Guides Written from Lived Experience
Every guide is free. No email required. Written by Dr. Patrick Fisher and Ken Gaughan.
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Custody, Designation & FSA
Security scores, facility placement, and First Step Act earned time credits.
Drug Testing Reference
Panel codes, detection windows, testing methods, and your rights.
Federal Clemency Guide
Pardons, commutations, the process, and the 2026 reality.
Furlough Application Guide
Field-by-field walkthrough of BOP Form BP-A0291.
Grievance System (BP-8 → BP-11)
Every step, form, and deadline for the BOP administrative remedy process.
Packing Checklist
What to bring, leave behind, and wear on surrender day.
Schedule III: Federal Inmates and Federal Workers
What the April 2026 marijuana rescheduling actually means for federal inmates, their families, and federal workers — in plain language.
The First 72 Hours
What happens after surrender — hour by hour. What families should expect and do.
TRULINCS Email & Phone
Complete guide to staying connected — setup, costs, tips, and what to avoid.
Visiting Day Preparation
Dress code, what to bring, preparing children, and making the most of your time.
BOP Designation
How the BOP decides which facility you go to — security level, medical needs, distance from home, and how to advocate.
Commissary Survival
How commissary works, what to buy first, monthly budgeting, and how families fund the account through approved channels.
Compassionate Release
When and how to petition for compassionate release under 18 USC 3582(c)(1)(A) — eligibility, the BOP gatekeeper process, and direct-to-court motions.
Good Conduct Time
How GCT is calculated under the First Step Act, how disciplinary incidents affect it, and how to track yours accurately.
Halfway House (RRC)
What halfway-house life looks like — rules, work, family contact, and how to maximize the transition.
Home Confinement
Rules of home confinement, monitoring, allowed movement, and what triggers a violation.
Inmate Rights
Your rights inside federal custody — what staff can and cannot do, and how to document and report violations.
PATTERN Score
What the PATTERN risk-assessment score is, how it is calculated, what it determines, and how to lower it through programming.
RDAP Application
How to qualify for the Residential Drug Abuse Program — eligibility, application, and the up-to-12-months sentence reduction it can earn.
Self-Surrender Guide
What to expect on the day you self-surrender to federal custody — paperwork, processing, first hours inside.
SHU Survival Guide
The Special Housing Unit — what to expect, your rights, and maintaining your mental health.
Supervised Release
How federal supervised release works after prison — conditions, the role of your probation officer, and how to petition for early termination.