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Welcome to Prisonpedia. Prisonpedia is a free, volunteer-supported reference for people affected by the federal criminal justice system. Our goal is to provide accurate, accessible information about every stage of the federal criminal justice process. Whether you're preparing for sentencing, entering custody, supporting a loved one, or rebuilding after release, this project exists to help you find clarity, dignity, and direction.
We welcome your contributions to our knowledge-base. If you see anything that could be improved, feel free to click "Edit" on any page and submit your suggestion. If you have any questions, you can always e-mail the team at [email protected].
Page Directory
The Criminal Justice Process
- Cooperation Mechanisms: Proffers and Substantial Assistance
- Criminal Investigations and Target Letters
- Deferred Prosecution Agreements
- Differences Between Federal and State Prosecution
- Diversion Programs in Criminal Justice
- Federal Sentencing Guidelines and Offense Enhancements
- Grand Jury Proceedings and Indictments
- Overview of the U.S. Criminal Justice Process
- Plea Agreements and Trial Procedures
- Selection and Role of Defense Counsel
Pre-Sentencing
- Character Reference Letters in Sentencing
- Financial Planning Prior to Incarceration
- Judicial Evaluation in Sentencing Decisions
- Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Requirements
- Medical Records and Medication Documentation
- Offense Levels and Sentencing Enhancements
- Overview of the Pre-Sentencing Phase
- Personal Narratives in Sentencing Proceedings
- Prison Consultants
- Restitution, Fines, and Forfeiture
- Self-Surrender Procedures
- Sentencing Hearings: Procedures and Considerations
- Sentencing Memoranda
- Structure and Interpretation of Plea Agreements
- The Presentence Investigation Process
- The Presentence Report (PSR)
Prison Designations and Facilities
- Bureau of Prisons Classification Methods
- Items Permitted at Intake
- Judicial Recommendations and Bureau of Prisons Policy
- Overview of Federal Prison Designation
- Overview of Federal Prison Medical Intake
- Security Levels in Federal Prisons
Facilities
- Index of Federal Prison Facilities (112 facility pages)
Life Inside
Daily Life and Institutional Culture
- Best Books to Read While Incarcerated
- Commissary Operations and Inmate Accounts
- Daily Schedules, Counts, and Movement
- Popular Prison Terminology
- Postal Mail Regulations
- Telecommunication Systems: Phones, Email, and Tablets
- UNICOR: Federal Prison Industries
- Visiting Policies and Procedures
- Work Assignments and Pay Structures
Programs and Sentence Credits
- Earned Time Credits Under the First Step Act
- Federal Good Time Credit Policies
- First Step Act: Overview and Implementation
- General Educational Development (GED) Programs
- Postsecondary Education Opportunities
- Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)
- Second Chance Act Overview
Rights Protections and Safety
- Access to Medical Care and Chronic Care Clinics
- Administrative Remedy Process (BP-8 to BP-11)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in Federal Prisons
- Disciplinary Procedures and Infractions
- Legal Mail Policies
- Overview of Incarcerated Persons' Rights
- Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Protections
- Religious Accommodations in Federal Facilities
- Special Housing Units (SHU)
Reentry and Community
- Access to Banking After Incarceration
- Early Termination of Supervised Release
- Employment and Second-Chance Hiring
- Expungement
- Home Confinement and Monitoring Programs
- Housing Access for Returning Citizens
- International Travel with a Criminal Record
- Obtaining Identification After Incarceration
- Overview of Reentry Processes
- Residential Reentry Centers (Halfway Houses)
- Supervised Release
- Workforce Development and Training Programs
Post-Conviction Legal Processes
- Compassionate Release Policies
- Direct Appeal Procedures
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Section 2241
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Section 2255
- Judicial Recommendations After Sentencing
- Overview of Post-Conviction Remedies
- Presidential Clemency and Pardons
- Recalculation of Earned and Good Time Credits
- Retroactive Sentencing Amendments
- Sentence Reduction Mechanisms
High-Profile Federal Offenders
- Olivier Amar
- Greg Anderson
- Sunny Balwani
- Sam Bankman-Fried
- Steve Bannon
- Jordan Belfort
- Ian Bick
- Kodak Black
- Rod Blagojevich
- Marc Blatstein
- Matthew Bowyer
- Clare Bronfman
- Plaxico Burress
- Craig Carton
- Brent Cassity
- Julie Chrisley
- Todd Chrisley
- Michael Cohen
- Sean Combs
- Bill Cosby
- Dinesh D'Souza
- Josh Duggar
- Joe Exotic
- Jared Fogle
- Jeff Grant
- Rajat Gupta
- Aaron Hernandez
- Lauryn Hill
- Elizabeth Holmes
- Charlie Javice
- Fat Joe
- Alice Marie Johnson
- R. Kelly
- Lil Kim
- Suge Knight
- Larry Levine
- Lori Loughlin
- Allison Mack
- Bernie Madoff
- Paul Manafort
- Sam Mangel
- Luigi Mangione
- Danny Masterson
- Ghislaine Maxwell
- Billy McFarland
- Bob Menendez
- Michael Milken
- Trevor Milton
- Ippei Mizuhara
- Peter Navarro
- Walt Pavlo
- Keith Raniere
- Pete Rose
- Craig Rothfeld
- Ja Rule
- Jen Shah
- Martin Shkreli
- Jeff Skilling
- Wesley Snipes
- Craig Stanland
- Allen Stanford
- Martha Stewart
- Mark Varacchi
- Michael Vick
- Carlos Watson
- Harvey Weinstein
- Changpeng Zhao