Inmate Recreation Programs (Program Statement 5370.12)

By Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq., and Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA

Field	Value
Program Statement	5370.12
Subject	Inmate Recreation Programs
Effective / current edition	06-22-2026
Change notices	None. PS 5370.12 was issued fresh on 22 June 2026 and carries no change notice.
Supersedes	PS 5370.11, Recreation Programs, Inmate (6/25/2008), rescinded — PS 5370.12 at p. 1
Governing statute	No statute authorizes the program. One statute restricts it: the appropriations rider codified as a note to 18 U.S.C. § 4042, most recently Pub. L. No. 107–77, tit. VI, § 611 (Nov. 28, 2001), 115 Stat. 800, which bars appropriated funds for in-cell television, R/X/NC-17 movies, martial-arts instruction or equipment, and weightlifting or bodybuilding equipment. The Bureau’s general duty is 18 U.S.C. § 4042(a)(3).
28 C.F.R. anchor	Part 544, subpart D — “Inmate Recreation Programs,” §§ 544.30–544.35 (verified; the PS’s own reference list at p. 15 agrees). Recreation in restrictive housing is governed elsewhere — see 28 C.F.R. § 541.31.
Related BP forms	BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale · BP-A0197, Temporary Receipt. PS 5370.12 at p. 15 states that no Bureau form is prescribed by the 5370 series itself.
Official PDF	bop.gov/policy/progstat/5370_012.pdf

Checked against the BOP policy set · 2026-09-06.

Program Statement 5370.12 is the Bureau of Prisons’ rule for everything the Recreation department runs: the yard and the gym, intramural sports, wellness classes, hobbycraft and art, music, movies, and special events. It sets how many hours a day the recreation areas are to be open, what programs every institution has to offer, and what the Bureau will not pay for.

The June 2026 edition is a substantial rewrite, not a refresh. It adds a daily-hours standard the recreation policy never had, directs every institution to offer six wellness and health-education components, raises the hobbycraft spending cap, replaces a single television-size limit with three, and for the first time routes recreation programming through First Step Act need assessments. For the plain-language walkthrough of what the yard, gym and rec schedule actually look like, start with Prison Recreation Programs and Workouts, which links back here for the rule.

The rule itself: recreation programs

Everything in this section is transcribed from the Bureau’s own text at bop.gov/policy/progstat/5370_012.pdf.

The hours — the number people come for

This is the single most searched fact about federal prison recreation, and until June 2026 it was not in the recreation Program Statement at all. PS 5370.12 at p. 4, transcribed verbatim from the list of things the Supervisor of Recreation (SOR) must do:

Ensure Recreation hours are reflective of institution operations. Recreation activities will be offered in indoor and/or outdoor recreation areas at least 10 hours per day to include morning, afternoon, and evening hours. Weekday hours must be provided at such times to ensure access for inmates with morning, day, and evening work assignments to allow equitable access to programs and recreation areas.

Three things to notice. The standard is 10 hours per day, not per week, and it is not split between weekdays and weekends — a single figure covering both. It is satisfied by “indoor and/or outdoor” areas, so a compound can meet it without the yard being open the whole time. And the second sentence is the one that does work on a shift-work compound: hours have to be scheduled so that people on morning, day and evening details all get access. If you work nights and the gym closes before your shift ends, that sentence is what you quote.

Note carefully what this is. Section 4 of the Program Statement carries no C.F.R. section number, and the passage is printed in the Bureau’s “implementing instructions” typeface. No regulation sets a number of recreation hours for the general population. The only hours figure anywhere in 28 C.F.R. chapter V is for restrictive housing, and it is much smaller — see Recreation in the SHU, below. This distinction is developed under What binds and what does not.

The six components every institution has to offer

New in 2026. PS 5370.12 at p. 8: “In addition to FSA program offerings, institutions must offer diverse programming, to include those for special populations which address wellness and health education needs. Six separate program components have been identified and must be offered.”

#	Component	What the Program Statement directs (pp. 8–10)
1	Structured Exercise	“scheduled activities offering opportunities for inmates to participate in regular, moderate levels of exercise,” monitored by Recreation staff using activity logs recording type, location, day and date, scheduled duration, participant names, and “names and signatures of staff monitoring activity daily.” Non-cash incentives — certificates, recognition photographs, or consumables not sold in the Commissary — “may be established to encourage an inmate to pursue a program of regular exercise.”
2	Health Awareness Resource Area	“a designated area in the Recreation department that contains resource materials that further support physical fitness, wellness, and health education.” Must include “pamphlets, books, and videos” addressing eight dimensions of wellness: Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, Social, Spiritual, Environmental, Financial, Occupational.
3	At-Risk Program	On referral, Recreation staff “will interview, and if appropriate, counsel the inmate to recommend enrollment.” At-risk participants “will be formally assessed utilizing health appraisals, fitness assessments, and exercise program plans,” including “a review of exercise history,” “a fitness assessment,” and “recommended recreation programs.” The program is overseen by a staff member with specialized certification, a degree in physical education or exercise science, or personal training credentials. “Enrollment in the At-Risk Program is voluntary.”
4	Wellness Classes	“structured classes led by Recreation staff, contractors, volunteers, or qualified inmates with staff oversight,” drawn from an approved list.
5	Volunteers and Community Resources	“ongoing program support to the Bureau through community organizations or individuals from colleges, universities, fitness clubs, hospitals, veteran agencies, or organizations contributing to overall program effectiveness.”
6	Leisure Programs and Special Events	“Institutions must offer as many leisure programs as resources allow,” including “organized and informal games, sports, physical fitness, table games, hobbycrafts, music programs, and intramural activities.” Institutions “must offer a minimum of two health fairs and one special event per site each fiscal year.”

“At-risk” is a defined term. PS 5370.12 at p. 3 describes it as someone identified by any Bureau staff member through observation as reluctant to participate in recreation and referred to the Recreation department because they “are overweight or have a negative health history,” “have a negative attitude toward physical fitness or exercise programs,” “have a cognitive, physical, or emotional disability/needs,” and/or “have other physical or psychological problems.” Referral is by staff; enrollment is voluntary; nothing in the policy makes participation a condition of anything else.

What the Bureau will not pay for

These are the restrictions people actually run into, and the most important thing about them is that most are statutory, not policy. PS 5370.12 at pp. 6–7:

Restriction	The Bureau’s own words	Pin-cite	Source of the restriction
Martial arts	“No funds from any funding source will be used for instruction (live or through broadcasts) or training equipment for boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, or any other martial arts.”	p. 6	Statute — appropriations rider, § 611
Weights	“No body building or weightlifting equipment of any sort may be purchased for recreation purposes.”	p. 6	Statute — § 611
In-cell television	“There will be no in-cell television viewing for inmates, whether funded with Salaries and Expenses (S&E) funds, Trust Fund profits, or donations from community sources,” except for inmates “segregated from the general prison population for their own safety (e.g., WITSEC)”; “confined to cells or rooms at medical centers for serious, chronic medical conditions”; “housed in cells on a regular and continuous basis (e.g., ADX, Secure Mental Health Units)”; or “otherwise allowed by policy.”	p. 6	Statute — § 611 (which excepts only prisoners “segregated from the general prison population for their own safety”)
Movie ratings	“No movies rated R, X, or NC-17 may be shown to inmates.” Institutions “may show rated R and NC-17 movies that have been edited by a licensed distributor for institution viewing.” Unrated non-English movies “may be shown if they do not include graphic violence or nudity.”	p. 7	Statute for R/X/NC-17 — § 611. The regulation, 28 C.F.R. § 544.33, bars only X-rated.
Television size	“Education television leisure stations: Televisions must be no larger than 32 inches.” · “Small television rooms: Televisions must be no larger than 55 inches.” · “General housing units and open recreation areas: No size limitations.”	p. 7	Program Statement only
Television technology	“All televisions purchased for inmate use must have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB port capabilities disabled prior to placement and capabilities must remain disabled for the duration of use.”	p. 7	Program Statement only
Public performance	“Institution use of movies in public performances without a licensing agreement is prohibited.”	p. 7	Program Statement only (copyright licensing)
Running events	“Running events will ordinarily not exceed 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles.” Events “will ordinarily not be scheduled more than two times per year”; additional events may be approved by the Warden. Water “must be readily accessible and provided by the Recreation department.”	p. 8	Regulation for the distance and medical/fluid provisions — 28 C.F.R. § 544.34; the twice-a-year frequency is Program Statement only

