After completion of the R&D process the inmate will be handcuffed, shackled and taken to the S.H.U. (Special Housing Unit) while the inmate's file is being processed. The inmate will generally be confined to S.H.U. for seven to ten days during this process. These living accommodations at the S.H.U. are very poor and secure. The cells are generally one to two men cells; the size is approximately eight feet by ten feet. A toilet, sink and bunk beds, at times for days at a time there will be as many as six inmates in each cell, with shower privileges only granted one to two times a week. The inmate will have no phone privileges or out going mail during the initial entry process to the B.O.P. Upon completion of the inmate's file, several days later, a staff member of the S.I.S. Division will come to the S.H.U. and interview the inmate and go over his/her paperwork and make a decision if the inmate is ready to be moved to the general population. If the S.I.S. staff member detects there is a safety issue, gang issue, or mental issue with the inmate or any type of issue that could result in a problem the inmate will remain confined in the S.H.U. for further evaluation.

August 2005, Robert
During Incarceration

     If the S.I.S. staff member deems the inmate is ready to be moved into the general population, he/she will be issued their photo ID card (which must remain with you at all times) and the inmate's P.A.C. code, this code is the nine-digit code in which to access the phone system. The inmate will be assigned a housing unit, bed, and locker number at this time.  The inmate will be removed from the dungeon type atmosphere of the S.H.U. and taken to the laundry department. The S.H.U. is the location the inmate will be taken for punishment or disciplinary reasons. After seven to ten days of the S.H.U. for the initial visit of confinement with four to six inmates, breaking any rules or causing any problems that would be a direct result of being placed back in the S.H.U. is the last thing that is wanted.

     Upon arrival to the laundry department, the inmate will be issued four towels, four wash cloths, four pairs of underwear, four pairs of socks, four uniform pants, four uniform shirts, four tee shirts, one pair of boots, a belt, a pillow, a pillow case, two sheets, one blanket, and a laundry bag. The inmate will be issued the following toiletries two bars of soap, two small tubes of toothpaste, a small toothbrush, two plastic razors and two rolls of toilet tissue. The inmate will be allowed to replenish soap, toothpaste, razors and toilet tissue two times a week. Each prison system breaks up these days differently. Some by the inmate's federal register number, some by housing unit. The inmate will be allowed to exchange towels, and wash cloths twice a week on a rotation, similar to that listed above in reference to the toiletries. The inmate will also be allowed to exchange his/her sheets once a week for clean ones and exchange the blanket once a month. The inmate will place all of his/her laundry and toiletries in the laundry bag and go to his/her assigned housing unit. Most federal prisons have washers and dryers available for the inmates. Should the inmate elect to wash his/her own clothes, washing detergent is available for purchase at the commissary. It is not furnished by the B.O.P. Most facilities, due to the supply and demand, will have some type of a rotation system for the inmates of when he/she is allowed to wash their clothes. This rotation system varies by facility.

     Upon arrival to the housing unit, the first priority should be to locate the bulletin board, this is where the daily call outs are posted. Check his/her name, federal register number to verify the housing unit is consistent with the information given to him/her upon the exit from S.H.U. The

August 2006 Big Spring, Texas

call-out sheet is posted each day between 3:00pm to 5:00 pm. The call out sheet is the dispatch vehicle used by the B.O.P. to route the inmate to where he/she needs to be for the next day. Examples of call outs would be for medical or psychological reasons or to visit with the counselor, etc. Be aware, any missed call out by the inmate will be subjected to a disciplinary action. Always monitor call out sheets daily as they are posted. The next step the inmate should take is to read the posted rules of the unit in which he/she is assigned. The inmate must read the rules very carefully and thoroughly. Remember there is another underlying sub-section of inmate rules that must be respected. See Life in Federal Prison for more information. Both sets of these rules, institution rules, and self administered inmate rules must at all times be respected and followed. Let McDorman & Associates help with the prison etiquette transition. The next step is to locate the housing unit, bed and move in. Each roommate is known as a 'celly'. (A 'celly' is a prison slang word used for your

'bunky or cellmate'. An up-to-date list of Prison Slang Words and Terminology is available.) It is very important you extend the utmost respect and courtesy to the new 'celly'. Remember, he/she was there first, and this was their territory first. Find some common ground quickly. There is no harder time to do than time with a poor relationship with the new 'celly'. Do not start out on the wrong foot.

     Next, the inmate should go to the counselor's office for the necessary forms to add individuals to the phone and visitation list. The inmate will be allowed to have 30 approved phone numbers on his/her account. The inmate will be allotted 300 minutes of phone usage per month during January - October, and 400 minutes during November and December. Each call has a maximum of 15 minutes of talk time per call. The inmate has the option to call the individuals on his/her list by calling collect or pre-paid calling. It is best for all involved if the inmate has the funds to use the pre-paid method. Pre-paid calls will be placed and charged to inmate's I.T.S. account, (inmate telephone system) at a rate of 24 cents per minute, and no setup fee. In order for the inmate to use the I.T.S. account, he/she must transfer the funds from their commissary account. In the unlikely event the inmate does not have the funds in place to call pre-paid he/she may call the number on their approved call list collect if there is not a collect call blocker placed on the phone number being called. The cost for the first minute is an average of $3.80 and 41 cents for each additional minute. A fifteen-minute pre-paid call is $3.60, a fifteen-minute collect call is $9.24, the difference between the two is significant.

