# Compassionate Release / Reduction in Sentence

PS 5050.50 (1/17/2019) · [Official PDF on bop.gov →](https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5050_050_EN.pdf)

The real criteria and the real process, starting with a written request to the warden. The categories are here in the BOP (the federal Bureau of Prisons)'s own words: terminal illness, debilitating medical condition, elderly inmates, and the two family situations, the death or incapacitation of a child's caregiver and the incapacitation of a spouse or registered partner. So is the referral packet the warden has to build, which tells you exactly what documentation to start gathering now. And so is the sentence that changed everything in 2019: after a final [administrative remedy](/resources/program-statements/1330-18-administrative-remedy-program) denial or 30 days of silence from the warden, whichever comes first, the motion can go straight to the sentencing judge. Read this instead of buying a "compassionate release packet" from a consultant. The criteria are public. The template industry is betting you won't look. [More on that here.](/resources/non-lawyer-legal-work)

SECTION 1: PURPOSE AND SCOPE § 571.60 (EXCERPT)

The Bureau uses 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) and 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A) in particularly extraordinary or compelling circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen by the court at the time of sentencing.

> Read the bar here before you get your hopes up: "particularly extraordinary or compelling" and something the judge couldn't have seen coming at sentencing. This is a narrow door, not a general early-release program. It's asked about far more than it's granted. Also, "compassionate release" and "reduction in sentence" (RIS) are the same thing in this policy, so don't get thrown when the paperwork says RIS.

18 U.S.C. 3582 was amended by the First Step Act of 2018, revisions noted below in Summary of Changes.

For the purposes of this Program Statement, the terms "compassionate release" and "reduction in sentence" are used interchangeably.

In deciding whether to file a motion under either 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 18 U.S.C. 3582, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) should consider whether the inmate's release would pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community.

> Danger-to-the-community runs through every decision in this policy. Even a strong medical or family case gets weighed against whether letting the person out is a safety risk. It's the thread that ties the whole thing together, so keep it in mind as you read the rest.

Requirements of section 603(b) of the First Step Act, codified at 18 USC § 3582:

Requiring inmates be informed of reduction in sentence availability and process;

Modifying definition of "terminally ill;"

Requiring notice and assistance for terminally ill offenders;

Requiring requests from terminally ill offenders to be processed within 14 days;

Requiring notice and assistance for debilitated offenders; and

Specifying inmates may file directly to court after exhaustion of administrative remedies, or 30 days from receipt of a request by the Warden's Office.

> This is the single biggest change, from the First Step Act in 2018, and it's the thing worth knowing. For most of BOP history, if the Bureau said no, that was the end of it. Now you don't need the BOP's blessing. If they haven't acted within 30 days of the warden getting your request, or you've run out the appeals, you can take it straight to the sentencing judge yourself. The BOP's motion is no longer the only path. This is why a defense lawyer matters here, since the court route is theirs to run, not the BOP's.

SECTION 2: INITIATION OF REQUEST – EXTRAORDINARY OR COMPELLING CIRCUMSTANCES § 571.61 (EXCERPT)

a. A request for a motion under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 3582(c)(1)(A) shall be submitted to the Warden. Ordinarily, the request shall be in writing, and submitted by the inmate. An inmate may initiate a request for consideration under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 3582(c)(1)(A) only when there are particularly extraordinary or compelling circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen by the court at the time of sentencing. The inmate's request shall at a minimum contain the following information:

(1) The extraordinary or compelling circumstances that the inmate believes warrant consideration.

(2) Proposed release plans, including where the inmate will reside, how the inmate will support himself/herself, and, if the basis for the request involves the inmate's health, information on where the inmate will receive medical treatment, and how the inmate will pay for such treatment.

> The request starts with the warden, in writing, and it needs two things: the extraordinary circumstances, and a real release plan. People forget the second half and it sinks requests. Where will they live, how will they eat, and for a medical case, which doctor or hospice and who's paying. "They'll figure it out" isn't a plan. Have the housing and the medical arrangement lined up before you file.

b. The Bureau of Prisons processes a request made by another person on behalf of an inmate in the same manner as an inmate's request. Staff shall refer a request received at the Central Office to the Warden of the institution where the inmate is confined.

> You, on the outside, can file this for your person. A spouse, a parent, an attorney can submit it and it's treated the same as if the inmate filed it themselves. That matters a lot when the person inside is too sick to do it. Don't wait for them to manage it if they can't.