Art and hobbycraft: the numbers

The hobbycraft provisions carry more hard numbers than the rest of the policy combined. Under PS 5370.12 at p. 11, use of hobbycraft facilities “is a privilege the Warden or designee may grant or deny,” and art and hobbycraft programs “are intended for the personal enjoyment of an inmate and as an opportunity to learn a new leisure skill. They are not for the mass production of art and hobbycraft items by artists or to provide a means of supplementing an inmate’s income” — that last sentence is regulation, 28 C.F.R. § 544.35(d).

Limit	The Bureau’s own words	Pin-cite
Quarterly spending	“The total amount an inmate may spend on art or hobbycraft materials, through commissary and/or special purchase order, is not to exceed $450 quarterly. Institutions may set a lower limit based on operational needs.”	PS 5370.12 at p. 12
Items listed for sale	“An inmate may list no more than three separate articles at any given time and no more than six articles may be listed for sale annually.”	p. 13
Sale price ceiling	“The sale price will not exceed the amount spent on the materials to create the item.”	p. 13
Disposal deadline	The Warden “shall require the inmate to mail completed hobbycraft articles out of the institution at the inmate’s expense, or to give them to an authorized visitor within 30 days of completion, or to dispose of them through approved sales.”	p. 12
Sale deadline	“articles offered for sale must be sold within 90 days of completion, or must be given to an authorized visitor or mailed out of the institution at the inmate’s expense.”	p. 12
Facility time	“the Warden may limit an inmate’s use of any workshop or classroom to six months to make room for new students.”	p. 14
Who may buy	“Inmates may sell hobbycraft articles to community members ONLY during ESB approved art shows.” “Bureau staff are not permitted to purchase inmate hobbycraft items.”	p. 12
Where the money goes	“Proceeds received will first be applied to any financial responsibility the inmate has such as felony assessments or restitution. If no financial responsibility exists, 50% of the proceeds will be deposited into the inmate’s Pre-Release Savings Account and the remaining 50% into their regular commissary account.”	p. 14

How materials are obtained and how finished work is disposed of are regulation, 28 C.F.R. § 544.35(a)–(c), quoted at PS 5370.12 at p. 11:

(a) An inmate engaged in art or hobbycraft activities may obtain materials through: (1) The institution art program (if one exists); (2) The commissary sales unit; (3) Special purchase commissary orders, if the sales unit is unable to stock a sufficient amount of the needed materials; or (4) Other sources approved by the Warden. (b) Each inmate shall identify completed art or hobbycraft products by showing the inmate’s name and register number on the reverse side of the item. (c) Completed or abandoned art or hobbycraft articles must be disposed of in one of the following ways: (1) Upon approval of the Warden, by giving the item to an authorized visitor. The quantity of items will be determined by the Warden. (2) By mailing the item to a verified relative or approved visitor at the inmate’s expense. (3) By selling, through an institution art and hobbycraft sales program, if one exists, after the institution price committee has determined the sale price. (4) Other methods established by the Warden.

And the consequence of doing none of those, p. 11: “To reduce fire hazards and to conserve space, art and hobbycraft items that are not disposed of in any of the listed ways are contraband.”

The two forms

Selling through the institution program runs on two Bureau forms, both named at PS 5370.12 at pp. 13–15. BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale, is the register: the inmate submits the finished article with a price tag reflecting their own valuation, Recreation staff assign a serial number and enter it on the BP-A0196, and the Hobbycraft Price Committee approves the register before anything goes on display. If the Committee’s price differs from the inmate’s, “the inmate’s approval will be obtained on the BP-A0196 … prior to display. If the inmate disagrees with the HPC’s price, and refuses to sign the form indicating approval, the item must be withdrawn from sale” (p. 13). The SOR retains these records for at least three years. BP-A0197, Temporary Receipt, records the money: “Funds received, either cash or postal money order, for articles sold will be recorded on a BP197, Temporary Receipt form” (p. 14).

On display, “the article and original BP-A0196 … will be delivered to the staff member with oversight responsibility,” and “[e]ach article on display will indicate the name and serial number of the item and the price designated by the HPC, but the inmate’s name, register number or other personally identifiable information shall not appear on the item.” An inmate “may withdraw an article displayed at any time prior to a sale” (p. 13).

What binds and what does not in PS 5370.12

PS 5370.12 typesets the answer on every page: “Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this type. Implementing instructions: this type,” with regulation in blue and staff instruction in black. That color is lost the moment the PDF is converted to text, which is why most copies of this policy online give a reader no way to tell a rule from an instruction. We inspected the original page images and matched every regulatory sentence against the current text of 28 C.F.R. §§ 544.30–544.35 on eCFR.

In PS 5370.12	Status
§ 544.30 Purpose and scope — the Bureau “encourages inmates to make constructive use of leisure time and offers movies, games, sports, social activities, arts and hobbycrafts, wellness and other group and individual activities” (p. 2)	Regulation. § 544.30
§ 544.31 Definitions (a)–(e): leisure activities, organized activities, art work, hobbycraft activities, inmate wellness program activities (pp. 2–3)	Regulation. § 544.31
§ 544.31(f) “At-risk inmate. For the purposes of this program statement…” (p. 3)	Program Statement only. The regulation stops at (e); there is no (f) in 28 C.F.R.
§ 544.32 Goals — Warden ensures leisure activities meet “social, physical, psychological, and overall wellness needs”; (a) activities designed to attract participation regardless of ethnic, racial, age or sex difference or handicap; (b) opportunity to complete one or more activities (p. 5)	Regulation. § 544.32
§ 544.33 Movies — “If there is a program to show movies, the Supervisor of Education shall ensure that X-rated movies are not shown” (p. 7)	Regulation, and only this sentence. § 544.33 says nothing about R or NC-17
§ 544.34 Inmate running events — 10 km / 6.2 miles; medical staff and fluids should be available (p. 8)	Regulation. § 544.34
§ 544.35 Art and hobbycraft — materials, identification, disposal, and restrictions (1)–(7) (pp. 11–14)	Regulation. § 544.35
“at least 10 hours per day” (p. 4)	Program Statement only. No C.F.R. provision sets general-population recreation hours
Six wellness components; eight dimensions of wellness; two health fairs and one special event per fiscal year (pp. 8–10)	Program Statement only
$450 quarterly hobbycraft cap; three-articles-at-a-time and six-per-year sale limits; sale price capped at materials cost; 50/50 proceeds split (pp. 12–14)	Program Statement only. The regulation authorizes the Warden to set limits; it sets none
Television size tiers (32 / 55 / no limit) and the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB disabling requirement (p. 7)	Program Statement only
Running events “ordinarily not … more than two times per year” (p. 8)	Program Statement only
Staff responsibilities of ESB, Regional Education Administrators and institutions; SOR administrative duties; equipment inspection schedules (pp. 3–5)	Program Statement only
No martial-arts funding; no weightlifting or bodybuilding equipment purchases; no in-cell television; no R/X/NC-17 movies (pp. 6–7)	Statute. Appropriations rider — see below

A Program Statement is the Bureau’s internal instruction to its own staff, not a rule the public can enforce like a regulation. The Supreme Court described one in Reno v. Koray, 515 U.S. 50, 61 (1995), as “an internal agency guideline” that is “akin to an ‘interpretive rule’ that ‘do[es] not require notice and comment,'” though “still entitled to some deference.” So when this page says the policy “directs staff” to do something, that is precise language, not hedging.

