Crushing Blow for People Incarcerated in Federal Prisons as BOP Changes Early Release Policy

Date:  04-27-2020 Incarcerated people and their families expected BOP to abide by AG Barr’s directive to release the elderly and at risk who served at least 50% of their sentence

From Reason Magazine: The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) abruptly changed its policy yesterday for which inmates are eligible for early release into home confinement because of the threat of COVID-19, advocates and family members of inmates say, crushing the hopes of some inmates who had already been moved into pre-release quarantine. According to multiple accounts from family members and the criminal justice advocacy group FAMM, the BOP informed inmates on Monday that it would not be waiving a requirement that inmates serve 50 percent of their sentence before they can become eligible for home confinement, despite earlier indications that it would. It's unclear how many inmates who were approved for early release were disqualified. The BOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Continue reading >>>