     There are two different visitation forms used by the B.O.P. One will be used for immediate family that will be listed on the PSR report. See Pre Sentence for more information. The other form is a more detailed visitation form for the requested visitor to complete in full, answer pertinent questions, along with authorization for the B.O.P. to verify all data along with criminal history. The inmate must mail this request form to the person requesting visitations. After completing the form, the applicant must return the form to the counselor of the inmate. The counselor will then process the application and approve or deny the applicant. The counselor will notify the inmate through the internal mail system and follow up with a written approval or denial for the applicant requesting permission to visit the inmate. This process takes 21 to 28 days. Normally, no more than five visitors will be permitted to visit at the same time. Failure to comply with the institution's visitation regulations may result in the termination of the visit and suspension or cancellation of visiting privileges. The B.O.P. respects and encourages visits from family and friends and understands the importance to the men/women confined at the particular institution the visits are held. The B.O.P. encourages and focuses on strong family ties between the inmate and his/her family.

    

Within days of arrival to the facility, each inmate will be placed on the call-out to attend his/her first team meeting. The inmate's unit team consist of his/her case manager and counselor. At the initial team meeting, the unit team will go over highlights in his/her file, review points that need to be outlined and discussed, recommended job placement, along with any concerns or questions the inmate may have. Team meetings will be scheduled every six months. Before leaving the meeting, the inmate will be provided with a detail signed copy of the points and concerns discussed at the team meeting. At each team meeting the inmate attends, he/she will have the number of visitors on their approved visitation discussed, and the number of visits the inmate has had in the last six months, since the last team meeting. The B.O.P. system supports family and social contact among the inmate's family and friends. Limited visits sometimes will be used to penalize the inmate. If this particular inmate is selected to be transferred from the facility, he/she is at due to population control by the B.O.P. Then, for example, instead of the inmate being transferred to a facility within 200 miles

August 2006 Big Spring, Texas

of their home, he/she will be transferred to another region, which is 900 miles or more away from his/her home. Once the inmate's file is received and monitored, it is evaluated that he/she has had no family or friends visit him/her in the last several months, even though his/her family and friends are from the area. Without knowledge or consent, the inmate could be and will be sent wherever the B.O.P. deems necessary to relocate the inmate. However, should this particular inmate have had visits from family and friends, and has maintained a good conduct record at the facility, there is a greater chance this inmate would be passed over to be transferred elsewhere. Visits from the inmate's family and friends not only show the B.O.P. that there is a strong family and social support for the inmate during his/her incarceration and upon his/her release, but is invaluable to the personal and mental attitude of the inmate. It is essential to maintain a loving, caring mindset as an inmate knowing someone is there to support him/her. It is important for the family and friends to maintain a factual mindset, and be aware of the negative, degrading, and violent surroundings in which their family member or friend lives in during incarceration.

     Each day, Monday through Friday, the inmate is required to be in his/her cell before 3:30 pm for a mandatory 4:00pm stand-up count. Each Saturday and Sunday, along with federal holidays the inmate is required to be in his/her cell before 9:30am for a mandatory 10:00am stand-up count. In addition to this 10:00am stand-up count, on federal holidays the inmate is required to be in his/her cell by 3:30pm for a mandatory 4:00pm stand-up count. These stand-up counts are a nation wide B.O.P. policy and are taken serious by all the B.O.P. staff and should be strongly respected and abided by, by the inmate. Any talking or disturbances or out of place by the inmate will result in a serious disciplinary offense. All disciplinary steps originate with a one-page computer generated form, a shot. A shot is slang term for an incident report filed against an inmate by B.O.P. staff for breaking B.O.P. rules. View a complete and up-to-date list of Prison Slang Words and Terminology.) The staff member who generates the disciplinary form will affix a number series offense code that matches the written statement in which the disciplinary form is being issued. This completed disciplinary form is turned over to the Lieutenant's office. The inmate is then called to the Lieutenant's office within 72 hours and explained the disciplinary report, and advised of any rights, and then he/she is asked to briefly explain their side. It is noted by the Lieutenant. He/she is asked to sign the completed form. Within 72 hours the U.D.C. (Unit Disciplinary Committee) will place the inmate on the call out, and request the inmate appear before the committee for a hearing. At this hearing, the committee will access possible sanctions on the inmate. These sanctions vary depending on the seriousness of the offense. Sanctions could be one, or more of the following; loss of phone privileges for 30 days, loss of visits for 30 days, loss of commissary privileges for 30 days, or all of the above. Other serious sanctions as whatever the U.D.C. may decide. The inmate has appeal processes available to him/her in the form of administrative remedies. These relief mechanisms are technical, time sensitive, and have

