medium security

Prisoner’s custody level while in federal prison

November 18, 2010
Thumbnail image for Prisoner’s custody level while in federal prison

A defendant sentenced to federal prison is screened for placement into either a minimum, low, medium, or high security facility in the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The person’s placement is determined by his or her security score from the SENTRY computer system. The security score is determined by the following factors: Voluntary surrender. (The defendant [...]

Read the full article →

How the Bureau of Prisons places inmates in federal prison

November 13, 2010
Thumbnail image for How the Bureau of Prisons places inmates in federal prison

The procedure for placing an inmate in federal prison is governed by the Bureau of Prisons Program Statement P5100.08. A person sentenced to federal prison for a crime may be taken into custody immediately after the sentencing hearing, or the judge may allow the prisoner to take time and surrender at a later date. When [...]

Read the full article →

Minimum and maximum security federal prisons in the United States

November 7, 2010
Thumbnail image for Minimum and maximum security federal prisons in the United States

Federal prisons in the United States are operated by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). There are 115 federal prisons in America. Some are run by the federal government, and others are operated by private contractors. It is estimated that federal prisons house 219,000 inmates. 82 percent of inmates are housed in BOP-managed correctional institutions, while [...]

Read the full article →