A request for a RIS is considered "submitted" for the purposes of 18 USC §3582 (c)(1), when received by the Warden in accordance with this section.

SECTION 3: REQUESTS BASED ON MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES (EXCERPT)

The criteria for a reduction in sentence (RIS) request may include the following:

a. Terminal Medical Condition. RIS consideration may be given to inmates who have been diagnosed with a terminal, incurable disease and whose life expectancy is eighteen (18) months or less, and/or has a disease or condition with an end-of-life trajectory under 18 USC § 3582(d)(1). The BOP's consideration should include assessment of the primary (terminal) disease, prognosis, impact of other serious medical conditions of the inmate, and degree of functional impairment (if any). Functional impairment (e.g., limitations on activities of daily living such as feeding and dressing oneself) is not required for inmates diagnosed with terminal medical conditions; however, functional impairment may be a factor when considering the inmate's ability or inability to reoffend.

> The clearest medical path: a terminal, incurable diagnosis with roughly 18 months or less to live. The old policy used 12 months; First Step Act widened it to 18. You don't have to prove the person can't care for themselves for a terminal case, the diagnosis and prognosis carry it. Get the estimate of life expectancy in writing from the doctor, because that number is what the whole request turns on.

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(d)(2)(A), in the case of a diagnosis of a terminal illness, the Bureau of Prisons shall, subject to confidentiality requirements:

(i) not later than 72 hours after the diagnosis notify the defendant's attorney, partner, and family members of the defendant's condition and inform the defendant's attorney, partner, and family members that they may prepare and submit on the defendant's behalf a request for a sentence reduction pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A);

> For a terminal diagnosis, the law now puts real clocks on the BOP. Within 72 hours they're supposed to notify family and the attorney. Within 7 days they have to allow an in-person visit. If asked, staff have to help the inmate actually write the request. And once a request comes in, they have 14 days to process it. These deadlines exist because people used to die waiting. If a facility is blowing past them, that's not normal and it's worth pushing on, in writing, and looping in the lawyer.

(ii) not later than 7 days after the date of the diagnosis, provide the defendant's partner and family members (including extended family) with an opportunity to visit the defendant in person;

(iii) upon request from the defendant or his attorney, partner, or a family member, ensure that Bureau of Prisons employees assist the defendant in the preparation, drafting, and submission of a request for a sentence reduction pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A); and (iv) not later than 14 days of receipt of a request for a sentence reduction submitted on the defendant's behalf by the defendant or the defendant's attorney, partner, or family member, process the request.

The statutory time frames of section 3582(d)(2)(A), begin once the Clinical Director of an institution makes a terminal diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is made, the Clinical Director will inform the Warden and the appropriate Unit Manager as soon as possible so as to ensure requirements are met.

> Here's the catch in those deadlines: the clock doesn't start when an outside doctor says terminal, or when you know it's terminal. It starts when the prison's own Clinical Director makes the call. So the practical fight is often getting that internal diagnosis on the record, because until it exists, none of the 72-hour or 14-day protections have technically kicked in.

If a visit is denied for security concerns, as reflected in 18 U.S.C. § 3582(d)(3)(J), the reasons should be documented.

The Warden will forward the information indicated in Section 8 of this policy, below, to Central Office within 14 days.

b. Debilitated Medical Condition. RIS consideration may also be given to inmates who have an incurable, progressive illness or who have suffered a debilitating injury from which they will not recover. The BOP should consider a RIS if the inmate is:

Completely disabled, meaning the inmate cannot carry on any self-care and is totally confined to a bed or chair; or

> The second medical path is for people who aren't dying but are severely broken down, permanently. The bar is high and physical: either they can't take care of themselves at all and are stuck in a bed or chair, or they can barely self-care and are in a bed or chair more than half their waking hours. Note there's no 18-month clock here, but the disability standard is strict. Dementia and traumatic brain injury count too.

Capable of only limited self-care and is confined to a bed or chair more than 50% of waking hours.

SECTION 4: REQUESTS BASED ON NON-MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES – ELDERLY INMATES (EXCERPT)

The criteria for a RIS request may include the following:

a. "New Law" Elderly Inmates. Inmates sentenced for an offense that occurred on or after November 1, 1987 (e.g., "new law"), who are age 70 years or older and have served 30 years or more of their term of imprisonment.

b. Elderly Inmates with Medical Conditions. Inmates who fit the following criteria:

Age 65 and older.

