Federal Prisons
Federal prisons house inmates in the same manner as regular facilities, with the opportunity for work and education as well as rehabilitation. There are almost 194,000 federal inmates located at facilities throughout the United States. These prisons have committed a wide range of offenses, but most have to do with drug trafficking or white collar crimes. Others are there for acts such as the Oklahoma Bombing. Most have restitutions to repay, and their working income goes to that fund. In 2004, almost 9 million dollars was earned by inmates in Federal prisons and used for their restitution.
The goal is to give them the opportunity to serve their time while instilling values and marketable skills for them to use once they return to society. Prior to their release, inmates are trained in how to effectively search for jobs matching their skills. This intense training begins about 18 months prior to their release. Budgeting classes, social interaction classes, mock interviews, how to plan meals, everything the inmate is going to be faced with upon release. It helps reduce the stress and anxiety they feel when they are back in society. Newer classes include resume writing and job retention skills.
Federal prisons strictly stick to requirements about notifying witnesses and victims about an inmate’s status. They are made aware of escapes, parole hearings, furloughs, death, and release dates. This was established in 1982 with the Victims and Witnesses Protection Act. The laws were further enforced with the implement of Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement in 1994.
Each inmate is interviewed and screened as they enter the Federal prison system. They also receive a medical, mental, and dental evaluation. The goal is to deal with issues from the start of the sentence. This includes substance abuse as well. The rate of returning to prison is very high. It is at 46% for inmates released from Federal Prisons who commit a new crime and return to a facility within a 3 year period. The focus has shifted to providing better interventions and rehabilitation in the system to reduce the number of people returning to the system.
