Federal Good Time Credit Policies - Revision history

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	{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Federal Good Time Credit Policies's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}		{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Federal Good Time Credit Policies's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}
	'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.		A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.
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	However, the BOP retains authority to reduce or revoke good time credit if an inmate commits disciplinary infractions, making GCT forfeiture one of the most commonly imposed sanctions in the federal prison disciplinary system.<ref name="ecfr-541">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR Part 541 - Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-541 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		However, the BOP retains authority to reduce or revoke good time credit if an inmate commits disciplinary infractions, making GCT forfeiture one of the most commonly imposed sanctions in the federal prison disciplinary system.<ref name="ecfr-541">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR Part 541 - Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-541 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	==Eligibility, calculation, and application==		==Eligibility, calculation, and application==

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	===Upfront crediting===		===Upfront crediting===
	Unlike many state systems where good time must be earned incrementally, the federal system calculates and applies maximum good time credit when an inmate first enters BOP custody. The BOP's Designation and Sentence Computation Center reviews each sentence and establishes a projected release date based on the assumption that the inmate will earn all available credit throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="prisonology">{{cite web \|title=Bureau of Prisons Announces Updates to First Step Act Calculations \|url=https://www.prisonology.com/blog/bureau-of-prisons-announces-updates-to-first-step-act-calculations \|publisher=Prisonology \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		Unlike many state systems where good time must be earned incrementally, the federal system calculates and applies maximum good time credit when an inmate first enters BOP custody. The BOP's Designation and Sentence Computation Center reviews each sentence and establishes a projected release date based on the assumption that the inmate will earn all available credit throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="prisonology">{{cite web \|title=Bureau of Prisons Announces Updates to First Step Act Calculations \|url=https://www.prisonology.com/blog/bureau-of-prisons-announces-updates-to-first-step-act-calculations \|publisher=Prisonology \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	This projected release date appears immediately in the BOP's inmate locator system and other records. No application, request, or affirmative action by the inmate is required to receive this preliminary credit. The credit is applied automatically to all qualifying inmates upon their designation to a BOP facility.<ref name="avvo-gct">{{cite web \|title=Does the BOP site release date calculate earned good time credit right away? \|url=https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/does-the-bop-site-release-date-calculate-earned-go-5035335.html \|publisher=Avvo \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		This projected release date appears immediately in the BOP's inmate locator system and other records. No application, request, or affirmative action by the inmate is required to receive this preliminary credit. The credit is applied automatically to all qualifying inmates upon their designation to a BOP facility.<ref name="avvo-gct">{{cite web \|title=Does the BOP site release date calculate earned good time credit right away? \|url=https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/does-the-bop-site-release-date-calculate-earned-go-5035335.html \|publisher=Avvo \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===Practical effect===		===Practical effect===
	For an inmate receiving the maximum 54 days of credit per year, the sentence is effectively reduced by approximately 15 percent. An inmate sentenced to ten years (3,650 days) who earns full credit would receive 540 days of GCT, serving approximately 3,110 days or 85 percent of the imposed term.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /> The credit is awarded on each anniversary date of the sentence, with prorated credit for any partial final year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" />		For an inmate receiving the maximum 54 days of credit per year, the sentence is effectively reduced by approximately 15 percent. An inmate sentenced to ten years (3,650 days) who earns full credit would receive 540 days of GCT, serving approximately 3,110 days or 85 percent of the imposed term.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /> The credit is awarded on each anniversary date of the sentence, with prorated credit for any partial final year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" />
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	===Vesting of credit===		===Vesting of credit===
	For inmates convicted of offenses committed on or after September 13, 1994, but before April 26, 1996, good conduct time credit vests once awarded and cannot be subsequently withdrawn, provided the inmate meets applicable literacy requirements.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /> For PLRA inmates (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), credit does not vest until the date the prisoner is released from custody, meaning all accumulated GCT remains subject to forfeiture for the duration of incarceration.<ref name="uscode-3624">{{cite web \|title=18 U.S.C. § 3624 - Release of a prisoner \|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3624 \|publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		For inmates convicted of offenses committed on or after September 13, 1994, but before April 26, 1996, good conduct time credit vests once awarded and cannot be subsequently withdrawn, provided the inmate meets applicable literacy requirements.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /> For PLRA inmates (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), credit does not vest until the date the prisoner is released from custody, meaning all accumulated GCT remains subject to forfeiture for the duration of incarceration.<ref name="uscode-3624">{{cite web \|title=18 U.S.C. § 3624 - Release of a prisoner \|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3624 \|publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	==Relationship to other credits==		==Relationship to other credits==

