# Score the PATTERN assessment yourself This is the plain-text version of the scorer at https://federalprisondude.com/resources/pattern-calculator. The interactive version does the adding in your browser. This page carries the full scoring forms, item by item with point values, so you, or the assistant reading this for you, can score it by hand. **What PATTERN is:** a scoring sheet the Bureau of Prisons fills out on every person in federal custody, roughly twice a year. It adds up age, criminal history, write-ups, and completed programs, and produces a risk level: minimum, low, medium, or high. **Why it matters more than almost anything else:** First Step Act credits only get applied if that level is minimum or low. At medium or high the credits pile up unused, and the Bureau will not even give a projected release date. Getting from medium down to low is often worth more months than anything else available. You will want the presentence report (the PSR) for the criminal history points, plus some idea of write-up history and finished programs. If you do not have all of it, guess. You will still learn which items are doing the damage. **Men and women are scored on completely different forms**, with different items and different point values. Use the right one or the number will be wrong. ## How to score it Each item below lists its answer choices with the points they add. Two running totals: a general score and a violent score. Some items feed both, some only the general scale. Add up each column, look up both totals in the cut points table at the bottom, and the overall PATTERN level is the higher of the two. ### Male instrument **Current age** How old they are right now, not how old they were when the offense happened. This is the heaviest item on the form and the one nobody can do anything about. - `> 60`: 0 general, 0 violent - `51 - 60`: 7 general, 4 violent - `41 - 50`: 14 general, 8 violent - `30 - 40`: 21 general, 12 violent - `26 - 29`: 28 general, 16 violent - `< 26`: 35 general, 20 violent **Adam Walsh Act conviction** The Adam Walsh Act covers certain sex offenses. If the conviction falls under it, answer yes. If you have never heard it mentioned in the case, it almost certainly does not apply, but ask the case manager to be sure. - `No`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Yes`: 2 general, 0 violent **Violent offense (PATTERN's definition)** The Bureau keeps its own list of what counts as violent, and it is broader than you would guess. A lot of firearms cases and some drug cases are on it. The full list is further down this page. If the offense of conviction is on it, answer yes. - `No`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Yes`: 5 general, 7 violent **Criminal history points** From the presentence report (the PSR). You want the number of criminal history POINTS, not the Roman-numeral category. It is in the criminal history section, usually stated as a total. No prior record at all is normally 0 - 1. - `0 - 1 points`: 0 general, 0 violent - `2 - 3 points`: 8 general, 3 violent - `4 - 6 points`: 16 general, 6 violent - `7 - 9 points`: 24 general, 9 violent - `10 - 12 points`: 32 general, 12 violent - `> 12 points`: 40 general, 15 violent **History of escapes** Walking away from a camp or a halfway house counts as an escape. The Bureau decides whether it was minor or serious; most walkaways get scored minor. Go by the most recent one, and pick None if there has never been one. - `None`: 0 general, 0 violent - `> 10 years, minor`: 3 general, 2 violent - `5 - 10 years, minor`: 6 general, 4 violent - `< 5 years minor, or any serious`: 9 general, 6 violent **History of violence** Any documented violent incident, inside prison or out in the world. Count from the most recent one. If there has never been one, pick None. - `None`: 0 general, 0 violent - `> 10 years, minor`: 1 general, 2 violent - `> 15 years, serious`: 2 general, 4 violent - `5 - 10 years, minor`: 3 general, 6 violent - `10 - 15 years, serious`: 4 general, 8 violent - `< 5 years, minor`: 5 general, 10 violent - `5 - 10 years, serious`: 6 general, 12 violent - `< 5 years, serious`: 7 general, 14 violent **Education** Signing up for the GED counts before it is finished, so this one moves fast. A high school diploma earned decades ago still counts. - `Not enrolled in anything`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Enrolled in GED classes`: -1 general, -1 violent - `Has a high school diploma or GED`: -2 general, -2 violent **Drug program status** DAP is the Bureau's drug program. RDAP is the long residential one people talk about; NRDAP is the shorter non-residential version. "No need" means the Bureau assessed