Where the equipment restrictions actually come from

The most-asked question about federal prison recreation is why there are no weights. The answer is not BOP policy. It is an appropriations rider that Congress has carried forward since the mid-1990s, codified as a note to 18 U.S.C. § 4042. The operative version, Pub. L. No. 107–77, tit. VI, § 611 (Nov. 28, 2001), 115 Stat. 800, provides:

Hereafter, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Bureau of Prisons shall be used to provide the following amenities or personal comforts in the Federal prison system— (1) in-cell television viewing except for prisoners who are segregated from the general prison population for their own safety; (2) the viewing of R, X, and NC–17 rated movies, through whatever medium presented; (3) any instruction (live or through broadcasts) or training equipment for boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, or other martial art, or any bodybuilding or weightlifting equipment of any sort; (4) possession of in-cell coffee pots, hot plates or heating elements; or (5) the use or possession of any electric or electronic musical instrument.

Three consequences follow. First, these are the only recreation restrictions in this whole area that a Warden could not lift even if he wanted to — they are a limit on the use of federal money, and the word “Hereafter” makes the rider permanent rather than annual. Second, PS 5370.12’s own text acknowledges this: at p. 7 it directs the SOR to “ensure the program adheres to the statutory restrictions” and to “follow statutory restrictions when selecting movies.” Third, the Bureau’s policy is in one respect broader than the statute: § 611 excepts in-cell television only for prisoners “segregated from the general prison population for their own safety,” while PS 5370.12 at p. 6 adds three further categories — medical-center cases, people housed in cells on a regular and continuous basis such as ADX and Secure Mental Health Units, and anyone “otherwise allowed by policy.” That gap is noted for review below.

Applied Insight — Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA, Managing Director: When a recreation complaint goes nowhere, the reason is almost always that it was pointed at the wrong target. Nobody at the institution can give you weights, and a BP-9 asking for them will be denied on the first pass and will burn twenty days you cannot get back. But the 10-hours-a-day standard, the requirement that weekday hours reach people on every work shift, the six components, the two health fairs a year, the Health Awareness Resource Area, the SHU exercise regulation — those are all things a Warden actually controls. Read the restriction table before you write anything, decide which column your problem sits in, and aim only at the ones the institution can fix. The single most useful sentence in the policy for a working man is on p. 4: hours “must be provided at such times to ensure access for inmates with morning, day, and evening work assignments.”

Recreation in restrictive housing

Recreation in the Special Housing Unit is governed by different policy, and by the one recreation-hours provision that is actually a regulation. Cover it here to orientation depth; the full treatment is on our Special Housing Units (PS 5270.12) page and, in plain language, Solitary Confinement and Special Housing Units.

28 C.F.R. § 541.31, which sets conditions of confinement in the SHU, is written in the second person and states:

You will receive the opportunity to exercise outside your individual quarters at least five hours per week, ordinarily on different days in one-hour periods. You can be denied these exercise periods for a week at a time by order of the Warden if it is determined that your use of exercise privileges threatens safety, security, and orderly operation of a correctional facility, or public safety.

Set that against the general-population standard and the contrast is the whole point: 10 hours a day in general population, as a matter of Bureau policy; five hours a week in the SHU, as a matter of regulation. The SHU figure is the enforceable one. If someone in restrictive housing is not being offered rec, the citation is § 541.31 and the route runs through the Special Housing Units policy, not through PS 5370.12. Recreation in a Special Management Unit is governed by its own program statement — see Special Management Units (PS 5217.02).

What the recreation programs policy means for you

If you are the person inside: the two recreation schedules

Two schedules matter and they are posted in different places. The recreation schedule — yard, gym, hobbycraft, wellness classes — is a monthly activity schedule the SOR is directed to “[d]evelop and post … in recreation departments and on the electronic inmate bulletin board,” and to retain for three years (PS 5370.12 at p. 4). The program rules are separate: Recreation staff are to “ensure written rules of conduct exist for leisure and wellness programs, including hobbycraft,” addressing unsportsmanlike and other inappropriate conduct, and “[t]hese written program rules must be posted in Recreation and the electronic bulletin board” (p. 6). Read both. Program suspension for conduct is a Recreation department sanction, distinct from a disciplinary incident report, and the rules that trigger it are supposed to be posted.

Three things worth doing early. First, if your work detail conflicts with rec hours, say so in writing and quote p. 4 — the policy directs that weekday hours be scheduled to reach people with morning, day and evening assignments. Second, if a physical or cognitive disability limits what you can use, the SOR “must follow the guidelines in the Program Statement Management of Inmates With Disabilities to ensure requests for reasonable accommodations are appropriately addressed” (p. 5); ask for the accommodation in writing rather than at the rec desk. Third, if you want the hobbycraft shop, ask for the institution’s local hobbycraft procedures — the policy directs that they be written and that they set the limits on quantity of items produced per inmate (p. 11), so the cap you will be held to is a local number, not a national one.

Recreation now sits inside the First Step Act machinery, and it is worth being precise about what that does and does not mean. PS 5370.12 at p. 4 directs the SOR to “[e]nsure EBRRs and PAs addressing the FSA Recreation/Leisure/Fitness need are offered to inmates with an identified need in this area,” and at p. 9 that Recreation departments “must offer programming to address the identified FSA needs of the population.” “EBRR” is an Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction program and “PA” a Productive Activity — the two categories of programming that figure in the First Step Act framework. Whether any particular class is on the approved list, and whether an individual is eligible for anything, are questions this Program Statement does not answer; those turn on the FSA policies and on individual circumstances. See First Step Act Time Credits (PS 5410.01) and First Step Act Assessments, Programming, and Incentives (PS 5405.01). Do not assume rec time counts toward anything until the unit team confirms the assignment in writing.

If you are the family member: what recreation costs

The recreation question families ask most is about money, and the answer is in one number: $450 a quarter, through commissary or special purchase order combined, for art and hobbycraft materials — and institutions may set that lower (PS 5370.12 at p. 12). That is a spending ceiling, not an allowance; the money comes from the commissary account you fund. Our page on how that account works is Inmate Canteen and Commissary Items, and the funding side is covered by the Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual.

The second question is about finished work coming home. It can, and there are exactly four routes: given to an authorized visitor with the Warden’s approval, mailed to a verified relative or approved visitor at the inmate’s expense, sold through an institution sales program, or another method the Warden establishes (28 C.F.R. § 544.35(c)). The clock is short — 30 days from completion to mail it out or hand it to a visitor, 90 days if it is offered for sale — and items disposed of in none of those ways “are contraband” (PS 5370.12 at p. 11). Mailing runs through ordinary correspondence procedures, so postage and packaging rules apply: see Correspondence (PS 5265.14). If a piece is large or fragile, ask early, because size can itself be restricted by the Warden.

Third, buying. You cannot simply buy a piece. Sales to community members happen “ONLY during ESB approved art shows,” which the institution must propose to the Education Services Branch, which consults the Office of General Counsel (p. 12). Bureau staff may not buy inmate hobbycraft at all. And if your loved one owes restitution or a felony assessment, proceeds go there first before any split into savings or commissary (p. 14) — see Inmate Financial Responsibility Program and Inmate Restitution.

