Who writes this federal RDAP guide
RDAP Program is published by Criminal Center, a private law firm that handles federal criminal cases only. Brandon Sample writes the guides for people facing federal prison, people in BOP custody, and the family members and friends helping them.
Why these guides exist
RDAP decisions involve several separate questions. Does someone qualify for treatment? Does the offense allow the early release? Can every required part of the program be finished? And how does BOP apply any reduction to time in custody? The guides explain those questions in plain English and link to the rules behind them.
General information is not a decision about anyone’s eligibility, and it is not legal advice about a particular case. BOP decides admission, placement and any early release.
Brandon Sample and Criminal Center
Brandon Sample is the founder of Criminal Center and writes the articles on this site. Brandon Sample is admitted to practice law only in Vermont. Practice is limited to federal courts and federal agencies.
Criminal Center’s office is at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW # 200, Washington, DC 20006. The firm is independent of BOP and is not a government treatment provider.
How the legal information is kept current
Every legal statement on this site cites an official source: the U.S. Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, Bureau of Prisons program statements, or court decisions. These sources do not all carry the same weight. A statute or a current regulation controls over older BOP policy text, and a BOP web page can describe how a program runs without creating a right to it.
The full list is on the sources page. Each article shows the date it was last revised.
When a rule or policy changes, the pages it affects need a new review too. This site covers federal law only. It does not cover state prisons or state law.
Talk about your own RDAP issue
If the question involves your records, a written BOP decision or a deadline coming up, you can request a consultation. Describe the issue briefly, and leave sensitive records out of the first contact.