If you or someone you love faces a possible prison sentence for a federal crime, you're undoubtedly concerned about what will happen if a court convicts you of the crime. Where will you serve your time, and will it be close enough for your friends and loved ones to see you? Fortunately, the Federal Bureau of Prisons typically will attempt to place you in prison within 500 miles of your home. But other factors could lead to your imprisonment in a federal facility further away from your residence.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Placement Criteria

The federal BOP uses several criteria to determine where to place inmates, including:

• The level of security and staff supervision the inmate needs;
• The level of security and staff supervision at each possible institution;
• The medical needs of the inmate and the care level of the institution;
• The inmate's program needs such as whether they need substance abuse treatment, educational training, vocational training, individual or group counseling, and medical or mental health treatment; and
• Administrative factors, including bed space capacity in each facility, the inmate's release residence, judicial recommendations, any needs the inmate may have when released from prison, and the security necessary to protect victims, witnesses, and the general public.

Considering all these factors, the official BOP policy is to “place the prisoner in a facility as close as practicable to the prisoner's primary residence, and to the extent practicable, in a facility within 500 driving miles of that residence.” Your federal facility could change while you're in prison, based on your educational, treatment, and health needs, or if staffing or capacity changes for a facility.

You Need a Skilled Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

Don't let federal prosecutors railroad you into prison if you're facing federal criminal charges in California. You need an attorney with extensive experience defending clients in federal court. At Sigal Law Group, we vigorously defend all our clients in federal court, protecting their rights. We can help you too. Give the Sigal Law Group a call at 818-325-0570 to schedule your free consultation.