Classification & Designation

BOP prisons are classified by security level, as well as by the degree of mental health and medical care they are qualified to deliver. There are also administrative facilities such as jails and hospitals that house all security levels. 

In most cases, the Designation and Sentence Computation Center in Grand Prairie, Texas, makes the final determination regarding the prison assignment for AICs. This decision is based on the:

• Level of security and supervision the person requires.
• Level of security and staff supervision an institution is able to provide.
• Individual’s program needs.

Additional factors may include:

• The AIC’s release residence.
• The degree of overcrowding at an institution.
• Any security, location or program recommendation made by the sentencing court.
• “Other factors” that could affect the safe and orderly management of a BOP facility, as well as the best interests of the individual and the public (a vague catch-all that the BOP can use in many ways).

Note that to make this assignment, incarcerated individuals must be assigned both a custody and security level:

• Custody level is the degree of staff supervision required. There are four levels: with community at the low end (allowing time spent outside the institution, such as for outside work detail or programming) to maximum. 
• Security level refers to the institution itself, including design features and AIC-to-staff ratios. Levels are minimum, low, medium and high. 

The related BOP forms used to calculate an AIC’s custody and security level are below: 

• Custody classification.
• Inmate load and security classification.

Cars and gangs

Within BOP populations,  AICs often group themselves, and daily life is run by, “cars” or gangs. One of our former BOP administrators offers  a  perspective on the current state of gang issues within the BOP, along with who the groups are and their impact.