Second Chance Act Program
(Increased Halfway House Time)

The Second Chance Act states that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) shall ensure that a prisoner serving a term of imprisonment spends a portion of the final months of that term (not to exceed 12 months) in a community correctional facility (halfway house) or appropriate conditions that will afford the prisoner a reasonable opportunity to adjust and prepare for the reentry of that prisoner to the community.

The Second Chance Act clarifies the statute governing federal halfway house placement prior to release, and ensures consideration of longer placements. It does not require the BOP to place inmates in halfway houses earlier or for longer periods of time. The bill simply requires the BOP to ensure that, to the extent practicable, an inmate is considered for halfway house placement for up to 12 months, not just up to a maximum of six months or 10% of his time served, whichever is less, as set forth in the previous law.

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In addition, the Second Chance Act allows the BOP discretion to place a prisoner in home confinement for six months or 10 percent of the whole term of imprisonment, whichever is less. In many cases this may be a six month maximum in home confinement also. Thereby, a prisoner who receives additional halfway house time through the Second Chance Act may actually serve part of the additional time in home confinement instead of in a halfway house.

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What Prison Consulting Group does is to provide, through research, documentation, and communication with the defendant or inmate, his family if applicable, the court, the staff at the inmate’s facility, and other appropriate entities, documentation to support eligibility and application for additional halfway house time via the Second Chance Act. Unless you are proactive in this process and can provide the supporting documentation and make a strong case you will not receive it. This is what the Prison Consulting Group does. We are experts at positioning and preparing the defendant and or inmate for eligibility to this program and have the resources, knowledge, and skills needed.

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Call the Prison Consulting Group to determine if you, as a defendant or an inmate, meet the criteria and may be eligible for consideration of additional halfway house time under the Second Chance Act of 2008.