The Federal Bureau of Prisons oversees federal prisons and inmates in the United States, including placement, security, and self-help programs. They also provide programs to help inmates gain skills and transition back into society. Alcatraz, a former maximum security prison, is now a national park.
Founded in 1930, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is an agency run by the United States Department of Justice. Responsible for setting standards for federal prisons scattered across the United States, she oversees the supervision of more than 200,000 federal inmates and ensures prison sentences are enforced as ordered by a federal district court. Decisions about placement in inmate facilities, security, inmate self-help programs, and other related matters are addressed and overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The central office and headquarters are located in Washington, DC, where the National Institute of Corrections and eight other divisions operate.
Determining where a convicted federal offender will serve a prison sentence is one of the responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The office analyzes the prisoner’s safety needs, the availability of local jails, and other inmate requirements, such as medical or mental health treatment. Administrative matters also determine where a prisoner will carry out his judgment. For example, a facility’s current inmate capacity and available staffing may influence the decision to place an offender in one location over another.
While an inmate is serving his sentence, the Federal Bureau of Prisons oversees various programs that help the inmate gain the skills needed to function outside the controlled environment. Literacy and English classes, adult education classes, and library services are generally made available to prisoners so they can learn to thrive in a work environment. Other programs that teach social skills and coping strategies, such as parenting classes and substance abuse treatment, are designed to prevent relapse of negative behaviors. These generally assist prisoners by giving them the skills to function more effectively in society.
Many times, an inmate is transferred to a residential reentry center – also known as a halfway house – to assist in the transition to community life after long-term detention. The office oversees multiple minimum safety centers throughout the United States. Sometimes, however, an inmate does not qualify for release, such as those sentenced to life in prison. Other times, an inmate may be sentenced to death and will be placed in a maximum security prison until the punishment is carried out.
Of all the facilities governed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the most famous, though no longer used for prisoner confinement, was Alcatraz. Located on a desolate island off the coast of San Francisco, California, the maximum security penitentiary operated from 1934 to 1963. Notorious criminals, such as Al Capone and George “Machine-Gun” Kelly, were housed in the prison of the island. The facility closed in 1963, but in the fall of 1973, Alcatraz became a national park and is now visited by people from all over the world, who visit the island where some of the most notorious criminals in the United States were once contained .
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