If you are counsel: recreation programs

Two points are worth carrying into a file. First, this policy generates unusually good records. The SOR retains monthly activity schedules for three years (p. 4); equipment inspection logs — recreation equipment and jogging areas weekly, hobbycraft equipment daily — are documented with “a list of equipment, date inspected, signature of inspecting staff findings, and any corrective action taken,” retained three years (p. 5); structured-exercise activity logs carry participant names and daily staff signatures (p. 8); BP-A0196 sale registers are retained at least three years (p. 13); and institutions report recreation performance and outcomes quarterly to Central Office (p. 4). In an injury case, in a disability-accommodation dispute, or in establishing program participation for a sentencing or reduction filing, those are the documents to ask for, and their retention periods are stated in the policy itself. Records requests run through the unit team and, where staff will not produce them, through a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request.

Second, be clear-eyed about what the policy will carry. Under Koray a Program Statement is an internal guideline; a departure from PS 5370.12 is not itself a cause of action. The enforceable recreation floor for a client in restrictive housing is 28 C.F.R. § 541.31‘s five hours a week, not the 10-hours-a-day policy figure. An equipment-related injury claim is a Federal Tort Claims Act matter on an SF-95, a separate track from the administrative remedy program — see Federal Tort Claims Act. And a reasonable-accommodation dispute is properly framed under the disabilities policy the recreation statement incorporates by reference at p. 5: Management of Inmates with Disabilities (PS 5200.06).

What changed from PS 5370.11 to 5370.12

PS 5370.12, dated 22 June 2026, rescinded PS 5370.11, Recreation Programs, Inmate (6/25/2008) — PS 5370.12 at p. 1. It was one of 23 Program Statements the Bureau reissued that day. The Summary of Changes at pp. 1–2 reads, verbatim:

– Changes the title from “Recreation Programs, Inmate” to “Inmate Recreation Programs.” – Defines staff responsibilities of Education Services Branch, Regional Offices, and institutions. – Removes monthly department meeting reporting requirements. – Eliminates the requirement to complete a quarterly narrative report. – Removes Attachment A, “Questions and Concerns Regarding the Implementation of the Legislation Affecting Recreation and Other Recreation Issues.” – Updates specific television size limitations. – Clarifies hobbycraft sales program procedures. – Updates movie viewing and movie program guidance. – Adds language requiring staff to follow mandates in accordance with the Program Statement Management of Inmates With Disabilities. – Includes information from The First Step Act of 2018 (FSA) Programs. – Eliminates the requirement of an Institution Supplement. – Adds the requirement to offer six components in wellness and health education. – Standardizes the At-Risk Program. – Adds the requirement for a Health Awareness Resource Area in the Recreation department. – Updates required programming hours in Recreation. – Adds requirements for Health Fairs and other special events (e.g., walkathons, health education events, national fitness events). – Increases quarterly spending limit for art and hobbycraft materials.

Reading the two editions side by side puts numbers on those bullets:

Provision	PS 5370.11 (6/25/2008)	PS 5370.12 (6/22/2026)
Recreation hours	No hours standard of any kind. The word “hours” appears in PS 5370.11 only in relation to instructional course hours and leisure hours generally	“at least 10 hours per day to include morning, afternoon, and evening hours,” with weekday scheduling to reach every work shift (p. 4)
Television size	“Televisions for the inmate population may not exceed 30 inches.” (PS 5370.11 at p. 8)	Three tiers: 32 inches at education television leisure stations, 55 inches in small television rooms, no size limitation in general housing units and open recreation areas (p. 7)
Television technology	No provision	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB “must be disabled prior to placement and capabilities must remain disabled for the duration of use”; hospitality televisions recommended (p. 7)
Hobbycraft quarterly spending	“The limit may not exceed $300 per quarter through commissary, special purchase order, or a combination of the two.” (PS 5370.11 at p. 13)	“not to exceed $450 quarterly. Institutions may set a lower limit based on operational needs.” (p. 12)
Items listed for sale	No cap	“no more than three separate articles at any given time and no more than six articles may be listed for sale annually” (p. 13)
Sale price	“Articles may not be sold for more than the amount the Price Committee approves.” (PS 5370.11 at p. 13)	Same, plus “The sale price will not exceed the amount spent on the materials to create the item.” (p. 13)
Who may buy	“Inmates may sell hobbycraft articles or finished goods, and visitors or Bureau employees may buy such articles” (PS 5370.11 at p. 13)	Sales to community members “ONLY during ESB approved art shows”; “Bureau staff are not permitted to purchase inmate hobbycraft items” (p. 12)
Sale proceeds	Recorded on a Temporary Receipt and delivered to the mail room for daily collections; no distribution rule	Applied “first … to any financial responsibility”; if none, 50% to the Pre-Release Savings Account and 50% to the regular commissary account (p. 14)
Display privacy	“the inmate’s name or register number may not appear on the item” (PS 5370.11 at p. 15)	“the inmate’s name, register number or other personally identifiable information shall not appear on the item” (p. 13)
Unsold items	“Articles not sold within 90 days will be returned to the inmate” (PS 5370.11 at p. 15)	“Articles not sold during the approved art show will be returned to the Hobbycraft Coordinator for further disposition” (p. 13)
Wellness programming	Physical fitness and health education merged into the 2008 statement, without defined components	Six required components, including a Health Awareness Resource Area covering eight dimensions of wellness, and a standardized At-Risk Program curriculum (pp. 8–10)
Health fairs / special events	No requirement	“a minimum of two health fairs and one special event per site each fiscal year” (p. 10)
First Step Act	Predates the Act entirely	Recreation must “offer programming to address the identified FSA needs of the population”; EBRRs and PAs addressing the FSA Recreation/Leisure/Fitness need offered to those with an identified need (pp. 4, 9)
Institution Supplement	Required	“Institution Supplement. None.” (p. 2)
Attachment A	A question-and-answer attachment explaining the § 611 statutory restrictions	Removed
Reporting	Monthly department meeting reports and a quarterly narrative report	Both eliminated; quarterly performance and outcome reporting to Central Office ESB retained (p. 4)

Three of those deserve emphasis. The 10-hour daily standard is genuinely new to this policy — PS 5370.11 contained no recreation-hours figure at all, which is why the Bureau’s bullet “Updates required programming hours in Recreation” understates what happened. The removal of Attachment A deletes the Bureau’s own plain-English explanation of the § 611 restrictions, which is precisely the material families search for; the statute is unchanged, only the explanation is gone. And the hobbycraft sales rewrite converts what had been a routine display-case operation into an ESB-approved art-show model with a materials-cost price ceiling and a mandatory restitution-first proceeds split — a much tighter regime, consistent with the regulation’s own instruction that the program is “not … to provide a means of supplementing an inmate’s income.”

The underlying regulation did not move. 28 C.F.R. §§ 544.30–544.35 read today as they have for years. Everything above changed at the policy level.

Where people get stuck with recreation access

Four problems recur. Each has a route, and the route matters more than the complaint. The first step is almost always an Inmate Request to Staff — form BP-A0148, the “cop-out” — a short written request to a named staff member. If that produces nothing, the formal ladder is the Administrative Remedy Program: a BP-9 to the Warden, a BP-10 to the Regional Director, a BP-11 to the Office of National Inmate Appeals, under 28 C.F.R. part 542, subpart B. The clock is short — 28 C.F.R. § 542.14(a) sets “20 calendar days following the date on which the basis for the Request occurred,” subject to an extension “[w]here the inmate demonstrates a valid reason for delay.” BOP publishes BP-A0148 but does not publish the BP-9, BP-10 or BP-11 forms; you get those from your unit team. See Administrative Remedy Program, Request to Staff, and Prison Grievances.

