Selective Service System/BOP Registration Program – BOP Program Statement 5350.26

Program Statement

OPI: CPD

NUMBER: 5350.26

DATE: 8/17/98

SUBJECT: Selective Service System/BOP Registration Program

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

To provide instructions and procedures relating to the Selective Service System (SSS) and the voluntary registration of eligible males serving sentences in Bureau institutions. Selective Service is responsible for the overall management of the SSS/BOP Registration Program in accordance with the procedures established in the attached Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both parties in May 1992.

All male United States citizens are required by law to register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of their 18th birthday. All other male persons residing in the United States, except legally admitted non-immigrants, are also required to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday but not later than their 26th birthday. Males ages 18 through 25 are exempt from the registration requirement while incarcerated; however, upon release, they have 30 days in which to register.

As a public service to registration-age men who are incarcerated in or being released from Federal correctional institutions, the Bureau and the SSS have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding whereby eligible men shall be informed of the registration requirement and offered the opportunity to register (see the Memorandum of Understanding, Attachment A).

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The expected result of this program is:

All registration-age men who are incarcerated in Bureau institutions will be informed of their Selective Service registration obligation and be offered the opportunity to register.

DIRECTIVES AFFECTED

Directive Rescinded

PS 5350.23 Selective Service System/BOP Registration Program (6/30/97)

Directive Referenced

PS 5290.11 Admission and Orientation Program (3/5/98)

STANDARDS REFERENCED

None.

PRETRIAL/HOLDOVER AND/OR DETAINEE

This Program Statement is only applicable to sentenced inmates who have been designated to an institution for service of their sentences.

APPOINTMENT OF REGISTRARS

The Warden at each Bureau institution housing male inmates shall nominate a minimum of two Bureau employees for appointment by the SSS as the primary and alternate uncompensated registrars responsible for implementing and administering the SSS/BOP Registration Program.

All initial and future registrars must complete an Uncompensated Registrar Appointment (SSS Form 402). The SSS Form 402, as well as all other forms and materials, are available from the respective SSS Region Offices listed on Attachment B.

The completed SSS Form 402 shall be returned to the servicing SSS Region Headquarters where SSS staff will approve all registrar appointments and provide appointees with written notification of approval.

The Selective Service is responsible for the overall management of the SSS/BOP Registration Program in accordance with the procedures established in the Memorandum of Understanding.

INQUIRIES

SSS representatives requiring information concerning the location of an inmate or institution may contact the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Correctional Programs Branch, Central Office, (202) 307-0222, or any Regional Office of the Bureau of Prisons.

/s/

Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Director

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Purpose

All male United States citizens are required by law to register with the Selective Service System (SSS) within 30 days of their 18th birthday. All other male persons who reside in the United States, except legally admitted non-immigrants, are also required to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Men ages 18 through 25 are exempt from the registration requirement while incarcerated. Upon release, they have 30 days in which to register. As a public service to registration-age men who enter or are being released from federal correctional facilities, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and Selective Service have entered into this inter-agency agreement whereby these men are informed of the registration requirement and offered the opportunity to register.

Implementation Procedures

Selective Service shall be responsible for overall management of the SSS/BOP Registration Program. Each BOP facility is located in one of three SSS Regions (see Attachment). Initial or resupply of registration forms and materials for newly activated institutions and existing institutions, as well as approval of all BOP registrar appointments, will be accomplished through the servicing SSS Region Headquarters.

Registrar Appointment

The Chief Executive Officer at each BOP facility housing male inmates shall nominate a minimum of two BOP employees for appointment by Selective Service as the primary and alternate uncompensated registrars responsible for the implementation and administration of the SSS/BOP Registration Program. All initial and future registrars must complete an SSS Form 402, “Uncompensated Registrar Appointment”. The completed SSS Form 402 is to be returned to the servicing SSS Region Headquarters which shall approve all registrar appointments and provide each appointee with written notification of approval.

Program Materials

Selective Service shall provide each participating BOP correctional facility with the following registration forms and materials:

SSS Form 402, “Uncompensated Registrar Appointment”
SSS Form 1, “Registration Form”
“Selective Service and You” Brochure
“Who Must Register” Chart

All registration forms (SSS Form 1) and “Uncompensated Registrar Appointment” forms (SSS Form 402) to be used in this program will be pre-coded by SSS with the letters: SBR. This code is used by Selective Service for statistical tracking purposes only and appears in the upper right-hand corner of the SSS Form 1.

Registration materials must be kept in a secure location and remain under the control of the appointed registrars at all times.

All requests for resupply of registration forms and materials shall be directed to appropriate servicing SSS Region Headquarters. (See Attachment)

Registration Process

During the institution’s Admissions & Orientation (A&O) process, the BOP registrars shall advise registration-age men of the registration requirement and offer them the opportunity to complete a registration form if they have not previously done so. This opportunity shall also be offered at the time of release from BOP facilities. Registration-age men may not be required to provide this information and may not be penalized by the Bureau of Prisons for failure to register.

The information needed to complete the registration form includes full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number (if available), current and permanent address, and telephone number. If a man is unsure if he already registered, he should be encouraged to complete another registration form. Duplicate registrations will not be added to the registration file, but will be used to update a registrant’s record, if necessary.

BOP registrars are to review completed registration forms for accuracy, ensuring that all applicable information has been entered.

Male inmates registering through the SSS/BOP Registration Program may be offered a copy of the SSS publication entitled, “Selective Service and You”, which explains the Selective Service registration program.

The “Who Must Register” Chart is provided for the convenience of the BOP registrars.

Submission of Completed Registration Forms

At the end of each week, completed registration forms (SSS Form 1) are to be mailed to the SSS Data Management Center for processing at the following address:

Selective Service System
P.O. Box 94632
Palantine, IL 60094-4632

Proof of Registration

The SSS Data Management Center reviews and enters the information on completed registration forms into the Selective Service registrant data base and forwards a Registration Acknowledgment to the new registrant. This computerized process takes approximately four to six weeks.

The Registration Acknowledgment is an important document and should be retained in the registrant’s central file until his release because it provides proof that he has complied with the registration requirement. The Registration Acknowledgment also includes a form which the registrant may use to correct or change any information in his registration record, including a change of address during his release status.

Registration Questions

Questions regarding Selective Service registration should be directed to the SSS Registration Information Office by writing or calling:

Selective Service System Registration Information Office
P.O. Box 94638
Palatine, IL 60094-4638
Telephone number: (847) 688-6888

Point of Contact

Questions regarding the implementation and administration of the SSS/BOP Registration Program should be directed to the respective servicing SSS Region Headquarters or to the Bureau of Prisons Regional Offices or the Central Office.

/s/

Peter M. Carlson

Assistant Director

Correctional Programs Division

Federal Bureau of Prisons

/s/

Steven L. Melancon

COL FA ARNGUS

Associate Director for Operations

Selective Service System