Social Furloughs: An Inmate's Time Away from Federal Prison!

Nov. 27, 2009 - PRLog -- During this era of federal authorities indiscriminately ‘getting tough on crime’, many aspects of the rehabilitative approach to incarceration have been reduced to retributive punishment. Parole at the federal level has been eliminated since 1987. Job training and employment skills development has seen decimating cutbacks or elimination at every correctional facility. Sentence reductions in the form of commutations or compassionate release are rare, almost extinct. The lone remaining highlight, the 500 Hour Residential Drug Abuse program, RDAP, is available only at select sites scattered throughout the country. The RDAP program is also characterized by intensely competitive jockeying for acceptance.


The Bureau of Prison’s (BOP) Furlough Program, in the midst of this budgetary, recidivism-augmenting mayhem, has survived the bureaucratic ax. “A furlough is defined by the BOP”, stated Robin Stover, a Federal Prison Consultant for the Prison Consulting Group, “is an authorized absence from an institution by an inmate who is not under escort of a staff member, U.S. Marshal, state or federal agents.” Furloughs are officially available through the delegated authority of the warden of the facility. If the criteria for a social furlough has been met, including the separate requirements of eligibility, custody level, proper conduct, security classification, and length of sentence remaining, there are still hurdles involving small ‘windows of opportunity’ to request a furlough. The first hurdle is at a Unit Team meeting; the second is the submission of proper forms (one can’t just ask), and thirdly is the inmate’s justification for the furlough, i.e., (family, employment, civic activities, etc.).


However, the rewards experienced by the furloughed inmate make all the trouble worth it. First the inmate gets a break from the tedium of institutional life; second, he or she receives the joy of the company of family and friends in a relaxed and familiar environment; third, the reestablishment of social relationships in his or her community; and finally a reintroduction into a constructive social environment and personal support system.


Social furloughs are allowed when the inmate’s time of imprisonment is down to 24 months or less. Up to three (3) social furloughs are allowed per inmate. An inmate must wait 90 days before submitting a request for the second or third furlough. The first furlough generally has to be a 16 hour day furlough, a morning-to-night vacation from which one returns no later than 11 PM at night. The rules are spelled out prior to departure and attested to with the inmate’s signature. If any violation of these rules occurs, the chances for another furlough are, realistically, nonexistent and charges may be brought against the inmate depending on the nature of the infraction.


However, the overwhelming majority of furloughed inmates have positive, uneventful experiences of the sort that may lead to the application for a second social furlough which is a three day overnight vacation at home with his family and loved ones. Following the successful completion of this three day furlough, the inmate may submit an application for a 5-day furlough after waiting for 90 days or more.


Stover explained, “It is important to remember that furloughs are a privilege, not a right. They are always subject to the authority of the warden which means the opportunity for favoritism, politics, discrimination, and bias.” The warden is at once potentially the strongest and the weakest link in the process. The warden has many demands placed on him or her (there are 27 female wardens in the system). These wardens each have to manage hundreds of individuals daily, count them, feed them, and balance their needs within his/her budgetary constraints. All the while the warden must look apt and professional to their superiors, to which they are accountable. To do this, a warden must minimize the chance of a reportable incident, especially one that could become public knowledge, and that reflects poorly on his institution, his choices, and himself.


In this context it is clear and understandable why any given warden would limit extending the furlough privilege to the furlough-eligible without complete trust and assurance. If there is any doubt in his/her mind, the warden will naturally not be forthcoming with permission. It is all downside and no upside. A successful furlough means no more to the warden’s record than an inmate not leaving. An incident on a furlough is a black mark on his supervisory record.


Some wardens under this pressure have gone to the extreme of denying all furlough requests. As counterproductive as that is in the long run, another factor in the disintegration of morale in the system, it simplifies a bureaucrat’s life.


Robin Stover stated that all the paperwork that is required to be done for a successful furlough may seem insurmountable to the inmate. One “i” not doted or one “t” not crossed is a reason for the warden to deny the furlough. This is one of the reasons why Jail Time Consulting is so successful in assisting inmates and their families in obtaining successful furloughs; they dot all the “i’s” and cross all the “t’s”. Wouldn’t you rather put your trust in a professional that knows what to do and how to succeed? I know I would! Robin can be contacted via email at robin@prisonconsultinggroup.com.

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Robin Stover is a nationally recognized Federal Prison Consultant and the founder of the Prison Consulting Group (PCG). As a Federal Prison Consultant with PCG, Robin is recognized as an authority in pre-and post-conviction strategy, positioning, preparation, and education. Robin is knowledgeable in all facets of federal prison life and with the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) rules, regulations, and program statements.

PCG prepares clients for admission to the 500-Hour Residential Drug Abuse Program which offers up to a 12 month sentence reduction and a 6 month halfway house designation. We also provide assistance with designations, judicial recommendations, transfers, furloughs, A R Appeals, Second Chance Act submissions, MINT program requests, restitution, ICE issues, and the BOP's Compassionate Release and Commutation of Sentence Program.

Prison Consulting Group offers the prison preparation course titled, "How to Survive Federal Prison", go to http://prisonconsultinggroup.com.