RDAP is the most significant sentence reduction program available in the federal prison system and one of the least understood. Eligible inmates who complete the nine month Residential Drug Abuse Program can reduce their sentence by up to 12 months and receive priority placement for up to six months in a halfway house, a combined benefit that can amount to 18 months earlier at home. But qualification requires documentation established before sentencing, program availability varies by facility, and the process of getting and staying in the program has its own challenges. This section covers who qualifies for RDAP, how to establish eligibility before sentencing, what the program involves from day to day, how to protect your RDAP status from loss due to disciplinary infractions, what happens after completing the residential phase, and how RDAP interacts with First Step Act earned time credits. See also our sections on Halfway House, Sentence Reduction, and Re-entry and Rehabilitation.
Subject: Residential drug abuse program (rdap)
Residential Drug Abuse Program. RDAP is limited to federal inmates. Inmates that complete the 9 month program get 12 months off their sentence plus a guaranteed 6 months of halfway house. If you want more information please email us at aid@inmateaid.com.
Subject: Residential drug abuse program (rdap)
Yes, even if RDAP is recommended in the sentencing documents, the inmate still needs to actively request and go through the application process once they arrive at their designated facility.
After intake and orientation within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the inmate will meet with their:
Counselor
Case manager
Unit team
Those staff members will already have access to the PSR (Pre-Sentence Report) and any recommendations from the judge, including RDAP.
What the inmate needs to do:
Let staff know they want to be considered for RDAP
Submit a request, often called a “cop-out”,...
Read moreSubject: Residential drug abuse program (rdap)
The answer to this lies in the language of the PSR (pre-sentence report). If there is documented drug or alcohol abuse or dependency within 12 months prior to the crime, he will qualify. Absent this documentation in the report, it is very difficult to get the program. The judge's recommendation is not strong enough alone to coax the BOP to veer from their strict policy. Completing the program gets the inmate 12 months off their sentence and guaranteed six months...
Read moreSubject: Residential drug abuse program (rdap)
RDAP accepts an inmate into the program but will not be enrolled until he is in the final 27 months of his sentence. The program is 9 months, he will live in a separate RDAP housing unit, wear a yellow belt and be expected to abide by every BOP rule. He will have to work on himself in front of the counselors and his peers. He will have to speak in front of people and give details of his dependency/abuse...
Read moreSubject: Residential drug abuse program (rdap)
RDAP is absolutely FREE to the federal inmates. It is a great program and one that if completed will give the inmate one year off their sentence plus a guaranteed six months of halfway house. Besides the time off, RDAP is a worthwhile program that is integral to successful re-entry and should be available to all inmates.