Rec is closed, or the hours do not match my work detail. Address the cop-out to the Supervisor of Recreation, with a copy to the Unit Manager if the conflict is with your detail. Give dates and shift times, not adjectives. Quote PS 5370.12 at p. 4 by page: recreation activities offered “at least 10 hours per day to include morning, afternoon, and evening hours,” and weekday hours provided “to ensure access for inmates with morning, day, and evening work assignments to allow equitable access.” Ask for the posted monthly activity schedule, which the policy directs be maintained and retained for three years. Understand the ceiling on this argument: the 10-hour figure is Bureau policy, not regulation, so what you are asking for is compliance with the Bureau’s own instruction. During a lockdown or modified operations the analysis is different — see Lockdowns and Modified Operations.

No rec in the SHU. This is the strongest recreation complaint that exists, because it rests on a regulation rather than a policy. 28 C.F.R. § 541.31 provides five hours a week of out-of-cell exercise, “ordinarily on different days in one-hour periods,” and allows denial only “for a week at a time by order of the Warden” on a stated safety, security or orderly-operation determination. Two things follow: the denial has to be by the Warden’s order and it has to be renewed weekly, so ask in writing for the order and its date. Cite the section number. See Special Housing Units.

Equipment is broken, or someone got hurt. These are two different problems with two different routes. For broken equipment, the policy gives you a specific hook: the SOR assigns staff “to inspect recreation equipment and jogging areas weekly and hobbycraft equipment daily,” documented with dates, findings and corrective action, retained for three years (PS 5370.12 at p. 5). A cop-out that names the equipment and asks for the inspection record on a specific date is far harder to ignore than one that says the machine is broken. For an injury, the route is not the administrative remedy program at all — property loss and personal injury claims go under the Federal Tort Claims Act on an SF-95, a separate track with its own deadline. See Federal Tort Claims Act and, on the medical side, Patient Care (PS 6031.06) and Medical and Dental Care in Prison.

Hobbycraft: an item was seized, a sale was blocked, or a price was cut. Match the problem to the provision. Seizure of unauthorized materials is a disciplinary matter — “Disciplinary action may be taken against inmates found with unauthorized hobbycraft materials in their possession,” including removal from the program (p. 14) — and goes through the Inmate Discipline Program and prison disciplinary infractions. A finished item treated as contraband is usually a deadline problem: 30 days from completion to mail it out or hand it to a visitor, 90 days if listed for sale (p. 12). A price dispute has its own built-in remedy: if you disagree with the Hobbycraft Price Committee’s price and refuse to sign the BP-A0196, “the item must be withdrawn from sale” (p. 13) — you are not obliged to accept the Committee’s number. And on transfer, “recreation staff must follow guidance in Program Statement Inmate Personal Property,” with Recreation responsible for contacting the unit team to obtain a disposition address for unauthorized items (p. 11): see Inmate Personal Property (PS 5580.10).

Where the underlying problem is designation, sentence computation, medical care or a First Step Act credit calculation, the administrative remedy path is necessary but rarely sufficient on its own. Those belong in a consult — see Federal Prison Consulting Services or contact us. Exhaustion also matters if court is ever a possibility: under the Prison Litigation Reform Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a), no action may be brought about prison conditions until available administrative remedies are exhausted. “Exhaustion” means completing every level of the internal grievance ladder, on time, before filing.

Related BOP policy on recreation

The paired information page: Prison Recreation Programs and Workouts is the practical, plain-language companion — what the yard and gym actually look like, how people train without weights, how the schedule works in daily life. It links back here for the rule, and this page names it in the first screen. Further practical reading: Entertainment in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 7 Prison Weight Loss Secrets, and MP3 Players in Federal Prison.

Policies that meet recreation directly: Special Housing Units (PS 5270.12) and Special Management Units (PS 5217.02) for restrictive-housing exercise, which PS 5370.12 does not govern. Inmate Personal Property (PS 5580.10) for which recreation items may be kept and what happens to hobbycraft on transfer — PS 5370.12 at p. 6 states that “[r]ecreation items allowed as inmate personal property are listed in Program Statement Inmate Personal Property.” Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (PS 4500.13) for the funding of recreation programs and televisions, and Inmate Canteen and Commissary Items for hobbycraft purchasing. Correspondence (PS 5265.14) for mailing finished work out. Management of Inmates with Disabilities (PS 5200.06), which the 2026 edition newly incorporates for reasonable accommodations.

Programs on the same side of the house: Literacy Program and GED (PS 5356.01) — Recreation and Education share the Education Services Branch and, at many institutions, the same Supervisor. First Step Act Time Credits (PS 5410.01) and First Step Act Assessments, Programming, and Incentives (PS 5405.01) for the FSA need areas the 2026 edition now addresses. Release Preparation Program (PS 5325.09), Psychology Treatment Programs (PS 5330.11), and Management of Aging Offenders (PS 5241.01), which intersects the At-Risk Program. The Female Offender Manual (PS 5200.09) governs programming for women’s institutions.

Money, work and routes: Work and Performance Pay (PS 5251.06) and Federal Prison Jobs and Work Assignments, because a recreation orderly assignment is a work detail. Inmate Financial Responsibility Program (PS 5380.08) and Inmate Restitution for where hobbycraft proceeds go first. Administrative Remedy Program, Request to Staff, FOIA and Privacy Act Requests, and the Federal Prison Handbook.

Frequently Asked Questions About Inmate Recreation

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Program Statement 5370.12 — full text

What follows is the Bureau’s own text, reproduced in full from its published PDF. Nothing is shortened or paraphrased. The official version is posted by the Bureau here: PS 5370.12 (PDF).

5370.12 6/22/2026 Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this type. Implementing instructions: this type. 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Federal Bureau of Prisons PROGRAM STATEMENT Inmate Recreation Programs Approved by William K. Marshall III Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons DPI RSD Number 5370.12 Date June 22, 2026 Summary of Changes Program Statement Rescinded:

• 5370.11 Recreation Programs, Inmate (6/25/2008) Changes:
• Changes the title from “Recreation Programs, Inmate” to “Inmate Recreation Programs.”
• Defines staff responsibilities of Education Services Branch, Regional Offices, and institutions.
• Removes monthly department meeting reporting requirements.
• Eliminates the requirement to complete a quarterly narrative report.
• Removes Attachment A, “Questions and Concerns Regarding the Implementation of the Legislation Affecting Recreation and Other Recreation Issues.”
• Updates specific television size limitations.
• Clarifies hobbycraft sales program procedures.
• Updates movie viewing and movie program guidance.
• Adds language requiring staff to follow mandates in accordance with the Program Statement Management of Inmates With Disabilities.
• Includes information from The First Step Act of 2018 (FSA) Programs.
• Eliminates the requirement of an Institution Supplement.
• Adds the requirement to offer six components in wellness and health education.
• Standardizes the At-Risk Program.
• Adds the requirement for a Health Awareness Resource Area in the Recreation department.
• Updates required programming hours in Recreation.
• Adds requirements for Health Fairs and other special events (e.g., walkathons, health

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education events, national fitness events).

• Increases quarterly spending limit for art and hobbycraft materials.

1. § 544.30 Purpose and scope.

The Bureau of Prisons encourages inmates to make constructive use of leisure time and offers movies, games, sports, social activities, arts and hobbycrafts, wellness and other group and individual activities.

The purpose of this program statement is to ensure the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) provides recreational programs and services that support the physical, emotional, social well-being, and reentry needs of the inmate population by offering opportunities for structured and unstructured recreational activities.

a. Program Objectives.

• To provide inmates with the services and skills needed to use their time constructively and reduce idleness.
• To enhance the physical, emotional, and social well-being of inmates through wellness activities consistent with FSA objectives.

b. Institution Supplement. None.

