NCJ Number
149404
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Dated: (May-June 1994) Pages: 14-18
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The National Prisoner Transport System (NPTS) operated by the United States Marshals Service is a system that offers high security for long-distance prisoner movements at a cost significantly lower than commercial fares and thus could be useful for sheriff's offices across the United States.
Abstract
Prisoner movements are expensive, complex, and dangerous. The Marshals Service has responsibilities in the Federal law enforcement system that are similar to those of sheriffs at the county level. Created in 1979, the NPTS uses a nationwide network of air and land transportation that links almost every part of the country with a secure way to move thousands of prisoners. In the last fiscal year, it completed more than 160,000 scheduled long-distance prisoner movements with no problems. The Marshals Service owns and operates two Boeing 727 airplanes, which operate on a regular schedule to 36 cities. They are supported by a system of buses, vans, and smaller aircraft. During the last fiscal year, the NPTS handled more than 3,200 non-Federal prisoner movements. The cost for flying a prisoner from Orlando to Tulsa, Oklahoma is $600 on NPTS and more than $2,000 if done commercially; the commercial costs include the airfare for two accompanying sheriff's deputies. Sheriffs who want to use this service should contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, provide the information requested, and sign a cooperative agreement form. The Marshals Service can also assist local law enforcement through its Cooperative Agreement Program, the Federal Excess Property Program, and the equitable sharing of seized assets. Photographs and chart