	Good conduct time is distinct from First Step Act earned time credits, which inmates may earn for participating in recidivism reduction programs and productive activities. While GCT is applied automatically based on compliance with institutional rules, FSA time credits require active participation in approved programming and may be used for early transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release.<ref name="ussc-fsa">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Earned Time Credits \|url=https://www.ussc.gov/education/first-step-act-earned-time-credits \|publisher=United States Sentencing Commission \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		Good conduct time is distinct from First Step Act earned time credits, which inmates may earn for participating in recidivism reduction programs and productive activities. While GCT is applied automatically based on compliance with institutional rules, FSA time credits require active participation in approved programming and may be used for early transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release.<ref name="ussc-fsa">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Earned Time Credits \|url=https://www.ussc.gov/education/first-step-act-earned-time-credits \|publisher=United States Sentencing Commission \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	The two credit systems operate independently and cumulatively. The BOP first applies good conduct time to calculate a projected release date, then applies any earned FSA time credits to potentially advance placement into prerelease custody.<ref name="ussc-fsa" />		The two credit systems operate independently and cumulatively. The BOP first applies good conduct time to calculate a projected release date, then applies any earned FSA time credits to potentially advance placement into prerelease custody.<ref name="ussc-fsa" />

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	===Pre-1987 system===		===Pre-1987 system===
	The federal government first authorized good time deductions in 1867.<ref name="barber-brief">{{cite web \|title=Barber v. Thomas - Brief (Merits) \|url=https://www.justice.gov/osg/brief/barber-v-thomas-brief-merits \|publisher=United States Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> Under the system that prevailed before November 1, 1987, good time credit functioned as a prospective entitlement. Inmates received deductions on the day they entered prison, subject to potential forfeiture for misconduct during their sentence. The repealed statute at 18 U.S.C. § 4161 authorized credit at rates that varied with sentence length, allowing inmates serving sentences exceeding ten years to receive up to seven days per month, or approximately 84 days annually.<ref name="grokipedia-gct">{{cite web \|title=Good conduct time \|url=https://grokipedia.com/page/Good_conduct_time \|publisher=Grokipedia \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The federal government first authorized good time deductions in 1867.<ref name="barber-brief">{{cite web \|title=Barber v. Thomas - Brief (Merits) \|url=https://www.justice.gov/osg/brief/barber-v-thomas-brief-merits \|publisher=United States Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> Under the system that prevailed before November 1, 1987, good time credit functioned as a prospective entitlement. Inmates received deductions on the day they entered prison, subject to potential forfeiture for misconduct during their sentence. The repealed statute at 18 U.S.C. § 4161 authorized credit at rates that varied with sentence length, allowing inmates serving sentences exceeding ten years to receive up to seven days per month, or approximately 84 days annually.<ref name="grokipedia-gct">{{cite web \|title=Good conduct time \|url=https://grokipedia.com/page/Good_conduct_time \|publisher=Grokipedia \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===Sentencing Reform Act of 1984===		===Sentencing Reform Act of 1984===
	The [[Sentencing Reform Act of 1984]], enacted as part of the [[Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984]], fundamentally restructured federal good time credit for offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987. The Act capped the maximum credit at 54 days per year, eliminated [[federal parole]], and implemented [[determinate sentencing]], requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their imposed sentences even with maximum credit.<ref name="grokipedia-gct" /><ref name="fr-2019-12-31">{{cite web \|title=Good Conduct Time Credit Under the First Step Act \|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/31/2019-27976/good-conduct-time-credit-under-the-first-step-act \|publisher=Federal Register \|date=December 31, 2019 \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The [[Sentencing Reform Act of 1984]], enacted as part of the [[Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984]], fundamentally restructured federal good time credit for offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987. The Act capped the maximum credit at 54 days per year, eliminated [[federal parole]], and implemented [[determinate sentencing]], requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their imposed sentences even with maximum credit.<ref name="grokipedia-gct" /><ref name="fr-2019-12-31">{{cite web \|title=Good Conduct Time Credit Under the First Step Act \|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/31/2019-27976/good-conduct-time-credit-under-the-first-step-act \|publisher=Federal Register \|date=December 31, 2019 \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	The Sentencing Reform Act also reversed the default approach to earning credit. Rather than awarding credit prospectively at the start of incarceration, the statute required the BOP to determine at the end of each year whether the prisoner had displayed exemplary compliance with institutional regulations during that period. Credit for the final year or portion thereof was to be prorated and credited within the last six weeks of the sentence.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />		The Sentencing Reform Act also reversed the default approach to earning credit. Rather than awarding credit prospectively at the start of incarceration, the statute required the BOP to determine at the end of each year whether the prisoner had displayed exemplary compliance with institutional regulations during that period. Credit for the final year or portion thereof was to be prorated and credited within the last six weeks of the sentence.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />

	===Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996===		===Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996===
	The [[Prison Litigation Reform Act]] (PLRA), effective April 26, 1996, added educational requirements to good time eligibility. For offenses committed on or after that date, inmates must have earned, or be making satisfactory progress toward earning, a high school diploma or equivalent degree to qualify for the full 54 days of annual credit. Inmates who do not meet this literacy requirement may receive a maximum of only 42 days per year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="bop-faq">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act, Frequently Asked Questions \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The [[Prison Litigation Reform Act]] (PLRA), effective April 26, 1996, added educational requirements to good time eligibility. For offenses committed on or after that date, inmates must have earned, or be making satisfactory progress toward earning, a high school diploma or equivalent degree to qualify for the full 54 days of annual credit. Inmates who do not meet this literacy requirement may receive a maximum of only 42 days per year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="bop-faq">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act, Frequently Asked Questions \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===Barber v. Thomas (2010)===		===Barber v. Thomas (2010)===
	In implementing the Sentencing Reform Act, the BOP interpreted the phrase "term of imprisonment" to mean time actually served rather than the sentence imposed by the court. This interpretation resulted in a complex calculation that yielded a practical maximum of approximately 47 days of credit per year rather than the statutory 54 days. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] upheld this interpretation in ''[[Barber v. Thomas]]'', 560 U.S. 474 (2010), finding the BOP's methodology consistent with the statutory language and legislative intent.<ref name="barone-understanding">{{cite web \|title=Understanding Earned and Good Time Credits for Federal Prisoners \|url=https://www.baronedefensefirm.com/understanding-earned-and-good-time-credits-for-federal-prisoners.html \|publisher=Barone Defense Firm \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		In implementing the Sentencing Reform Act, the BOP interpreted the phrase "term of imprisonment" to mean time actually served rather than the sentence imposed by the court. This interpretation resulted in a complex calculation that yielded a practical maximum of approximately 47 days of credit per year rather than the statutory 54 days. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] upheld this interpretation in ''[[Barber v. Thomas]]'', 560 U.S. 474 (2010), finding the BOP's methodology consistent with the statutory language and legislative intent.<ref name="barone-understanding">{{cite web \|title=Understanding Earned and Good Time Credits for Federal Prisoners \|url=https://www.baronedefensefirm.com/understanding-earned-and-good-time-credits-for-federal-prisoners.html \|publisher=Barone Defense Firm \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===First Step Act of 2018===		===First Step Act of 2018===
	The [[First_Step_Act:_Overview_and_Implementation\|First Step Act]], signed into law on December 21, 2018, amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) to specify that inmates earn good time credit based on the sentence imposed by the court rather than time actually served. This change effectively restored the full 54 days per year that Congress had originally specified. The amendments took effect on July 19, 2019, when the [[United States Department of Justice\|Department of Justice]] published the required risk and needs assessment system.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /><ref name="bop-faq" />		The [[First_Step_Act:_Overview_and_Implementation\|First Step Act]], signed into law on December 21, 2018, amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) to specify that inmates earn good time credit based on the sentence imposed by the court rather than time actually served. This change effectively restored the full 54 days per year that Congress had originally specified. The amendments took effect on July 19, 2019, when the [[United States Department of Justice\|Department of Justice]] published the required risk and needs assessment system.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /><ref name="bop-faq" />