2. § 544.31 Definitions.

(a) Leisure activities are a wide range of activities in which inmates may participate when not performing assigned duties. Leisure activities include participation in organized and informal games, sports, physical fitness, table games, hobbycrafts, music programs, intramural activities, social and cultural organizations, movies, and stage shows. Religious activities, psychological services, and education classes are not included within this definition, except when they are used specifically to encourage knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to leisure activity involvement. (b) Organized activities are those activities accounted for by registration or roster of individual participants, and occur at a scheduled time and place.

(c) Art work includes all paintings and sketches rendered in any of the usual media (oils, pastels, crayons, pencils, inks, and charcoal).

(d) Hobbycraft activities include ceramics, leatherwork, models, clay, mosaics, crochet, knitting, sculptures, woodworking, lapidary, and other forms consistent with institution guidelines.

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(e) Inmate wellness program activities include screening, assessments, goal setting, fitness/nutrition prescriptions and counseling.

(f) At-risk inmate. For the purposes of this program statement, the term at-risk inmate is used to describe those who have been identified by any Bureau staff member through observation that is reluctant to participate in recreational activities and referred to the Recreation department because they:

• are overweight or have a negative health history;
• have a negative attitude toward physical fitness or exercise programs;
• have a cognitive, physical, or emotional disability/needs; and/or
• have other physical or psychological problems.

Enrollment in the At-Risk Program is voluntary.

3. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

The following Bureau components are responsible for ensuring consistent establishment of Recreation programs, services, and resource allocation.

a. Education Services Branch (ESB)

The ESB is the agency’s source for expertise on development, coordination, and management of recreation programs. Specifically, the ESB is responsible for the following functions:

• Providing national oversight and development of recreation programs and initiatives for the inmate population.
• Researching and gathering information on recreation programs and trends addressing the physical, emotional, and social well-being of inmates.
• Assisting Regional Education Administrators (REA), Supervisors of Education (SOE), and Supervisors of Recreation (SOR) in establishing new programs that encourage inmates to make constructive use of their leisure time.
• Representing the Bureau at internal and external events/conferences by providing information regarding inmate recreation programs.
• Providing leadership and guidance to Regional Office and institution staff.
• Developing and providing staff professional development regarding recreation programs.
• Preparing recreation program monitoring reports for internal and external stakeholders.

b. Regional Education Administrators (REA)

• Ensuring all institutions offer recreation programs that meet the diverse needs of the inmate population.

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• Advising ESB of issues and concerns affecting recreation programs at the institutions in their region.
• Providing oversight to institutions regarding the implementation and monitoring of new and existing recreation programs.
• Monitoring and ensuring institution staff are appropriately reporting quarterly outcomes.

c. Institutions

• Ensuring recreation programs are supervised by staff meeting the qualifications outlined in the General Policies and Instructions for the Qualification Standards Handbook.
• Offering recreation services and leisure activities targeting the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the inmate population.
• Tracking participation in recreation programs by updating the applicable Bureau inmate management system and other databases as appropriate.
• Monitoring and reporting recreation program performance and outcomes quarterly to the Central Office ESB.
• Including recreation programs in the Admission and Orientation (A&O) reference materials as well as posting them on the Recreation department bulletin board.
• Ensure inmates used as recreation program assistants, under the supervision of a qualified staff member, are trained using the Recreation Assistant Training program.

4. RECREATION/LEISURE TIME ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

The SOR must:

• Ensure Recreation hours are reflective of institution operations. Recreation activities will be offered in indoor and/or outdoor recreation areas at least 10 hours per day to include morning, afternoon, and evening hours. Weekday hours must be provided at such times to ensure access for inmates with morning, day, and evening work assignments to allow equitable access to programs and recreation areas.
• Ensure EBRRs and PAs addressing the FSA Recreation/Leisure/Fitness need are offered to inmates with an identified need in this area.
• Develop and post a monthly activity schedule in recreation departments and on the electronic inmate bulletin board. The SOR is to retain these activity schedules for three years.
• Develop and provide a presentation for the Admission and Orientation (A&O) program that:
• Identifies and encourages participation in EBRR,PA, wellness, leisure, at-risk, and any additional programs available to the inmate population.
• Identify and explain program rules and consequences, such as program suspensions, that

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can result from inmates violating established rules.

• Coordinate structured leisure programs monthly within each housing unit. Activities must be coordinated and receive written approval by the SOR, Unit Manager, and Captain.
• Ensure wellness and leisure classes are entered in the applicable Bureau inmate management system. SORs, or SOEs where no SOR position exists, must provide Recreation department staff training specific to entering wellness and leisure class information in the applicable Bureau inmate management system. Wellness and leisure classes may be entered in the system if:
• the class has an approved curriculum by the SOR or SOE,
• attendance records are maintained,
• the class curriculum has completion criteria,
• the class is classroom-based and/or instructional in nature, and
• the class does not involve games or free play.
• Conduct monthly Recreation department staff meetings if a separate department than Education or ensure all Recreation staff participate in the Education Department monthly staff meeting.
• Develop guidelines for using protective equipment and clothing for inmates, as well as procedures to disseminate and enforce those guidelines.
• Assign staff to inspect recreation equipment and jogging areas weekly and hobbycraft equipment daily.

The SOR will develop local tracking to document the inspection of recreation equipment, jogging areas, and hobbycraft equipment (e.g., grinders, saws, lathes, ceramic kilns). These documents will be maintained for three years and will include a list of equipment, date inspected, signature of inspecting staff findings, and any corrective action taken.

The SOR must follow the guidelines in the Program Statement Management of Inmates With Disabilities to ensure requests for reasonable accommodations are appropriately addressed and every effort is made to accommodate inmates with both physical and cognitive disabilities.

5. § 544.32 Goals.

The Warden is to ensure, to the extent possible, that leisure activities are provided to meet social, physical, psychological, and overall wellness needs of inmates.

Recreation leisure programs provide a means for developing social and interpersonal skills.

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Uncooperative or other inappropriate behavior is not conducive to the development of these social skills. To meet these goals, Recreation staff will ensure written rules of conduct exist for leisure and wellness programs, including hobbycraft. At a minimum, these rules will provide guidance on addressing unsportsmanlike (e.g., suspension from programs) and other inappropriate conduct for rule violations. These written program rules must be posted in Recreation and the electronic bulletin board.

(a) Leisure activities are designed to attract inmate participation regardless of ethnic, racial, age, or sex difference, or handicap considerations, and to enhance the potential for post-release involvement.

(b) Leisure activities are designed to ensure that an inmate with the need has the opportunity to complete one or more activities (see 28 CFR 544.81).

28 CFR 544.81 is addressed in the Program Statement Education, Training and Leisure Time Program Standards.

6. RECREATION PROGRAM LIMITATIONS

Funds may be expended from Trust Fund to conduct recreation programs. All funding utilized for recreation must adhere to guidance set forth in Program Statement Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual.

a. Recreation items allowed as inmate personal property are listed in Program Statement

Inmate Personal Property.

b. No funds from any funding source will be used for instruction (live or through broadcasts) or training equipment for boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, or any other martial arts.

c. No body building or weightlifting equipment of any sort may be purchased for recreation

purposes.

d. There will be no in-cell television viewing for inmates, whether funded with Salaries and

Expenses (S&E) funds, Trust Fund profits, or donations from community sources, except for inmates:

• segregated from the general prison population for their own safety (e.g., WITSEC);
• confined to cells or rooms at medical centers for serious, chronic medical conditions;
• housed in cells on a regular and continuous basis (e.g., ADX, Secure Mental Health Units); or
• otherwise allowed by policy.