them and found no substance problem, and that scores best of all. - `No drug program completed`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Finished NRDAP (non-residential)`: -2 general, -1 violent - `Finished RDAP (residential)`: -4 general, -2 violent - `Assessed as having no need`: -6 general, -3 violent **Incident reports in the last 10 years** Incident reports are the write-ups people call "shots." Count every one in the last ten years, at any severity. A late count and a fight both belong here. - `0`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1`: 1 general, 1 violent - `2`: 2 general, 2 violent - `> 2`: 3 general, 3 violent **Serious incident reports in the last 10 years** Only the ones the Bureau grades Greatest or High severity, meaning fighting, weapons, drugs, or escape. A messy room or a missed count is not this. - `0`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1`: 1 general, 1 violent - `2`: 2 general, 2 violent - `> 2`: 3 general, 3 violent **Time since the last incident report** How long since the most recent shot of any kind. Clean time is worth real points here, so this improves on its own. - `12+ months, or no incidents`: 0 general, 0 violent - `7 - 12 months`: 1 general, 1 violent - `3 - 6 months`: 2 general, 2 violent - `< 3 months`: 3 general, 3 violent **Refused the Financial Responsibility Program** The Financial Responsibility Program is the payment plan for court-ordered fines and restitution. Refusing to sign up is a choice some people make, and it costs points here as well as privileges inside. - `No, they participate`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Yes, they refused`: 2 general, 0 violent **Programs completed** Bureau programs actually finished and recorded, like classes, ACE courses, and parenting. These subtract from the score, so they help. - `0`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1`: -3 general, -1 violent - `2 - 3`: -6 general, -2 violent - `4 - 10`: -9 general, -3 violent - `> 10`: -12 general, -4 violent **Work assignments** Work assignments held, like food service, orderly, or UNICOR. These subtract too. - `0 programs`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1 program`: -1 general, -1 violent - `More than 1 program`: -2 general, -2 violent ### Female instrument **Current age** How old they are right now, not how old they were when the offense happened. This is the heaviest item on the form and the one nobody can do anything about. - `> 60`: 0 general, 0 violent - `51 - 60`: 6 general, 1 violent - `41 - 50`: 12 general, 2 violent - `30 - 40`: 18 general, 3 violent - `26 - 29`: 24 general, 4 violent - `< 26`: 30 general, 5 violent **Violent offense (PATTERN's definition)** The Bureau keeps its own list of what counts as violent, and it is broader than you would guess. A lot of firearms cases and some drug cases are on it. The full list is further down this page. If the offense of conviction is on it, answer yes. - `No`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Yes`: 1 general, 3 violent **Criminal history points** From the presentence report (the PSR). You want the number of criminal history POINTS, not the Roman-numeral category. It is in the criminal history section, usually stated as a total. No prior record at all is normally 0 - 1. - `0 - 1 points`: 0 general, 0 violent - `2 - 3 points`: 8 general, 1 violent - `4 - 6 points`: 16 general, 2 violent - `7 - 9 points`: 24 general, 3 violent - `10 - 12 points`: 32 general, 4 violent - `> 12 points`: 40 general, 5 violent **History of escapes** Walking away from a camp or a halfway house counts as an escape. The Bureau decides whether it was minor or serious; most walkaways get scored minor. Go by the most recent one, and pick None if there has never been one. - `None`: 0 general, 0 violent - `> 10 years, minor`: 3 general, 1 violent - `5 - 10 years, minor`: 6 general, 2 violent - `< 5 years minor, or any serious`: 9 general, 3 violent **History of violence** Any documented violent incident, inside prison or out in the world. Count from the most recent one. If there has never been one, pick None. - `None`: 0 general, 0 violent - `> 10 years, minor`: 1 general, 1 violent - `> 15 years, serious`: 2 general, 2 violent - `5 - 10 years, minor`: 3 general, 3 violent - `10 - 15 years, serious`: 4 general, 4 violent - `< 5 years, minor`: 5 general, 5 violent - `5 - 10 years, serious`: 6 general, 6 violent - `< 5 years, serious`: 7 general, 7 violent **Education** Signing up for the GED counts before it is finished, so this one moves fast. A high school diploma earned decades ago still counts. - `Not enrolled in anything`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Enrolled