First Step Act of 2018

Made contacts in support of: HR 5682, the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act or the FIRST STEP Act. (Sec. 101) This bill amends the federal criminal code to direct the Department of Justice to establish a risk and needs assessment system to assess and classify the recidivism risk of prisoners; to guide housing, grouping, and program assignments; and to incentivize and reward participation in and completion of recidivism reduction programs and productive activities. (Sec. 102) The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must implement the risk and needs assessment system. The bill modifies the computation of good time credit to allow a prisoner to earn a maximum of 54 days per year of the sentence imposed (instead of 54 days per year of the sentence actually served). (Sec. 103) The Government Accountability Office must audit the use of the risk and needs assessment system at BOP facilities. (Sec. 104) The bill authorizes funds for FY2019-FY2023 to carry out this title. Of the amount appropriated, 80% is reserved for use by the BOP to implement the risk and needs assessment system. (Sec. 105) The bill states that it does not authorize prerelease custody for an individual serving a prison term for a state offense. (Sec. 106) It prohibits discrimination against a program, treatment, regimen, group, company, charity, person, or entity based on the fact that it may be or is faith-based. Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2018 (Sec. 202) The bill amends the federal criminal code to require the BOP to allow federal correctional officers to securely store and carry concealed firearms on BOP premises outside the security perimeter of a prison. (Sec. 301) The bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit, subject to specified conditions, the use of restraints on federal prisoners who are pregnant or in postpartum recovery. (Sec. 401) The bill amends the federal criminal code: - to direct the BOP to place a prisoner in a facility that is not more than 500 driving miles away from the prisoner's primary residence, subject to bed availability and the prisoner's security designation; and - to specify that the designation of a prison placement is not reviewable by a court. (Sec. 402) The BOP must place low-risk prisoners on home confinement for the maximum amount of time permitted. (Sec. 403) The bill amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to reauthorize through FY2022 and modify eligibility for an elderly offender early release pilot program. (Sec. 404) The BOP must, as part of prerelease planning procedures, help a prisoner obtain identification, including a Social Security card, driver's license or other official photo identification, and a birth certificate. (Sec. 405) The bill authorizes Federal Prison Industries to sell products to new markets such as the District of Columbia government and nonprofit organizations. (Sec. 406) The BOP must incorporate specialized and comprehensive de-escalation procedures into its training programs. (Sec. 407) The BOP must report on its capacity to treat heroin and opioid abuse through evidence-based programs, including medication-assisted treatment. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts must report on the capacity of treatment-service providers to provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid and heroin abuse to prisoners serving a term of supervised release, including plans to expand access. (Sec. 408) The BOP must establish pilot programs: (1) on youth mentorship; and (2) on service to abandoned, rescued, or vulnerable animals. (Sec. 409) Probation and pretrial services officers must perform court-directed supervision of sex offenders conditionally released from civil commitment. (Sec. 410) The bill expands data collection requirements regarding the National Prisoner Statistics Program. (Sec. 411) The BOP must make tampons and sanitary napkins available free of charge. (Sec. 412) This bill amends the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 to require auditors who monitor compliance with national prison rape standards to be certified. (Sec. 413) The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require at least 8% of funds for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program to be used to provide technical assistance. S 1917, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act. A bill to reform sentencing laws and correctional institutions, and for other purposes. The legislation permits more judicial discretion at sentencing for offenders with minimal criminal histories and helps inmates successfully reenter society, while tightening penalties for violent criminals and preserving key prosecutorial tools for law enforcement. oThe Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017 narrows the scope of mandatory minimum prison sentences to focus on the most serious drug offenders and violent criminals, while broadening and establishing new outlets for individuals with minimal non-violent criminal histories that may trigger mandatory minimum sentences under current law. oThe bill also reduces certain mandatory minimums and provides judges with greater discretion when determining