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← Older revision		Revision as of 15:48, 15 December 2025
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	{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Federal Good Time Credit Policies's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}		{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Federal Good Time Credit Policies's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}
	'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.		A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.
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	However, the BOP retains authority to reduce or revoke good time credit if an inmate commits disciplinary infractions, making GCT forfeiture one of the most commonly imposed sanctions in the federal prison disciplinary system.<ref name="ecfr-541">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR Part 541 - Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-541 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		However, the BOP retains authority to reduce or revoke good time credit if an inmate commits disciplinary infractions, making GCT forfeiture one of the most commonly imposed sanctions in the federal prison disciplinary system.<ref name="ecfr-541">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR Part 541 - Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-541 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	==Eligibility, calculation, and application==		==Eligibility, calculation, and application==
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	===Upfront crediting===		===Upfront crediting===
	Unlike many state systems where good time must be earned incrementally, the federal system calculates and applies maximum good time credit when an inmate first enters BOP custody. The BOP's Designation and Sentence Computation Center reviews each sentence and establishes a projected release date based on the assumption that the inmate will earn all available credit throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="prisonology">{{cite web \|title=Bureau of Prisons Announces Updates to First Step Act Calculations \|url=https://www.prisonology.com/blog/bureau-of-prisons-announces-updates-to-first-step-act-calculations \|publisher=Prisonology \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		Unlike many state systems where good time must be earned incrementally, the federal system calculates and applies maximum good time credit when an inmate first enters BOP custody. The BOP's Designation and Sentence Computation Center reviews each sentence and establishes a projected release date based on the assumption that the inmate will earn all available credit throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="prisonology">{{cite web \|title=Bureau of Prisons Announces Updates to First Step Act Calculations \|url=https://www.prisonology.com/blog/bureau-of-prisons-announces-updates-to-first-step-act-calculations \|publisher=Prisonology \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	This projected release date appears immediately in the BOP's inmate locator system and other records. No application, request, or affirmative action by the inmate is required to receive this preliminary credit. The credit is applied automatically to all qualifying inmates upon their designation to a BOP facility.<ref name="avvo-gct">{{cite web \|title=Does the BOP site release date calculate earned good time credit right away? \|url=https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/does-the-bop-site-release-date-calculate-earned-go-5035335.html \|publisher=Avvo \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		This projected release date appears immediately in the BOP's inmate locator system and other records. No application, request, or affirmative action by the inmate is required to receive this preliminary credit. The credit is applied automatically to all qualifying inmates upon their designation to a BOP facility.<ref name="avvo-gct">{{cite web \|title=Does the BOP site release date calculate earned good time credit right away? \|url=https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/does-the-bop-site-release-date-calculate-earned-go-5035335.html \|publisher=Avvo \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===Practical effect===		===Practical effect===
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	===Vesting of credit===		===Vesting of credit===
	For inmates convicted of offenses committed on or after September 13, 1994, but before April 26, 1996, good conduct time credit vests once awarded and cannot be subsequently withdrawn, provided the inmate meets applicable literacy requirements.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /> For PLRA inmates (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), credit does not vest until the date the prisoner is released from custody, meaning all accumulated GCT remains subject to forfeiture for the duration of incarceration.<ref name="uscode-3624">{{cite web \|title=18 U.S.C. § 3624 - Release of a prisoner \|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3624 \|publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		For inmates convicted of offenses committed on or after September 13, 1994, but before April 26, 1996, good conduct time credit vests once awarded and cannot be subsequently withdrawn, provided the inmate meets applicable literacy requirements.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /> For PLRA inmates (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), credit does not vest until the date the prisoner is released from custody, meaning all accumulated GCT remains subject to forfeiture for the duration of incarceration.<ref name="uscode-3624">{{cite web \|title=18 U.S.C. § 3624 - Release of a prisoner \|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3624 \|publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	==Relationship to other credits==		==Relationship to other credits==

