By Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA — Managing Director, Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C. Reviewed for legal accuracy by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq., Principal Attorney, Elizabeth Franklin-Best, P.C.
Program Statement 5500.14 at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Program Statement | 5500.14 |
| Subject | Correctional Services Procedures Manual |
| Edition date | October 19, 2012 (PS 5500.14 at pp. 2, 5) |
| Change Notice | CN-1, August 1, 2016 — it changes one paragraph, the Chapter 1 staffing calculation, and nothing else (PS 5500.14 at p. 1) |
| Rescinds | Six earlier policies, including PS 5511.06 Accountability for Inmates, PS 5558.14 Firearms and Badges, and PS 5568.05 After-Action, Reporting and Review (PS 5500.14 at p. 3) |
| Length | Eight chapters, five attachments, 83 pages |
| Official PDF | PS 5500.14, CN-1 (bop.gov) |
Checked against the Bureau’s published policy set · 2026-09-08.
Correctional Services is the custody side of a federal prison: the counts, the post orders, the tool room, the armed posts. PS 5500.14 tells that department how to do its job. It is written for staff, not for the people it is used on, which is why it repays reading — it states what is supposed to happen on an ordinary day and during an incident, and what is supposed to be written down afterward.
On this page
What the manual covers, and what it does not
Eight chapters: management of correctional services; tools and hazardous materials; counts and census checks; emergency assistance to non-federal systems; canine units; after-action review; firearms and badges; and guard service at local medical facilities (PS 5500.14 at pp. 6–8). The procedures apply to pretrial and holdover inmates and to immigration detainees (PS 5500.14 at p. 4).
Much of what people come looking for is elsewhere, and searching the wrong document is the most common reason a good argument goes nowhere. Searches fall under PS 5521.06 (PS 5521.06 at p. 1); force and restraints under PS 5566.07, Use of Force, Application of Restraints, and Firearms, dated July 17, 2024 (PS 5566.07 at p. 1) — twelve years newer, and it covers firearms too; SHU conditions under PS 5270.12 (PS 5270.12 at p. 1); escorted trips under PS 5538.08 (PS 5538.08 at p. 1). Two structural rules also matter: tool control and census check procedures are delegated to each prison’s Institution Supplement, and “[i]f there are any contradictions between the two documents, the Master Agreement will prevail” (PS 5500.14 at p. 4).
Counts and inmate accountability
Each institution conducts “at a minimum, five official inmate counts during every 24-hour period,” plus a 10:00 a.m. count on weekends and holidays; that count and the daily 4:00 p.m. count are stand-up counts (PS 5500.14 at p. 27). At least two officers count, with no movement and no interruption “under any circumstances, other than by an emergency.” One counts while the other observes, then they switch; a disagreement forces a recount, and a second disagreement brings a third staff member and then a bed-book count identifying each person against a picture card (PS 5500.14 at pp. 27–28).
Two sentences carry real weight. Staff “will not conduct a count based upon movements, sounds, or configurations from a covered bed,” and must be “positively observing human flesh” — at night with enough light “to leave no doubt the officer is counting human flesh” (PS 5500.14 at p. 28). Count slips are written in ink, carry both officers’ signatures, and are kept 30 days (PS 5500.14 at pp. 28–29). Census checks are a different thing: they locate people in unauthorized areas and are “not an official or total head count.” Every department runs one each work period, Lieutenants check 25 percent of work details weekly without notice, and each institution runs a monthly, randomly announced lockdown check (PS 5500.14 at pp. 29–30).
Observation rounds in the SHU
For everyone in continuous locked-down status — the manual names administrative detention and disciplinary segregation — staff must observe the person “at least once in the first 30 minute period of the hour” and again “in the second 30 minute period of the same hour.” The rounds “are to be conducted on an irregular schedule and no more than 40 minutes apart,” and “[a]ll observations must be documented” (PS 5500.14 at p. 33). Two details are easy to miss: two rounds inside one clock hour can still break the 40-minute ceiling, and a predictable pattern is itself a departure. Closer observation may be required for someone who is mentally ill (PS 5500.14 at pp. 33–34).
Post orders and the unit log
A post order is the written instruction for an assignment. It states the post’s duty hours, is prepared and signed under the Captain’s supervision, and carries “first responder” instructions for emergencies at that post — assaultive inmates, suicides, fires, evacuation routes (PS 5500.14 at p. 11). Housing unit post orders are signed jointly by the Captain and Unit Manager, direct the officer to keep a unit log, and must state plainly that “inmates do not have any authority over other inmates” (PS 5500.14 at p. 12). Nothing in this manual is marked limited official use — the Bureau publishes all eight chapters — but what it generates is closed to the unit: post orders and log books “are confidential documents and should never be left unattended or in an area accessible to inmates” (PS 5500.14 at p. 13).