appropriate sentences. oUnder the bill, courts must first review eligible inmates individual cases, including criminal histories and conduct while incarcerated, before determining whether a sentence reduction is appropriate. oImportantly, the bill preserves cooperation incentives to aid law enforcement in tracking down kingpins and stiffens penalties for individuals convicted of serious violent felonies. oIn addition, the bill establishes recidivism reduction programs to help prepare low-risk inmates to successfully re-enter society. oQualifying inmates may receive reductions to their sentences through time credits upon successful completion of recidivism reduction programming. oThe bill also makes retroactive the Fair Sentencing Act and certain statutory reforms that address inequities in drug sentences. Courts must first review each eligible inmates case on an individualized basis, including criminal history and conduct while incarcerated, before determining whether a sentence reduction is appropriate. S 1994, the CORRECTIONS Act. A bill to reduce recidivism and increase public safety, and for other purposes. oThe Corrections Oversight, Recidivism Reduction, and Eliminating Costs for Taxpayers In Our National System (CORRECTIONS) Act is based on successful criminal justice reforms from states like Rhode Island and Texas that have lowered recidivism rates, reduced crime, and saved taxpayer dollars. oRisk Assessment: The bill requires the Department of Justice to develop risk assessment tools that will assess the recidivism risk of all eligible offenders. oReducing Prison Spending: The bill focuses limited Bureau of Prison resources on those most likely to commit future crimes and shifts lower-risk inmates to less restrictive conditions, reducing prison costs and freeing up resources for law enforcement. oExpanded Recidivism-Reduction Programming: The bill requires the Bureau of Prisons to provide evidence-based recidivism reduction programming to all eligible offenders. oPartnerships with Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations: To promote efficient and effective recidivism reduction programming, the Bureau of Prisons must partner with private organizations, including non-profits, to enhance existing efforts. oCredit toward Prerelease Custody: To incentivize inmates to reduce their risk profile, the bill allows eligible inmates who successfully complete recidivism reduction programs to earn credit toward time in pre-release custody, but excludes serious violent criminals. oImproving Prisoner Reentry: The bill requires the federal probation office to begin planning for eligible offenders reentry at the beginning of the inmates sentence and requires the Justice Department to implement reentry pilot projects across the country. oCorrectional Officer Self-Protection Provision: The bill requires the warden of every federal prison facility to provide a secure storage facility for guards to secure firearms. oNational Criminal Justice Commission: The bill creates a national commission to review every aspect of the nations criminal justice system, which was last done in 1965. Also made contacts in support of: S. 3649, First Step Act. A bill to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, and for other purposes. This bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions: * to require the Department of Justice to establish and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to implement a risk and needs assessment system; * to modify the computation of good time credit; * to allow federal correctional officers to securely store and carry concealed firearms on BOP premises outside the security perimeter of a prison; * to limit the use of restraints on federal prisoners who are pregnant or in postpartum recovery; * to reduce mandatory minimum prison terms for certain nonviolent repeat drug offenses; * to broaden the existing safety valve to permit a sentence below the mandatory minimum for certain nonviolent, cooperative drug offenders with a limited criminal history; * to make the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 retroactive; * to require prisoners to be placed within 500 miles of their primary residence; * to require low-risk prisoners to be placed on home confinement for the maximum amount of time permitted; * to reauthorize through FY2022 and modify eligibility for an elderly offender early release pilot program; * to require the BOP to help prisoners obtain identification documents prior to release, to incorporate de-escalation procedures into training programs, and to make tampons and sanitary napkins available free of charge; * to authorize Federal Prison Industries to sell products to additional markets; * to require probation and pretrial services officers to perform court-directed supervision of sex offenders conditionally released from civil commitment; * to require the BOP to establish pilot programs on youth mentorship and service to abandoned, rescued, or vulnerable animals; and * to limit juvenile solitary confinement. S. 3747, First Step Act of 2018. A bill to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, and for other purposes. S. 756, First Step Act of 2018. Became Public Law No: 115-391 on December 21, 2019.