DOJ Establishing a School District in Federal Prison System

December 1, 2016

WASHINGTON—Attorney General Loretta Lynchsaid Wednesday that a school system would be formed within the vast federal prison network as part of a series of efforts to drive down recidivism and create a clearer path for thousands of inmates to re-enter their home communities.

In addition to the creation of a “semi-autonomous’’ education system to offer literacy programs and assistance for prisoners with learning disabilities, Lynch said the federal government would cover the cost of obtaining state-issued identification for all inmates prior to their release. At the same time, the Justice Department announced the shake-up of the organization of 181 privately-run halfway houses that serve more than 30,000 inmates during the last months of their sentences.

The plan to provide state-identification for out-going inmates, Lynch said, was "critical'' to inmates who already encounter "significant challenges'' finding employment, enrolling in school, opening bank accounts and obtaining health care. Justice officials suggested that the government-funded prisoner identification program alone could expedite the transfer of inmates to less costly forms of custody, including home confinement, saving the prison system millions per year.

Here's how the Justice Department described its prison reform plans:

-- Building a school district within the federal prison system.  Research shows that inmates who participate in correctional education programs have 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not, and that every dollar spent on prison education saves four to five dollars on the cost of re-incarceration.  BOP is building a semi-autonomous school district within the federal prison system, which will offer programs for literacy, high school diplomas and post-secondary education, along with expanded opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities.  Today, BOP also announced that it has hired Amy Lopez, an experienced educator in the Texas prison school system, to serve as the first superintendent of BOP’s school district.

-- Reforming federal halfway houses. BOP is overhauling Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs), popularly known as “halfway houses,” which provide housing for approximately 80 percent of inmates during the final months of their federal sentences.  Since the early 1980s, the ownership and operation of RRCs have been fully privatized, with BOP relying on a mix of for-profit companies and non-profit organizations.  Today, Deputy Attorney General Yates issued a memorandum directing BOP to leverage its purchasing power and overhaul this private market.  Among other things, the memorandum directed BOP to establish clear, uniform and improved standards for all RRC providers; expand the collection and publication of RRC performance data; and explore alternative models that would create a more effective and efficient market for federal reentry services.
    
-- Covering the cost of state-issued IDs prior to inmates’ release.  Possession of government-issued identification documents is critical to successful reentry. [They may also be required to vote in some states.] Without such documentation, men and women leaving correctional facilities face significant challenges securing employment and housing, registering for school, opening bank accounts and accessing other benefits, such as health care, that are critical to successful integration.  The department announced today that BOP will begin paying for every federal inmate to obtain a birth certificate and a state-issued identification card before they arrive at RRCs.  An independent consultant estimated that this effort will save the agency approximately $19 million a year, by making it easier for inmates to find a stable job and post-custody housing, which allows BOP to more quickly transfer inmates to less expensive forms of custody such as home confinement.    

-- Enhancing programs for female inmates.  Next month, BOP will resume housing female inmates at its facility in Danbury, Connecticut, making it easier for female inmates from the Northeast to remain in contact with their families.  In addition, the Danbury facility will house BOP’s first-ever integrated treatment facility for female inmates, which will feature a mental health unit and a women’s Residential Drug Abuse Program, the agency’s most intensive substance abuse treatment course.