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Institutions may purchase televisions for inmate use when operationally necessary. Television size limits must be based on the intended location and purpose of use as follows:

• Education television leisure stations: Televisions must be no larger than 32 inches.
• Small television rooms: Televisions must be no larger than 55 inches.
• General housing units and open recreation areas: No size limitations. All television purchases must be appropriate for the designated space, consistent with safety, security, and supervision considerations, and aligned with institutional operational needs. Information regarding funding for the purchase of televisions is outlined in Program Statement Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual.

e. Technology Restrictions. All televisions purchased for inmate use must have Wi-Fi,

Bluetooth, and USB port capabilities disabled prior to placement and capabilities must remain disabled for the duration of use. It is recommended hospitality televisions be procured for inmate use as they allow for the disabling of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and unused USB ports without voiding the warranty. If a hospitality television is not feasible all requirements must still be met. 7. § 544.33 Movies. If there is a program to show movies, the Supervisor of Education shall ensure that X-rated movies are not shown.

The SOR, where Recreation is a separate department, or the SOE where no SOR position exists, has oversight of the institution movie viewing program and must ensure the program adheres to the statutory restrictions.

The SOR must exercise good judgment and follow statutory restrictions when selecting movies for viewing. No movies rated R, X, or NC-17 may be shown to inmates.

Institutions may show rated R and NC-17 movies that have been edited by a licensed distributor for institution viewing. Not all edited movies may be appropriate for the correctional setting; institutions must consider the population and use discretion when selecting movies. Movies in languages other than English and not rated may be shown if they do not include graphic violence or nudity.

Institution use of movies in public performances without a licensing agreement is prohibited. Licensing agreements maintained by Recreation do not pertain to public performances outside of the institution Recreation movie program unless the agreement clearly states otherwise. Department/areas not clearly stated in the Recreation movie program license agreement must pursue separate licensing agreements for their purposes. Videos purchased for educational purposes may come with their own license agreement and would not need to be listed in the Recreation movie program license agreement.

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8. § 544.34 Inmate running events. Running events will ordinarily not exceed 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles. Appropriate medical staff and fluid supplies (e.g., water) should be available for all inmate running events.

The SOR will be responsible for approving running events in coordination with appropriate medical staff. Events will ordinarily not be scheduled more than two times per year. Additional running events can be approved by the Warden. Water or other hydrating drinks must be readily accessible and provided by the Recreation department.

9. FSA PROGRAMS

Recreation departments must offer programming to address the identified FSA needs of the population. The number of programs offered should be commensurate with the needs of the inmate population. Programs listed in the FSA Programs Guide located on the Reentry Services Division (RSD) page of the Bureau’s intranet site are intended to address identified needs in accordance with FSA requirements.

10. WELLNESS AND HEALTH EDUCATION

In addition to FSA program offerings, institutions must offer diverse programming, to include those for special populations which address wellness and health education needs. Six separate program components have been identified and must be offered:

a. Component 1: Structured Exercise. These are scheduled activities offering opportunities

for inmates to participate in regular, moderate levels of exercise. Structured exercise activities will be monitored by Recreation staff using activity logs.

Activity logs will include:

• type of activity,
• location of activity,
• day and date of activity,
• duration of time the activity is scheduled,
• names of inmate participants, and
• names and signatures of staff monitoring activity daily.

These activities may include organized team and individual sports or physical fitness group activities requiring registration of individual participants and occurring at a scheduled time and place.

A system of non-cash incentives, such as certificates, recognition photographs, or consumable items not sold in the Commissary, may be established to encourage an inmate to pursue a

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program of regular exercise. The SOR will establish written procedures for incentives provided for structured exercise programs. Any consumables purchased must be purchased using authorized government funds.

Guidance for entering inmate participation and completion codes into the applicable Bureau inmate management system is available on the ESB page of the Bureau’s intranet site.

b. Component 2: Health Awareness Resource Area. The Health Awareness Resource Area is

a designated area in the Recreation department that contains resource materials that further support physical fitness, wellness, and health education for general and special populations. Health Awareness Resource Areas must include pamphlets, books, and videos which address the following eight dimensions of wellness:

• Intellectual
• Physical
• Emotional
• Social
• Spiritual
• Environmental
• Financial
• Occupational

c. Component 3: At-Risk Program. Upon referral, Recreation staff will interview, and if

appropriate, counsel the inmate to recommend enrollment in the At-Risk Program. The SOR will ensure the ESB approved At-Risk Program curriculum, available on the ESB page of the Bureau’s intranet site, is utilized.

The SOR will ensure at-risk inmates will be formally assessed utilizing health appraisals, fitness assessments, and exercise program plans. These plans must include:

• a review of exercise history
• a fitness assessment
• recommended recreation programs

The At-Risk Program must be overseen by a staff member who has received specialized training through a recognized certification program; has a degree in physical education, exercise science, or other related undergraduate or graduate program; or has personal training credentials. Enrollment in the At-Risk Program is voluntary.

d. Component 4: Wellness Classes. These are structured classes led by Recreation staff,

contractors, volunteers, or qualified inmates with staff oversight. A list of approved wellness classes and guidance for entry into the applicable Bureau inmate management system is available

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on the ESB page of the Bureau’s intranet site.

e. Component 5: Volunteers and Community Resources. This component involves ongoing

program support to the Bureau through community organizations or individuals from colleges, universities, fitness clubs, hospitals, veteran agencies, or organizations contributing to overall program effectiveness. The use of volunteers requires compliance with Program Statement Volunteer Services.

Should any non-federal entity or person offer services or materials free of charge, the Ethics Office will be consulted in accordance with the Program Statement Acceptance of Donations.

f. Component 6: Leisure Programs and Special Events. Institutions must offer as many

leisure programs as resources allow. Leisure programs include participation in organized and informal games, sports, physical fitness, table games, hobbycrafts, music programs, and intramural activities. Special events occur outside normal program activities and provide opportunities for a leisure, social, or cultural experience.

Institutions must offer a minimum of two health fairs and one special event per site each fiscal year. The SOR will ensure maintenance of documentation such as sign-in sheets, program flyers, and a list of outside organizations and/or volunteers. Special event examples are available on the ESB page of the Bureau’s intranet site.

11. § 544.35 Art and hobbycraft.

The art and hobbycraft program enables inmates to make constructive use of their leisure hours, use their skills and creative abilities constructively, and gain a sense of accomplishment. Use of hobbycraft facilities is a privilege the Warden or designee may grant or deny.

Written local procedures will be established for operating the hobbycraft program in recreation.

Procedures will include hobbycraft guidelines for:

• enrollments;
• types of programs and training offered;
• limits on the number of items produced per inmate;
• membership, organization, and procedures for the Hobbycraft Price Committee (if one exists);
• the disposition of finished inmate products (i.e., mailout, disposal); and
• any requirements for protective equipment and clothing for inmates involved in recreation hobbycraft programs.

Guidelines addressing mail related disposition of inmate products must be in accordance with

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procedures in the Program Statements Mail Management Manual and Correspondence.

Obtaining Materials.

(a) An inmate engaged in art or hobbycraft activities may obtain materials through: (1) The institution art program (if one exists); (2) The commissary sales unit; (3) Special purchase commissary orders, if the sales unit is unable to stock a sufficient amount of the needed materials; or (4) Other sources approved by the Warden. (b) Each inmate shall identify completed art or hobbycraft products by showing the inmate’s name and register number on the reverse side of the item. (c) Completed or abandoned art or hobbycraft articles must be disposed of in one of the following ways: (1) Upon approval of the Warden, by giving the item to an authorized visitor. The quantity of items will be determined by the Warden. (2) By mailing the item to a verified relative or approved visitor at the inmate’s expense. (3) By selling, through an institution art and hobbycraft sales program, if one exists, after the institution price committee has determined the sale price.

