I am FSA eligible. I have been my entire journey. It has been the greatest legislature ever passed for criminal justice reform. It actually allows us Inmates to work toward a goal. A goal of rehabilitation, because rehabilitation earns credits towards early release and more halfway house time. Its a wonderful piece of legislature and I have worked extremely hard each month to earn the 15 days credit.
Here is the problem. NO ONE in the entire BOP knows how to properly implement the FSA Credits. Even though there is a 100 page policy on the program and how it is to be implemented, not one employee (at least here at Aliceville) knows exactly how it works. So many of us, like myself, are sitting here with credits being earned, and SHOULD be at home already, yet are sitting here fighting with our institution to not only do their job, but do it correctly.
I have started my administrative remedy and when I turned in the BP8, it got “sent” to the wrong person, so it was delayed by 45 days. Then the response was something totally different from the request I was making. So now, the BP9 is now being turned in 20 days late. I even turned in Policy with my request, and it wasn’t even looked at.
For whatever reason, staff at Aliceville and all over the country do not want to award the credits so that we can actually get home faster, they want to have them sit in cyberspace taunting us. It is completely Ludacris and unfair. Why are inmates working so hard to get better, when the prison staff employed to HELP us, are making it impossible to get home.
We need reform. Every single aspect of the federal criminal justice system needs reform. The mentality is “why should I even program” when no one actually helps. We have women here falling out from drugs, overdosing, attempting suicide and participating in other criminal activity because NO one at FCI Aliceville helps.
When I release, I plan to do my best to expose the neglect inside the federal prison system. I am searching for anyone and everyone to help me make change. Everyone deserves a second chance. Especially if they are trying so hard to be better.
