What is this boards opinion on the First Step Act?

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Reduction in Recidivism The First Step Act requires the Attorney General to develop a risk and needs assessment system to be used by BOP to assess the recidivism risk and criminogenic needs of all federal prisoners and to place prisoners in recidivism reducing programs and productive activities to address their needs and reduce this risk. Under the act, the system provides guidance on the type, amount, and intensity of recidivism reduction programming and productive activities to which each prisoner is assigned, including information on which programs prisoners should participate in based on their criminogenic needs. The system also provides guidance on how to group, to the extent practicable, prisoners with similar risk levels together in recidivism reduction programming and housing assignments.

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Incentives for Success The Act amended 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b) so that federal inmates can earn up to 54 days of good time credit for every year of their imposed sentence rather than for every year of their sentenced served. For example, this change means that an offender sentenced to 10 years in prison and who earns the maximum good time credits each year will earn 540 days of credit. Eligible inmates can earn time credits towards pre-release custody. Offenses that make inmates ineligible to earn time credits are generally categorized as violent, or involve terrorism, espionage, human trafficking, sex and sexual exploitation; additionally excluded offenses are a repeat felon in possession of firearm, or high-level drug offenses. For more details, refer to the complete list of disqualifying offenses. The

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Confinement The Act amends 18 U.S.C. § 3621(b) to require BOP to house inmates in facilities as close to their primary residence as possible, and to the extent practicable, within 500 driving miles. BOP makes designation decisions based on a variety of factors, including bedspace availability, the inmate's security designation, the inmate's programmatic needs, the inmate's mental and medical health needs, any request made by the inmate related to faith-based needs, recommendations of the sentencing court, and other security concerns.

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