Completed art and hobbycraft items may only be mailed through the general correspondence procedures described in Program Statement Correspondence.

In the event an inmate is transferred, recreation staff must follow guidance in Program Statement Inmate Personal Property. It is the responsibility of Recreation staff to contact an inmate’s assigned Unit Management team to obtain a disposition address for unauthorized items if applicable.

(4) Other methods established by the Warden.

To reduce fire hazards and to conserve space, art and hobbycraft items that are not disposed of in any of the listed ways are contraband.

(d) Restrictions. Art and hobbycraft programs are intended for the personal enjoyment of an inmate and as an opportunity to learn a new leisure skill. They are not for the mass production of art and hobbycraft items by artists or to provide a means of supplementing an inmate’s income.

The SOR is responsible for developing a record-keeping system to control ongoing and completed projects. Limitations on the quantity of items produced per inmate will be established and listed in the local hobbycraft procedures.

(1) The Warden may restrict, for reasons of security and housekeeping, the size and quantity of

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all products made in the art and hobbycraft program. Paintings mailed out of the institution must conform to both institution guidelines and postal regulations. If an inmate’s art work or hobbycraft is on public display, the Warden may restrict the content of the work in accordance with community standards of decency.

The Warden is to consult with Regional Counsel prior to restricting the public display of inmate artwork or hobbycraft, to ensure that appropriate legal standards are met. If an inmate’s artwork is approved for community display, the SOR will notify the REA and ESB of the details prior to the display occurring.

(2) The Warden may set limits, in compliance with commissary guidelines, on the amount of money an inmate may spend on art or hobbycraft items or materials.

The total amount an inmate may spend on art or hobbycraft materials, through commissary and/or special purchase order, is not to exceed $450 quarterly. Institutions may set a lower limit based on operational needs.

(3) The Warden may restrict for reasons of security, fire safety, and housekeeping, the use or possession of art and hobbycraft items or materials.

(4) Appropriate hobbycraft activities shall be encouraged in the inmate living areas. However, the Warden may limit hobbycraft projects in the cell/living areas to those which can be contained/stored in provided personal property containers. Exceptions may be made for such items as a painting where the size would prohibit placement in a locker. Hobbycraft items must be removed from the living area when completed unless they are approved as personal property.

(5) The Warden shall require the inmate to mail completed hobbycraft articles out of the institution at the inmate’s expense, or to give them to an authorized visitor within 30 days of completion, or to dispose of them through approved sales. However, articles offered for sale must be sold within 90 days of completion, or must be given to an authorized visitor or mailed out of the institution at the inmate’s expense.

Inmates may sell hobbycraft articles to community members ONLY during ESB approved art shows. Institutions will submit art show proposals to ESB who will consult with the Office of General Counsel regarding the appropriateness of the show. The proposal will at a minimum include: the place the items will be shown, the anticipated beginning and end dates of the show, a list of inmates submitting items for sale, prices of the pieces for sale, and documentation of review and approval from the Hobbycraft Price Committee. Community members may only buy such articles as prescribed in this program statement below. In accordance with the Program Statement Standards of Employee Conduct, Bureau staff are not permitted to purchase inmate hobbycraft items.

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Articles for Sale. The inmate must submit finished articles to be offered for sale to the Recreation staff member responsible for the hobbycraft program and attach a price tag reflecting their valuation of the item.

The Recreation staff member must assign a serial number to the item and enter the item and serial number on the register of the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form. The SOR is to retain these records for at least three years.

Hobbycraft Price Committee (HPC). The Warden designates members to the institution HPC. These members typically include the Recreation staff member responsible for the hobby shop, a member of the Education department, and one other staff member.

Prior to making an article available for sale, the HPC approves the register of items on the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form.

(1) Authority. The HPC may return to the inmate any item considered to be poorly constructed or not in good taste. The HPC may consider articles in sets as one piece, with only one serial number assigned.

(2) Sales Approval. Articles may not be sold for more than the amount the HPC approves. Should the HPC’s price differ from the one the inmate provides, the inmate’s approval will be obtained on the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form prior to display. If the inmate disagrees with the HPC’s price, and refuses to sign the form indicating approval, the item must be withdrawn from sale. The sale price will not exceed the amount spent on the materials to create the item. An inmate may list no more than three separate articles at any given time and no more than six articles may be listed for sale annually.

(3) Sales Display. After the HPC’s approval, the article and original BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form, will be delivered to the staff member with oversight responsibility. Recreation staff will retain a copy of the form.

Each article on display will indicate the name and serial number of the item and the price designated by the HPC, but the inmate’s name, register number or other personally identifiable information shall not appear on the item. An inmate may withdraw an article displayed at any time prior to a sale.

Articles not sold during the approved art show will be returned to the Hobbycraft Coordinator for further disposition in accordance with section 11 of this program statement.

(4) Posting. Funds received, either cash or postal money order, for articles sold will be recorded on a BP197, Temporary Receipt form. The funds, along with the yellow copy of the Temporary Receipt, will be delivered to the appropriate department for inclusion in the daily collections.

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Proceeds received will first be applied to any financial responsibility the inmate has such as felony assessments or restitution. If no financial responsibility exists, 50% of the proceeds will be deposited into the inmate’s Pre-Release Savings Account and the remaining 50% into their regular commissary account.

The only permitted methods of disposal of hobbycraft items are outlined in this program statement. Hobbycraft items cannot be donated by the institution to unauthorized outside entities/persons, nor can hobbycraft sales programs require any portion of the sale of hobbycraft items be donated to any outside charity.

(6) Where space and equipment are limited and demand is high, the Warden may set limits on the amount of time an inmate may use a hobbycraft facility, e.g., the Warden may limit an inmate’s use of any workshop or classroom to six months to make room for new students. Hobbycraft participants may be rotated to allow for maximum utilization of the resources.

(7) Disciplinary action may be taken against inmates found with unauthorized hobbycraft materials in their possession. This action may include the removal of the inmate from the hobbycraft program.

12. MUSIC ACTIVITIES

Recreation staff will provide musical instruments. Guidance for purchase and disposal is available on the ESB page of the Bureau’s intranet site.

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REFERENCES

Program Statements Correspondence Education, Training, and Leisure Time Program Standards Inmate Personal Property Mail Management Manual Management of Inmates With Disabilities National Occupational Safety and Health Policy Standards of Employee Conduct Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual Volunteer Services

Bureau Forms Prescribed by 5370 None

Other Bureau Forms BP-A0197 Temporary Receipt BP-A0196 Hobby Shop Articles for Sale

Federal Regulations 28 CFR Subpart D-Inmate Recreation Programs, 544.30-35.

Other References First Step Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-391 (2018).

ACA Standards Performance-Based Standards and Expected Practices for Adult Correctional Institutions (5th Edition): 5-ACI-2E-01, 5-ACI-3D-04, 5-ACI-7C-01, 5-ACI-7C-02, 5-ACI-7C-03, 5-ACI-7C- 04, 5-ACI-7C-05, 5-ACI-7C-06

Performance-Based Standards and Expected Practices for Adult Local Detention Facilities (5th Edition): 5-ALDF-5C-01, 5-ALDF-5C-02. 5-ALDF-5C-04, 5-ALDF-6B-02

Standards for the Administration of Correctional Agencies, 2nd Edition: 2-CO-5C-01

Records Retention Requirements Requirements and retention guidance for records and information applicable to this program are available in the Records and Information Disposition Schedule (RIDS) on the Bureau’s intranet site.

Reviewed for legal accuracy by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq., Principal Attorney·September 2026