Suffer from chronic or serious medical conditions related to the aging process.

Experiencing deteriorating mental or physical health that substantially diminishes their ability to function in a correctional facility.

Conventional treatment promises no substantial improvement to their mental or physical condition.

Have served at least 50% of their sentence.

Additionally, for inmates in this category, the BOP should consider the following factors when evaluating the risk that an elderly inmate may reoffend:

The age at which the inmate committed the current offense.

Whether the inmate suffered from these medical conditions at the time the inmate committed the offense.

Whether the inmate suffered from these medical conditions at the time of sentencing and whether the Presentence Investigation Report (PSR) mentions these conditions.

The BOP Medical Director will develop and issue medical criteria to help evaluate the inmate's suitability for consideration under this RIS category.

c. Other Elderly Inmates. Inmates age 65 or older who have served the greater of 10 years or 75% of the term of imprisonment to which the inmate was sentenced.

> There are age-based paths that don't require anyone to be dying, but the numbers are steep. Three buckets: 70+ with 30 years served; 65+ with serious aging-related illness and 50% of the sentence served; or 65+ with the greater of 10 years or 75% served. For most first-time white-collar folks doing a few years, none of these will apply. They're built for people who've been inside a very long time. Better to know that now than chase a door that isn't open.

SECTION 5: REQUESTS BASED ON NON-MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES – DEATH OR INCAPACITATION OF THE FAMILY MEMBER CAREGIVER. (EXCERPT)

The criteria for a RIS request may include the death or incapacitation of the family member caregiver of an inmate's child, e.g., RIS requests from inmates whose biological or legally adopted child or children ("child") are suddenly without a family member caregiver due to that caregiver's death or incapacitation.

> A non-medical path people don't realize exists: if the person who was raising the inmate's minor child dies or becomes seriously incapacitated, and the inmate is the only one left who can care for the child, that can be grounds. The word "only" is doing heavy lifting, if there's another family member who can step in, the case gets weak. You'll need the death certificate or medical proof, proof the inmate is the parent, proof of the child, and a concrete plan to take custody and provide immediately on release. It's a documentation-heavy path, but it's real.

For these requests, "child" means a person under the age of 18 and "incapacitation" means the family member caregiver suffered a severe injury (e.g., auto accident) or suffers from a severe illness (e.g., cancer) that renders the caregiver incapable of caring for the child.

The care of a child may be requested to be a condition of the inmate's release to a supervised release term. Thus, failure to care for the child may result in a finding of a supervised release violation and return to custody.

> If someone gets out on a caregiver basis, caring for that child (or later, the spouse) can be written into their supervised-release conditions. Which means if they don't actually do the caregiving, that's a violation and they can be sent back. The release is tied to the reason for it.

SECTION 6: REQUESTS BASED ON NON-MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES – INCAPACITATION OF A SPOUSE OR REGISTERED PARTNER (EXCERPT)

The criteria for a RIS request may include the incapacitation of an inmate's spouse or registered partner when the inmate would be the only available caregiver for the spouse or registered partner.

> There's a parallel path when it's the inmate's spouse or registered partner who becomes incapacitated, and the inmate is the only one who can care for them. Same high bar as the debilitated-inmate standard: the spouse has to be completely unable to self-care and bed- or chair-bound, or have severe cognitive damage. And the relationship has to predate the offense and be legally recognized (marriage, legal common-law, civil union, or registered domestic partnership). A long-term partner you never married is going to have a hard time qualifying here.

For these requests, "spouse" means an individual in a relationship with the inmate, where that relationship has been legally recognized as a marriage, including a legally-recognized common-law marriage. "Registered partner" means an individual in a relationship with the inmate, where that relationship has been legally recognized as a civil union or registered domestic partnership.

The relationship should have been established before the inmate's offense date of arrest, and should be verified by information in the PSR or other administratively acceptable documentation (e.g. marriage certificate).

For these requests, "incapacitation" means the inmate's spouse or registered partner has:

Suffered a serious injury, or a debilitating physical illness and the result of the injury or illness is that the spouse or registered partner is completely disabled, meaning that the spouse or registered partner cannot carry on any self-care and is totally confined to a bed or chair; or

A severe cognitive deficit (e.g., Alzheimer's disease or traumatic brain injury that has severely affected the spouse's or registered partner's mental capacity or function), but may not be confined to a bed or chair.