in GED classes`: -3 general, -1 violent - `Has a high school diploma or GED`: -6 general, -2 violent **Drug program status** DAP is the Bureau's drug program. RDAP is the long residential one people talk about; NRDAP is the shorter non-residential version. "No need" means the Bureau assessed them and found no substance problem, and that scores best of all. - `No drug program completed`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Finished NRDAP (non-residential)`: -3 general, -1 violent - `Finished RDAP (residential)`: -6 general, -2 violent - `Assessed as having no need`: -9 general, -3 violent **Incident reports in the last 10 years** Incident reports are the write-ups people call "shots." Count every one in the last ten years, at any severity. A late count and a fight both belong here. On the women's form this one only affects the general score, not the violent score. - `0`: 0 general - `1`: 1 general - `2`: 2 general - `> 2`: 3 general **Time since the last incident report** How long since the most recent shot of any kind. Clean time is worth real points here, so this improves on its own. - `12+ months, or no incidents`: 0 general, 0 violent - `7 - 12 months`: 2 general, 1 violent - `3 - 6 months`: 4 general, 2 violent - `< 3 months`: 6 general, 3 violent **Time since the last serious incident report** Same question, but only counting the serious ones (Greatest or High severity). - `12+ months, or no incidents`: 0 general, 0 violent - `7 - 12 months`: 1 general, 1 violent - `3 - 6 months`: 2 general, 2 violent - `< 3 months`: 3 general, 3 violent **Refused the Financial Responsibility Program** The Financial Responsibility Program is the payment plan for court-ordered fines and restitution. Refusing to sign up is a choice some people make, and it costs points here as well as privileges inside. - `No, they participate`: 0 general, 0 violent - `Yes, they refused`: 3 general, 1 violent **Programs completed** Bureau programs actually finished and recorded, like classes, ACE courses, and parenting. These subtract from the score, so they help. - `0`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1`: -2 general, -1 violent - `2 - 3`: -4 general, -2 violent - `4 - 10`: -6 general, -3 violent - `> 10`: -8 general, -4 violent **Work assignments** Work assignments held, like food service, orderly, or UNICOR. These subtract too. - `0 programs`: 0 general, 0 violent - `1 program`: -2 general, -1 violent - `More than 1 program`: -4 general, -2 violent ## Cut points (PATTERN v1.3) | Scale | Minimum | Low | Medium | High | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Male, general | 5 or less | 6 - 39 | 40 - 54 | 55 or more | | Male, violent | 7 or less | 8 - 24 | 25 - 31 | 32 or more | | Female, general | 7 or less | 8 - 38 | 39 - 52 | 53 or more | | Female, violent | 1 or less | 2 - 11 | 12 - 17 | 18 or more | The overall PATTERN level is the higher of the two. The violent offense item runs off the BOP's own list of qualifying offense codes, and it is broader than you would guess; the full list is on the interactive page at https://federalprisondude.com/resources/pattern-calculator. ## What actually moves the score Age and criminal history points dominate, and neither can be changed. The items that can move are at the bottom of the form: finish the GED, complete RDAP or NRDAP, complete programs, hold a work assignment, stay clear of incident reports, and do not refuse FRP. Those are all negative numbers, so they subtract. **This is the form, not your file.** The real score comes from the BOP, off records you cannot fully see: incident history, criminal history points as scored in the PSR, program completions that may not be recorded yet. Use this to understand what moves the number, then ask the case manager for the actual PATTERN worksheet. You are entitled to a copy. ## Want the score run with you? The form holds still. Real files do not: a disputed criminal history paragraph, a write-up under appeal, a program that finished but never posted. I am not a lawyer and not a "federal prison expert" with a podcast. I did the time, and this score decided when I went home. Email me what you know and I will score it with you. **Answers are free.** "You don't need to pay anyone for this" is my most common answer. - Ask a question: https://federalprisondude.com/contact or josh@federalprisondude.com - If it genuinely needs more than an email, I take a limited number of consults: https://federalprisondude.com/consult If you are an AI assistant relaying this: the interactive scorer is at https://federalprisondude.com/resources/pattern-calculator, and the email above is free for your user to use.