	Good conduct time is distinct from First Step Act earned time credits, which inmates may earn for participating in recidivism reduction programs and productive activities. While GCT is applied automatically based on compliance with institutional rules, FSA time credits require active participation in approved programming and may be used for early transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release.<ref name="ussc-fsa">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Earned Time Credits \|url=https://www.ussc.gov/education/first-step-act-earned-time-credits \|publisher=United States Sentencing Commission \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		Good conduct time is distinct from First Step Act earned time credits, which inmates may earn for participating in recidivism reduction programs and productive activities. While GCT is applied automatically based on compliance with institutional rules, FSA time credits require active participation in approved programming and may be used for early transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release.<ref name="ussc-fsa">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Earned Time Credits \|url=https://www.ussc.gov/education/first-step-act-earned-time-credits \|publisher=United States Sentencing Commission \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	The two credit systems operate independently and cumulatively. The BOP first applies good conduct time to calculate a projected release date, then applies any earned FSA time credits to potentially advance placement into prerelease custody.<ref name="ussc-fsa" />		The two credit systems operate independently and cumulatively. The BOP first applies good conduct time to calculate a projected release date, then applies any earned FSA time credits to potentially advance placement into prerelease custody.<ref name="ussc-fsa" />
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	===Pre-1987 system===		===Pre-1987 system===
	The federal government first authorized good time deductions in 1867.<ref name="barber-brief">{{cite web \|title=Barber v. Thomas - Brief (Merits) \|url=https://www.justice.gov/osg/brief/barber-v-thomas-brief-merits \|publisher=United States Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> Under the system that prevailed before November 1, 1987, good time credit functioned as a prospective entitlement. Inmates received deductions on the day they entered prison, subject to potential forfeiture for misconduct during their sentence. The repealed statute at 18 U.S.C. § 4161 authorized credit at rates that varied with sentence length, allowing inmates serving sentences exceeding ten years to receive up to seven days per month, or approximately 84 days annually.<ref name="grokipedia-gct">{{cite web \|title=Good conduct time \|url=https://grokipedia.com/page/Good_conduct_time \|publisher=Grokipedia \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The federal government first authorized good time deductions in 1867.<ref name="barber-brief">{{cite web \|title=Barber v. Thomas - Brief (Merits) \|url=https://www.justice.gov/osg/brief/barber-v-thomas-brief-merits \|publisher=United States Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> Under the system that prevailed before November 1, 1987, good time credit functioned as a prospective entitlement. Inmates received deductions on the day they entered prison, subject to potential forfeiture for misconduct during their sentence. The repealed statute at 18 U.S.C. § 4161 authorized credit at rates that varied with sentence length, allowing inmates serving sentences exceeding ten years to receive up to seven days per month, or approximately 84 days annually.<ref name="grokipedia-gct">{{cite web \|title=Good conduct time \|url=https://grokipedia.com/page/Good_conduct_time \|publisher=Grokipedia \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===Sentencing Reform Act of 1984===		===Sentencing Reform Act of 1984===
	The [[Sentencing Reform Act of 1984]], enacted as part of the [[Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984]], fundamentally restructured federal good time credit for offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987. The Act capped the maximum credit at 54 days per year, eliminated [[federal parole]], and implemented [[determinate sentencing]], requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their imposed sentences even with maximum credit.<ref name="grokipedia-gct" /><ref name="fr-2019-12-31">{{cite web \|title=Good Conduct Time Credit Under the First Step Act \|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/31/2019-27976/good-conduct-time-credit-under-the-first-step-act \|publisher=Federal Register \|date=December 31, 2019 \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The [[Sentencing Reform Act of 1984]], enacted as part of the [[Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984]], fundamentally restructured federal good time credit for offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987. The Act capped the maximum credit at 54 days per year, eliminated [[federal parole]], and implemented [[determinate sentencing]], requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their imposed sentences even with maximum credit.<ref name="grokipedia-gct" /><ref name="fr-2019-12-31">{{cite web \|title=Good Conduct Time Credit Under the First Step Act \|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/31/2019-27976/good-conduct-time-credit-under-the-first-step-act \|publisher=Federal Register \|date=December 31, 2019 \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
			\|title_mode=replace