SECTION 7: FACTORS AND EVALUATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES IN RIS REQUESTS (EXCERPT)

For all RIS requests, the following factors should be considered:

Nature and circumstances of the inmate's offense.

Criminal history.

Comments from victims.

Unresolved detainers.

Supervised release violations.

Institutional adjustment.

Disciplinary infractions.

Personal history derived from the PSR.

Length of sentence and amount of time served. This factor is considered with respect to proximity to release date or Residential Reentry Center (RRC) or home confinement date.

Inmate's current age.

Inmate's age at the time of offense and sentencing.

Inmate's release plans (employment, medical, financial).

Whether release would minimize the severity of the offense.

When reviewing RIS requests, these factors are neither exclusive nor weighted. These factors should be considered to assess whether the RIS request presents particularly extraordinary and compelling circumstances.

> Even if someone clearly meets a medical or family criterion, the BOP still weighs a pile of other stuff: the offense, criminal history, victim input, disciplinary record inside, how much time is left. And they openly say these factors aren't weighted, meaning there's no formula, it's discretion. Two people with identical diagnoses can get different answers. A clean record inside and being close to your release date help; shots and a lot of time left hurt.

Overall, for each RIS request, the BOP should consider whether the inmate's release would pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community.

SECTION 8: APPROVAL OF REQUEST § 571.62 (EXCERPT)

a. The Bureau of Prisons makes a motion under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 3582(c)(1)(A) only after review of the request by the Warden, the General Counsel, and either the Medical Director for medical referrals or the Assistant Director, Correctional Programs Division for non-medical referrals, and with the approval of the Director, Bureau of Prisons.

> For the BOP to file its own motion, the request has to clear four levels: the warden, General Counsel, a medical or programs director, and finally the BOP Director personally. That's a lot of desks, and it's slow. This is exactly why the First Step Act's court option matters, because you're not stuck waiting on this whole chain if you can go to the judge after 30 days instead.

The Warden's referral at a minimum must include the following:

a. The Warden's written recommendation as well as any other pertinent written recommendations or comments made by staff during the institution review of the request.

b. A complete copy of Judgment and Commitment Order or Judgment in a Criminal Case and sentence computation data.

c. A progress report that is not more than 30 days old. All detainers and holds should be resolved prior to the Warden's submission of a case under 18 U.S.C. 3582 (c)(1)(A) or 4205(g). If a pending charge or detainer cannot be resolved, an explanation of the charge or conviction status is needed.

> A detainer, a hold from another jurisdiction like a state or ICE, can gum this up. The policy wants detainers cleared before the case moves. If your person has one hanging over them, deal with it early, because it can quietly stall or sink a compassionate release even when the medical case is strong.

d. All pertinent medical records if the reason for the request involves the inmate's health. Pertinent records include, at a minimum, a Comprehensive Medical Summary by the attending physician, which should also include an estimate of life expectancy, and all relevant test results, consultations, and referral reports/opinions.

e. The referral packet must include, when available, a copy of the Presentence Investigation and Form U.S.A. 792, Report on Convicted Offender by U.S. Attorney, Custody Classification form, Notice of Action forms, Probation form 7a, information on fines, CIM Case Information Summary (BP-A0339), and any other documented information that is pertinent to the request. In the absence of a Form U.S.A. 792, the views of the prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorney may be solicited; those views should be made part of the Warden's referral memo.

f. If the inmate is subject to the Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982 (VWPA), confirmation of notification to the appropriate victim(s) or witness(es) must be incorporated into the Warden's referral. A summary of any comments received must also be incorporated into the referral. If the inmate is not subject to the VWPA, a statement to that effect must be in the referral.

g. For a request under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A), when a term of supervised release follows the term of imprisonment, confirmation that release plans have been approved by the appropriate U.S. Probation Office must be included in the referral. If the inmate will be released to an area outside the sentencing district, the U.S. Probation Office assuming supervision must be contacted. If no supervision follows the term of imprisonment, release plans must still be developed.

> The release plan isn't just something you write down, it has to get signed off by U.S. Probation, the same folks who'll supervise after release. If the person is going somewhere other than the sentencing district, the receiving probation office has to be looped in. So the housing and support plan needs to be real enough that Probation will actually approve it. Vague plans die here.

h. The development of release plans must include, at a minimum, a place of residence and the method of financial support, and may require coordination with various segments of the community, such as hospices, the Department of Veterans Affairs or veterans' groups, Social Security Administration, welfare agencies, local medical organizations, or the inmate's family.

i. Because there is no final agency decision until the Director has reviewed the request, staff at any level may not contact the sentencing judge or solicit the judge's opinion through other officers of the court.