Tool control and contraband risk
Tools are classed Dangerous (AA), Hazardous (A) or Non-hazardous (B). Class AA tools are “too dangerous to institutional security for an inmate ever to handle without constant, visual staff supervision”; inmates may use only Class B tools, under intermittent supervision (PS 5500.14 at pp. 15–17, 20–21). A missing tool reaches everyone nearby: staff file a Lost or Missing Tool Report (BP-220) the same day, and “[a]ll inmates with access to the tool or who were in the area when the tool was reported missing will be held at the location until a thorough search has been completed” (PS 5500.14 at p. 22).
Firearms and deadly force
Firearms “must be used only when deemed necessary” for four purposes: preventing escapes; preventing loss of life or serious physical injury; protecting government property whose loss would contribute directly to an escape or serious injury; and maintaining or restoring control of an institution. Use “is prohibited if force other than firearms appear reasonably sufficient,” and necessity “arises when all available means of achieving the law enforcement purpose have failed or are likely to fail” (PS 5500.14 at p. 54).
Staff shoot center mass, and warning shots “will be fired into the ground and never into the air or in an indiscriminate direction” (PS 5500.14 at pp. 54, 56). At walled and multiple-fence institutions a verbal warning and a warning shot precede a shot at the person, unless the employee reasonably believes there is imminent danger of death or serious physical injury; at MCCs and MDCs warning shots are prohibited; at minimum security institutions firearms are ordinarily not used to prevent escape at all (PS 5500.14 at pp. 55–56). Any discharge requires a written report to the Warden before the end of that shift (PS 5500.14 at p. 60). Because PS 5566.07 covers the same ground and is far newer, start there.
After-action review and reporting
A “major incident” includes shooting incidents, major fires, work or food strikes, disturbances, escapes, hostage situations and homicides (PS 5500.14 at p. 47). For a major incident the Regional Director “may, at his or her discretion, appoint an After-Action Review Team.” For shootings it is mandatory: within two working days the Warden files a Report of Incident (BP-583), the Regional Director appoints a Shooting Investigation Team, and a Shooting Incident Review Committee reviews the report “to determine if staff actions complied with established policy” (PS 5500.14 at pp. 47–48).
The format is fixed: executive summary; a chronology that “will not include comments or conclusions”; analysis; conclusions, which “will include comments on staff response”; recommendations; attachments; and a Cost and Impact Statement (PS 5500.14 at pp. 49–50, 77–78). Every report attaches a list of each inmate involved and the degree of involvement (PS 5500.14 at pp. 50–51).
Guard service at outside hospitals
Chapter 8 governs the private contract guards who sit with federal prisoners in community hospitals. They “may be used for MINIMUM or LOW security inmates, assigned In custody or lower” (PS 5500.14 at p. 62). Staffing is ordinarily two guards per “IN” custody inmate and one for “OUT” custody, with at least one guard of the same sex as the person guarded (PS 5500.14 at p. 69). Guards keep constant visual observation and “may not leave the inmate’s room for any reason” (PS 5500.14 at p. 68).
Restraints belong to the institution, not the contractor: they “must be applied to an inmate only as directed by institution staff,” and if hospital staff ask for removal, “the Captain or Operations Lieutenant must be contacted for direction” (PS 5500.14 at pp. 67–68). Guards may not permit visits, calls or mail without the Warden’s authorization and may not carry firearms (PS 5500.14 at pp. 67, 71). Every use of force by a contract guard goes immediately to the Captain or Operations Lieutenant, with memoranda from each guard, an SIS investigation, and a Warden-level review; a finding of excessive force “will be reported to the Bureau’s Office of Internal Affairs” (PS 5500.14 at pp. 71–72).
What gets documented, and how long it is kept
Attachment A is the most practically useful page in the manual: it names the records and sets how long each survives (PS 5500.14 at pp. 74–75).
| Record | Retention |
|---|---|
| Unit log books; Lieutenant’s log; SHU sign-in log; front entrance visitors’ logs | 10 years |
| Shakedown logs (after completion) | 5 years |
| Outdated post orders | 3 years |
| Missing tool report; bus trip logs and reports | 2 years |
| Monthly lockdown accountability; escort instructions; informal resolution | 1 year |
| Administrative detention order | 90 days |
| Detail census checks; count slips and official count sheets | 30 days |
| SIS files (after release) | Indefinite |
Read that column as a clock. The unit log and the Lieutenant’s log — the documents that usually establish what happened on a unit on a given night — last a decade. Count slips do not survive the month.
What correctional services procedures mean for you
If you are the person inside: much of it is written down
Much of what feels arbitrary is written down, here or in your institution’s supplement. Two officers count, and they must see skin rather than a shape under a blanket (PS 5500.14 at p. 28). In the SHU you should be observed twice an hour, never more than 40 minutes apart, with every round documented (PS 5500.14 at p. 33). Write down date, time, unit, post and who was working while it is fresh, because the record you will want may exist for only 30 days. Then use an Inmate Request to Staff (BP-A0148) to ask one narrow question in writing.