	The Sentencing Reform Act also reversed the default approach to earning credit. Rather than awarding credit prospectively at the start of incarceration, the statute required the BOP to determine at the end of each year whether the prisoner had displayed exemplary compliance with institutional regulations during that period. Credit for the final year or portion thereof was to be prorated and credited within the last six weeks of the sentence.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />		The Sentencing Reform Act also reversed the default approach to earning credit. Rather than awarding credit prospectively at the start of incarceration, the statute required the BOP to determine at the end of each year whether the prisoner had displayed exemplary compliance with institutional regulations during that period. Credit for the final year or portion thereof was to be prorated and credited within the last six weeks of the sentence.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />
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	===Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996===		===Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996===
	The [[Prison Litigation Reform Act]] (PLRA), effective April 26, 1996, added educational requirements to good time eligibility. For offenses committed on or after that date, inmates must have earned, or be making satisfactory progress toward earning, a high school diploma or equivalent degree to qualify for the full 54 days of annual credit. Inmates who do not meet this literacy requirement may receive a maximum of only 42 days per year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="bop-faq">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act, Frequently Asked Questions \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		The [[Prison Litigation Reform Act]] (PLRA), effective April 26, 1996, added educational requirements to good time eligibility. For offenses committed on or after that date, inmates must have earned, or be making satisfactory progress toward earning, a high school diploma or equivalent degree to qualify for the full 54 days of annual credit. Inmates who do not meet this literacy requirement may receive a maximum of only 42 days per year.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /><ref name="bop-faq">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act, Frequently Asked Questions \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/faq.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
			\|title_mode=replace

	===Barber v. Thomas (2010)===		===Barber v. Thomas (2010)===
	In implementing the Sentencing Reform Act, the BOP interpreted the phrase "term of imprisonment" to mean time actually served rather than the sentence imposed by the court. This interpretation resulted in a complex calculation that yielded a practical maximum of approximately 47 days of credit per year rather than the statutory 54 days. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] upheld this interpretation in ''[[Barber v. Thomas]]'', 560 U.S. 474 (2010), finding the BOP's methodology consistent with the statutory language and legislative intent.<ref name="barone-understanding">{{cite web \|title=Understanding Earned and Good Time Credits for Federal Prisoners \|url=https://www.baronedefensefirm.com/understanding-earned-and-good-time-credits-for-federal-prisoners.html \|publisher=Barone Defense Firm \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		In implementing the Sentencing Reform Act, the BOP interpreted the phrase "term of imprisonment" to mean time actually served rather than the sentence imposed by the court. This interpretation resulted in a complex calculation that yielded a practical maximum of approximately 47 days of credit per year rather than the statutory 54 days. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] upheld this interpretation in ''[[Barber v. Thomas]]'', 560 U.S. 474 (2010), finding the BOP's methodology consistent with the statutory language and legislative intent.<ref name="barone-understanding">{{cite web \|title=Understanding Earned and Good Time Credits for Federal Prisoners \|url=https://www.baronedefensefirm.com/understanding-earned-and-good-time-credits-for-federal-prisoners.html \|publisher=Barone Defense Firm \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
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	===First Step Act of 2018===		===First Step Act of 2018===

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			{{MetaDescription\|Learn about Federal Good Time Credit Policies's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}
	'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>

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 ==References==
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-{{MetaDescription|Guide to federal good time credits. Learn how inmates earn up to 54 days per year off their sentence for good conduct.}}
+{{#seo:

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	==References==		==References==
	<references />		<references />
			{{MetaDescription\|Guide to federal good time credits. Learn how inmates earn up to 54 days per year off their sentence for good conduct.}}

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	</script>		</script>
	</html>		</html>
	'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities\|Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>

