Articles on day-to-day life in federal prison: mail, money, meals, health care, discipline, and the rules behind each, for families and people in custody.
The differences between federal prison vs state prison in the U.S. criminal justice system are significant. This article delves into these differences in detail, equipping you with knowledge of the critical aspects of each system. Whether you’re a concerned family member, facing…
Looking for information on how to use Western Union for inmates? Want to know how to use Western Union to send money to inmates? If so, you’ve come to the right place. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) recognizes the importance of connecting inmates with their loved ones.…
Prison mail policies concerning providing copies of inmate photos are intended to bolster security. Instead, they create significant challenges for inmates and their families. Replacing original photos with photocopied images diminishes the emotional support and connection that family photos can offer. This…
The Prison Entrepreneur Program (PEP), a Texas-based non-profit formed in 2004, assists inmates convicted of felonies to prepare for life after prison by developing skills and character, finding post-release employment, and eventually making a success with their businesses. The group’s current CEO, Bryan Kelley, is a program…
The other day a Prison Law Blog reader presented a question. “My father is preparing to serve a sentence in a federal prison camp. He doesn’t have a lot of money or other resources. What will the Federal Bureau of Prisons provide…
The abundance of literature on weight loss inevitably leads one to the understanding that successful weight loss tactics are either very extreme or cumbersomely complicated. Some suggest fasting or a liquid diet; others suggest that primarily lean meats should be eaten and…
In American prisons, inmates are held to specific codes of conduct. In the Federal Bureau of Prisons, if prisoners violate these codes of conduct, they are subject to disciplinary proceedings, which can result in the loss of telephone, visitation, commissary, and email…
While the days of gruel in a tin cup have long gone by for inmates confined in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, no one imprisoned in today’s facilities will accuse their captors of providing a five-star dining experience, either. Most federal prisoners…
On April 22, Verizon implemented a service change in which its landline customers are no longer allowed to accept collect calls from inmates confined within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal inmates were notified of this new policy through an April 17…
Prison officials in several states are mulling over two sides of the same coin with respect to organ transplants for prisoners: first, the eligibility and cost of such medical procedures, and second, whether prisoners should be allowed to donate their organs. Prisoners…
The Federal Bureau of Prisons houses approximately 188,000 inmates in over 200 federal prisons, prison camps, and private contract prisons. Tens of thousands more are housed in federal custody in jails and detention centers not directly operated by the federal prison system. Federal prisoners…
Prison can be a dangerous place, even in the best of circumstances. For inmates convicted of sex offenses, an ever-growing population within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, unique challenges and pitfalls exist beyond those experienced by the prison population as a whole.…
Federal prison inmates are now allowed to utilize an MP3 player service. This service operated through all Federal Bureau of Prisons’ institutional commissaries and the use of the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS), allows inmates to purchase 8 gigabyte MP3…
Civil libertarians and prisoner advocacy groups have expressed shock and outrage at the discovery that some Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices, used to monitor the movement and whereabouts of many pre-trial defendants, parolees, sex offenders, and other persons, function like cell…
Few things in this world anger me more than grown men who attack or torture small animals and think it’s acceptable. Sadly, I’m often reminded of how much I hate this occurrence due to the apparently large population of animal abusers who…
Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of American society is our vast network of prison systems. Crime must be hindered, criminals must pay for their crimes, and prison is where we must confine them. But what if the person spending time in the…
Disciplinary infractions are a fact of life for inmates incarcerated within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Simply put, those incarcerated in federal prison will likely have to defend against incident reports at some point during their incarceration. Learning how to defend against…
In an innovative move by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), federal inmates are now allowed to purchase MP3 players from their institution’s commissary and individual MP3 files through their housing unit’s Trust Fund Limited Inmate Communication System (TRULINCS) computers. This system…
The vast majority of inmates incarcerated within the Federal Bureau of Prisons will one day face a disciplinary proceeding. These proceedings could be the result of a serious allegation of misconduct (e.g., fighting or brewing alcohol) or a less serious allegation (e.g.,…
Following Sam Bankman Fried’s November 2, 2023, guilty jury verdicts, all eyes are turning toward his March 28, 2024, sentencing. Likewise, many are wondering where SBF will serve his time in federal prison. This article discusses the Bureau’s designation policies, likely facility…
You can find over a hundred federal prisons in the United States today. However, these prisons aren’t equal; some are better than others regarding safety, comfort, and amenities. Knowing the best federal prisons for your unique situation is extremely helpful in ensuring you are assigned to…
All Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities permits inmate access to law libraries. This page explains prison law libraries, inmate access to law libraries, and how jailhouse lawyers can help. Federal Prison Law Libraries The law library is typically located adjacent to, or…
During a heatwave in the summer of 2017, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Medium Security Institution in St. Louis, Missouri. They chanted “Shut it down,” after a video showing prisoners at the jail begging for relief from soaring temperatures went viral.…
Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team physician, is now serving an extended sentence in federal prison for criminal sexual conduct, child pornography, and sexual abuse charges. As part of his plea agreement, Lawrence Gerard Nassar will face a lifetime behind bars,…
Every post is written by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq. and Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA, and reviewed for legal accuracy by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, the firm’s principal attorney. How we verify →
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