(2) If the General Counsel determines that the request warrants approval, the General Counsel shall solicit the opinion of either the Medical Director or the Assistant Director, Correctional Programs Division depending upon the nature of the basis for the request. With this opinion, the General Counsel shall forward the entire matter to the Director, Bureau of Prisons, for final decision.

(3) If the Director, Bureau of Prisons, grants a request under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g), the Director will contact the U.S. Attorney in the district in which the inmate was sentenced regarding moving the sentencing court on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons to reduce the minimum term of the inmate's sentence to time served. If the Director, Bureau of Prisons, grants a request under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A), the Director will contact the U.S. Attorney in the district in which the inmate was sentenced regarding moving the sentencing court on behalf of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to reduce the inmate's term of imprisonment to time served.

b. Upon receipt of notice that the sentencing court has entered an order granting the motion under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g), the Warden of the institution where the inmate is confined shall schedule the inmate for hearing on the earliest Parole Commission docket.

Institution staff prepare an amended Sentence Data Summary for use at this hearing. Staff provide a copy of the most recent progress report to the Parole Commission.

Upon receipt of notice that the sentencing court has entered an order granting the motion under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A), the Warden of the institution where the inmate is confined shall release the inmate forthwith.

c. In the event the basis of the request is the medical condition of the inmate, staff shall expedite the request at all levels.

> Two good things here. Once the court grants it, release is supposed to happen right away, not weeks later. And medical cases are supposed to be expedited at every level. "Expedited" doesn't mean the paperwork gets to skip, though, the documentation still has to be complete. Fast and thorough, not fast instead of thorough.

A request for an expedited review permits the review process to be expedited, but does not lessen the requirement that documentation be provided.

SECTION 9: DENIAL OF REQUEST § 571.63 (EXCERPT)

a. When an inmate's request is denied by the Warden, the inmate will receive written notice and a statement of reasons for the denial. The inmate may appeal the denial through the Administrative Remedy Procedure (28 CFR part 542, subpart B).

b. When an inmate's request for consideration under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 3582(c)(1)(A) is denied by the General Counsel, the General Counsel shall provide the inmate with a written notice and statement of reasons for the denial. This denial constitutes a final administrative decision.

c. When the Director, Bureau of Prisons, denies an inmate's request, the Director shall provide the inmate with a written notice and statement of reasons for the denial within 20 workdays after receipt of the referral from the Office of General Counsel. A denial by the Director constitutes a final administrative decision.

d. Because a denial by the General Counsel or Director, Bureau of Prisons, constitutes a final administrative decision, an inmate may not appeal the denial through the Administrative Remedy Procedure.

Under 18 USC 3582 (c) (1), an inmate may file a request for a reduction in sentence with the sentencing court after receiving a BP-11 response under subparagraph (a), the denial from the General Counsel under subparagraph (d), or the lapse of 30 days from the receipt of such a request by the Warden of the inmate's facility, whichever is earlier.

> Don't read a denial as the end. If the warden denies, you can appeal inside the BOP. If General Counsel or the Director denies, that's the BOP's final word and you can't appeal it internally, but that's actually your green light to go to court. Whichever comes first, a full denial or just 30 days passing since the warden got the request, you can file with the sentencing judge. The BOP saying no is not the same as the answer being no anymore. This is the whole point of the 2018 change.

SECTION 10: INELIGIBLE OFFENDERS § 571.64 (EXCERPT)

The Bureau of Prisons has no authority to initiate a request under 18 U.S.C. 4205(g) or 3582(c)(1)(A) on behalf of state prisoners housed in Bureau of Prisons facilities or D.C. Code offenders confined in federal institutions. The Bureau of Prisons cannot initiate such a motion on behalf of federal offenders who committed their offenses prior to November 1, 1987, and received non-parolable sentences.

> This only works for federal offenders. If the person is a state prisoner being housed in a federal facility, or a D.C. Code offender, the BOP can't file this for them. Worth checking early so you don't spend energy on a door that's closed for their specific situation.

Source: PS 5050.50 (1/17/2019), [bop.gov/policy/progstat/5050\_050\_EN.pdf](https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5050_050_EN.pdf). U.S. government work, public domain. Excerpts only; the official PDF controls.

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