	A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.		A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web \|title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time \|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 \|publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.
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	===First Step Act of 2018===		===First Step Act of 2018===
	The [[First Step Act]], signed into law on December 21, 2018, amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) to specify that inmates earn good time credit based on the sentence imposed by the court rather than time actually served. This change effectively restored the full 54 days per year that Congress had originally specified. The amendments took effect on July 19, 2019, when the [[United States Department of Justice\|Department of Justice]] published the required risk and needs assessment system.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /><ref name="bop-faq" />		The [[First_Step_Act:_Overview_and_Implementation\|First Step Act]], signed into law on December 21, 2018, amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) to specify that inmates earn good time credit based on the sentence imposed by the court rather than time actually served. This change effectively restored the full 54 days per year that Congress had originally specified. The amendments took effect on July 19, 2019, when the [[United States Department of Justice\|Department of Justice]] published the required risk and needs assessment system.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview" /><ref name="bop-faq" />

	The First Step Act changes apply retroactively to all inmates convicted of federal offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987, including those sentenced before the Act's passage. The BOP released 3,163 inmates on July 19, 2019, following immediate recalculation of their release dates under the new formula.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />		The First Step Act changes apply retroactively to all inmates convicted of federal offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987, including those sentenced before the Act's passage. The BOP released 3,163 inmates on July 19, 2019, following immediate recalculation of their release dates under the new formula.<ref name="fr-2019-12-31" />

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			<html>
			<script type="application/ld+json">
			{
			"@context": "https://schema.org",
			"@type": "FAQPage",
			"mainEntity": [
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "What is good time credit in federal prison?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Good conduct time (GCT), commonly called good time credit, is a statutory mechanism under 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) that allows eligible federal inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with Bureau of Prisons institutional regulations. Qualifying inmates may receive up to 54 days of credit for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent. The BOP calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes exemplary conduct throughout incarceration."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "How many days of good time can you earn in federal prison?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Eligible inmates may receive up to 54 days of good conduct time credit for each year of their court-imposed sentence. For inmates who have not earned or are not making satisfactory progress toward a high school diploma or equivalent, the maximum is 42 days per year. An inmate sentenced to ten years who earns full credit would receive 540 days of GCT, serving approximately 85 percent of the imposed term. Credit is awarded on each anniversary date of the sentence, with prorated credit for any partial final year."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "Who is eligible for federal good time credit?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Good time credit is available to federal inmates who are: sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year (exactly one year or less are ineligible); not serving a life sentence; convicted of a federal offense committed on or after November 1, 1987; and in custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmates must have earned or be making satisfactory progress toward a high school diploma or equivalent to receive the full 54 days. Noncitizens subject to a final order of removal are exempt from the literacy requirement."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "Is good time credit applied automatically in federal prison?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Yes. Unlike many state systems where good time must be earned incrementally, the federal system calculates and applies maximum good time credit when an inmate first enters BOP custody. The Designation and Sentence Computation Center reviews each sentence and establishes a projected release date based on the assumption that the inmate will earn all available credit throughout incarceration. No application, request, or affirmative action by the inmate is required. The credit is applied automatically to all qualifying inmates upon their designation to a BOP facility."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "Can you lose good time credit in federal prison?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Yes. Although good time credit is calculated and projected upfront, it remains subject to reduction or forfeiture throughout incarceration. The BOP may reduce GCT when an inmate commits prohibited acts resulting in disciplinary sanctions or fails to comply with literacy requirements. Only a Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO) has authority to impose GCT-related sanctions after a full hearing. For PLRA inmates (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), credit does not vest until release, meaning all accumulated GCT remains subject to forfeiture for the duration of incarceration."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "How much good time can be lost for disciplinary violations?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "The amount forfeited depends on the severity level of the offense. Greatest severity offenses (100-level) may result in forfeiture of up to 100 percent of non-vested GCT or disallowance of 50 to 75 percent available for the year. High severity offenses (200-level) may result in disallowance of 25 to 50 percent. Moderate severity offenses (300-level) may result in disallowance of 12.5 to 25 percent. Low severity offenses (400-level) may result in disallowance of up to 12.5 percent, typically only for repeated violations within six months."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "What is the difference between good time and First Step Act time credits?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Good conduct time is applied automatically based on compliance with institutional rules, while First Step Act earned time credits require active participation in approved programming. GCT directly reduces the sentence, while FSA credits are used for early transfer to prerelease custody such as halfway houses or home confinement, or early placement onto supervised release. The two credit systems operate independently and cumulatively. The BOP first applies good conduct time to calculate a projected release date, then applies any earned FSA credits."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "How did the First Step Act change good time credit?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "The First Step Act of 2018 amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) to specify that inmates earn good time credit based on the sentence imposed by the court rather than time actually served. Previously, the BOP calculated credit based on time served, which yielded approximately 47 days per year rather than the statutory 54 days. The changes took effect July 19, 2019, apply retroactively to all inmates convicted of federal offenses committed on or after November 1, 1987, and the BOP released 3,163 inmates on that date following immediate recalculation."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "Do you need a GED to get good time credit?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "Inmates do not need to have a GED but must be making satisfactory progress toward one to receive the full 54 days of credit annually. For inmates subject to PLRA (offenses on or after April 26, 1996), those who have not earned or are not making satisfactory progress toward a high school diploma or equivalent are limited to 42 days per year instead of 54. Noncitizens subject to a final order of removal, deportation, or exclusion are exempt from the literacy requirement but remain eligible for good time credit."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "Does good time credit apply to sentences of one year or less?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "No. Good time credit under 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) is only available to federal inmates sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Inmates serving sentences of exactly one year or less are ineligible for good conduct time credit. Additionally, inmates serving life sentences are not eligible for good time credit, as there is no release date to which the credit could be applied."
			}
			}
			]
			}
			</script>
			</html>
	'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>		'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code\|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web \|title=First Step Act Overview \|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp \|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons \|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>