If you are a family member: hospital escorts and contract guards
If your person is hospitalized in the community, contract guards are used only for minimum and low security, “In” custody or lower (PS 5500.14 at p. 62); the guard stays in the room (PS 5500.14 at p. 68); only the Warden or a designee authorizes a visit, call or mail (PS 5500.14 at p. 67); and restraints come off only on institution direction (PS 5500.14 at pp. 67–68). If something serious happened, a document was created — force by a contract guard generates guard memoranda and an SIS investigation (PS 5500.14 at pp. 71–72), and a shooting generates a BP-583 within two working days (PS 5500.14 at p. 48).
If you are counsel: correctional services procedures
Treat this manual as a records map before you treat it as a standard of conduct. It names documents by form number and sets retention (PS 5500.14 at pp. 74–75), so a preservation letter drafted against those names and periods beats a general demand — and the 30-day items are gone unless it goes out at once. Three cautions: this is a 2012 manual whose only Change Notice altered the Chapter 1 staffing calculation (PS 5500.14 at p. 1), so confirm which policy and edition governs the conduct at issue; tool control and census procedures live in Institution Supplements; and the manual yields to the Master Agreement where the two conflict (PS 5500.14 at p. 4).
Where people get stuck when the count clears but nobody saw you
The count cleared, but nobody saw you
This is the pattern behind a medical emergency or a death discovered hours late. The rule is concrete — no counting a covered bed, positive observation of human flesh (PS 5500.14 at p. 28) — but the count slip carrying both officers’ signatures is kept only 30 days (PS 5500.14 at p. 29). The unit log, which lasts 10 years, is the record that survives. Ask for both, and ask immediately.
Post orders you are not allowed to read
People want to know what the officer on their unit was required to do and are told the post orders are confidential — which is what the manual says (PS 5500.14 at p. 13). The route is indirect: the manual specifies what every post order must contain and requires housing unit orders to direct the officer to keep a unit log (PS 5500.14 at pp. 11–12), so a request can be framed around those required contents and around the log itself.
Rounds that did not happen
Two failures recur in the SHU. One is the round logged but not made, which needs a second record — the SHU sign-in log and the Lieutenant’s log, both kept 10 years. The other is the technically-twice-an-hour pattern that still leaves more than 40 minutes between observations, which the policy does not permit (PS 5500.14 at p. 33). Record the times precisely.
Related BOP policy on correctional services
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Use of force and restraints | PS 5566.07 |
| Searches of inmates and housing | PS 5521.06 |
| Special Housing Units | PS 5270.12 |
| Inmate discipline program | PS 5270.09 |
| Escorted trips | PS 5538.08 |
| Lockdowns and modified operations | When movement stops |
| Security designation and custody classification | Custody level |
| Administrative Remedy Program | BP-8 through BP-11 |
| What to know about inmate counts | Counts from the inside |
| Searches, shakedowns and contraband | Searches in practice |
| Solitary confinement and Special Housing Units | Life in the SHU |
Frequently Asked Questions About Correctional Services Procedures
How many counts are there in a federal prison each day?
At least five official counts every 24 hours, plus an additional count at 10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. That count and the daily 4:00 p.m. count are stand-up counts, and institutions with secure cell space lock people in for all official counts (PS 5500.14 at p. 27).
What is the BOP rule about counting someone under a blanket?
Staff "will not conduct a count based upon movements, sounds, or configurations from a covered bed," and must be "positively observing human flesh before counting any inmate." At night enough light must fall on the person "to leave no doubt the officer is counting human flesh" (PS 5500.14 at p. 28).
How often are people in the SHU supposed to be checked?
Twice per hour — once in the first 30-minute period of the hour and again in the second — for everyone in continuous locked-down status, including administrative detention and disciplinary segregation. The rounds must be irregular, no more than 40 minutes apart, and every observation must be documented (PS 5500.14 at p. 33).
Does PS 5500.14 cover searches, use of force and the SHU?
Not directly. Searches are governed by PS 5521.06 (PS 5521.06 at p. 1), force and restraints by PS 5566.07 (PS 5566.07 at p. 1), and SHU placement and conditions by PS 5270.12 (PS 5270.12 at p. 1). PS 5500.14 does cover firearms in Chapter 7 and observation rounds in locked-down status.
How long does the BOP keep unit logs and count slips?
Unit log books, the Lieutenant’s log, the SHU sign-in log and front entrance visitors’ logs are kept 10 years; shakedown logs 5 years; missing tool reports 2 years; administrative detention orders 90 days. Census checks and count slips are kept only 30 days (PS 5500.14 at pp. 29, 74–75).
Who is responsible when a contract guard uses force at an outside hospital?
The institution. The incident must be reported immediately to the Captain or Operations Lieutenant, each guard involved submits a memorandum, the Special Investigative Agent or Supervisor investigates and reports to the Warden, and a Warden-level team reviews the facts. A finding of excessive force goes to the Bureau’s Office of Internal Affairs (PS 5500.14 at pp. 71–72).
Checked against the Bureau’s published policy set on 8 September 2026.
Reviewed for legal accuracy by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq., Principal Attorney·September 2026