limited success. The inmate should know and understand any disciplinary action will be documented in the inmate's permanent file and be part of the inmate's history. This disciplinary action will also effect his/her custody score, and could effect future privileges he/she would qualify for or be allowed upon review. This is also reviewed and taken into consideration by the inmate's probation officer during the inmate's supervised release program. The inmate will do himself/herself a true justice by accepting and realizing that due to their self inflicted predicament, for the rest of their life, they will be labeled by society as a convict, and will have to always give 110% in honesty, truthfulness to achieve minimal confidence in his/her positive actions. With this in mind, if a disciplinary form "shot" is issued there is some substance to the complaint. As always, the inmate should be sensitive of his/her incarceration position and remember it was their actions or lack of that placed them in this position and give 110% effort to not make or generate any waves. It is important to the inmate's survival, existence, and future success in the B.O.P. to 'remain under the radar' of staff and other inmates. Let McDorman and Associates help you.

August 2006 Big Spring, Texas

     It is important to note that any inmate who continually results to administrative remedy actions against staff members, place himself/herself in a negative context. The inmate should at all costs avoid drawing attention to their self, by either the B.O.P. staff or the inmate population. Be cautious and sensitive of fights pursued and actions taken. A lot is left to learn, and as hard as it may seem learning to bite his/her tongue and turn the other cheek, even when he/she is right. The B.O.P. system is designed to have ultimate control, and power over the inmate. Congress has given the B.O.P. ultimate right to choose how they interpret discretion. This system is not designed to harm or take advantage of the inmates who work hard to do the right thing and do not fight the system. It is designed to control the unruly and the troublemakers. Let McDorman and Associates help you learn how to do your time and get on with your life.

     Every inmate (except inmates on medical restriction) is required to maintain employment during their incarceration. Upon release from S.H.U., the inmate is placed in employment as a ground orderly and will maintain in this employment status until he/she establishes other employment. This is not an easy task due to the fact there are more inmates than jobs. Let McDorman and Associates show you the path to capitalize on the best job for you.

     Within the first few days of the inmates incarceration, after being released from S.H.U., the inmate will show up on the call out to attend an orientation seminar to be explained the facility rules and policies. The inmate is also placed on the call out for a complete medical, dental, mental and physical evaluation.

     Each federal B.O.P. facility has an education department. The education department is responsible for educational testing, academic training, social education, parenting program, vocational training, hobby crafts, recreational activities, as well as the leisure and law libraries.  The inmate must attire to all rules and regulations of this facility to insure the privileges are not taken away. The law library at each facility contains a collection of legal reference materials required by the Federal Prison system. Typewriters are available through a check out system. The inmate is required to purchase his/her own ribbon for use in the typewriter. A Xerox machine is also available for the inmate's use, at the expense of the inmate. Most facilities sell a copy cards at the commissary. An average of $7.00 and will make 50 copies.

    Each federal B.O.P. facility has various recreation and exercise programs available to all inmates who do not violate this privilege. The recreation facility is a division of the education department. Its purpose is to offer a wide range of leisure time activities. Sedentary, athletic, structured and unstructured are available to all interested. Many seasonal activities, clinics, physical fitness and health education programs and other interests are offered. Most facilities have a variety of recreational options such as:

billiards tables ping-pong tables televisions music rooms musical instruments foosball tables basketball gym volleyball court horse shoe pit soccer field bolle ball

stationary bicycles, rowing machines, stair steppers, treadmills, elliptical riders, weights assorted board games such as Monopoly and Life hard surface track racquet ball court hand ball badminton court chess checkers flag football softball field

     Each federal B.O.P. facility has a chapel and chaplain to accommodate the inmate's religious belief. This particular department is known as the religious services department. This department provides programming designed to meet the religious needs of each inmate so he/she may maintain his/her spirituality while incarcerated. In addition, most facilities have periodic revivals, concerts, lectures and seminars are presented. In most cases after visiting with the chaplain and reviewing the institutional pastoral care service calendar. If for some reason the inmate should not find their particular faith group represented, the inmate may consult with the chaplain and at that point, he will advise the inmate of the necessary steps to have their religion approved at the facility.

     The religious service department at most facilities provides scriptures, general religious books, pamphlets, videos, and other similar literature. The chaplain can assist the inmate in arranging to have religious items sent from a publishing company or religious supply company.

     Each federal B.O.P. has it's own mail room facility. All general mail is passed out each day Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, after the 4:00pm count. At most facilities the mail is passed out by range or unit, prior to being released for the evening meal. All incoming mail except "special mail" from the inmate's attorney is opened and inspected for contraband. Letters from the inmate's attorney marked "special mail" will only be opened in the presence of the inmate. On these occasions, the inmate's name will be on the call out to report to the mail room.