About the First Step Act
In December 2018, Congress passed and the president signed into law the First Step Act (FSA). This major bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation is intended, in part, to reduce the risk of post-release recidivism by federal inmates and ease their safe, and productive reentry into civilian life. FSA’s Title I directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop and implement a new, objective, and statistically validated “risk and needs assessment system” by which the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will use to evaluate both the risk that individual prisoners may reoffend upon release and the evidence-based recidivism reduction programming that is most likely to reduce that risk. FSA’s Title I also establishes an Independent Review Committee (IRC) of outside experts to advise and assist DOJ in the development and implementation of this risk and needs assessment system.
On April 8, 2018, DOJ’s National Institute of Justice selected Hudson Institute to serve as organizational host for the IRC.
Total federal inmates
Average number of inmates released annually since 2014.
NOTE: the COVID-19 pandemic led to unusual intake and release patterns that affect both these numbers
Latest Publications
Report of the Independent Review Committee Report Pursuant to the Requirements of Title I Section 107(g) of the First Step Act (FSA) of 2018 (P.L. 115-391)
Report of the Independent Review Committee Report Pursuant to the Requirements of Title I Section 107(g) of the First Step Act (FSA) of 2018 (P.L. 115-391) View full report [...]
First Step Act Implementation Fiscal Year 2020 90-Day Report
First Step Act Implementation Fiscal Year 2020 90-Day Report View Full Report LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY The Senate Report (S. Rept. 116-127) accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-93) [...]