommendation
• Residential drug abuse program
• Community placement
To see Federal Prison Guidebook's full table of contents, click here.
What People are
saying about Federal Prison Guidebook
"The authors are to be congratulated for their success in extracting valuable institution-specific programming—unique, even one-of-a-kind, educational, vocational, religious, and recreational opportunities—from the BOP and other contacts. This information is all but unknown outside a very small circle and is crucial to the clients' overall incarceration experience."
—Howard O. Kieffer,
Santa Ana, CA
From a review in The Champion
“Criminal defense
attorneys are well-served by two chapters: ‘Securing Favorable Prison
Placement’ and ‘Practice Tips.’ These chapters contain everything from
the practical, to the revealing, to the sobering.”
—Elizabeth Kelley, Cleveland, OH
From a review in The Federal
Lawyer
“Post-conviction practitioners Alan Ellis and J. Michael Henderson
have done it again with their [newest] version of the Federal Prision
Guidebook. This book belongs next to the telephone of every federal
criminal practitioner, U.S. probation officer and U.S. district judge in
the nation."
—Jack King, Esq.
Public Affairs Director, NACDL
Click here to order your copy of Federal Prison Guidebook from James Publishing, Inc.