NCJ Number
149741
Journal
Federal Prisons Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (Winter 1994) Pages: 61-65
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
While Federal prison officials do exercise discretion in the disciplinary process, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has a policy statement that clearly sets out the parameters for effective and acceptable means of discipline.
Abstract
The policy limits correctional staff to disciplining inmates who violate specific prison rules; prohibits arbitrary, retaliatory, and corporal punishment; and mandates staff to administer discipline in an impartial and consistent manner. The policy specifies four levels of prohibited actions and recommends sanctions for each type of infraction. This article describes the disciplinary process at three high- security Federal penitentiaries; in all three prisons, there were five basic steps to the process. The first is the detection by staff of the commission of a prohibited act by one or more inmates, followed by the preparation and filing of a formal Incident Report by staff members. The third step, taken when charges are not dropped or resolved informally, is appointment by the warden of an incident investigator. When the investigation and report are completed, the matter is referred to the Unit Discipline Committee (UDC), which can resolve cases involving the two lowest categories of offense. More serious cases are referred to a Discipline Hearing Officer who hears the case and recommends a sanction.