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-# Federal Good Time Credit Policies
+'''Good conduct time''' ('''GCT'''), commonly referred to as '''good time credit''', is a statutory mechanism in the United States federal prison system that allows eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by demonstrating compliance with [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] (BOP) institutional regulations. Under [[Title 18 of the United States Code|18 U.S.C.]] § 3624(b), qualifying inmates may receive a credit of up to 54 days for each year of their court-imposed sentence, effectively reducing time served by approximately 15 percent.<ref name="bop-fsa-overview">{{cite web |title=First Step Act Overview |url=https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/overview.jsp |publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons |access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
-## Overview
+A distinctive feature of federal good time credit is that the Bureau of Prisons calculates and applies the maximum possible credit when an inmate first enters custody, establishing a projected release date that assumes the inmate will maintain exemplary conduct throughout incarceration.<ref name="ecfr-523-20">{{cite web |title=28 CFR § 523.20 - Good conduct time |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-523/subpart-C/section-523.20 |publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations |access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref> No application or affirmative action is required from inmates to receive this credit.
-(Placeholder for a neutral, encyclopedic summary.)
+However, the BOP retains authority to reduce or revoke good time credit if an inmate commits disciplinary infractions, making GCT forfeiture one of the most commonly imposed sanctions in the federal prison disciplinary system.<ref name="ecfr-541">{{cite web |title=28 CFR Part 541 - Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-28/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-541 |publisher=Electronic Code of Federal Regulations |access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
-## See Also
+==Eligibility, calculation, and application==
-- (Placeholder)
+===Eligibility===
-## References
+Good conduct time credit under 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) is available to federal inmates who meet the following criteria:
-- (Placeholder)
+*Sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year (inmates serving sentences of exactly one year or less are ineligible)<ref name="ecfr-523-20" />
-[[Category:Prison Programming]]
+For inmates subject to the PLRA (offenses committed on or after April 26, 1996), educational status affects the maximum available credit. Inmates who have earned or are making satisfactory progress toward a high school diploma or equivalent may receive up to 54 days annually, while those not meeting this requirement are limited to 42 days.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" /> Noncitizens subject to a final order of removal, deportation, or exclusion are exempt from the literacy requirement but remain eligible for good time credit.<ref name="ecfr-523-20" />

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	- (Placeholder)		- (Placeholder)

			[[Category:Prison Programming]]