Federal Home Confinement

[Laura1990]

My husband has been at the HWH for almost three months now. His Home Confinement date just passed and his case manager at the HWH submitted his HC package over a month ago to the Regional Center. The case manager made it sound like it would be realistic to go to HC by now. He says that he just waits to get an email from Regional that it is approved and then my husband can come home. Other guys at the HWH already got their HC dates approved for farther out so we are trying to figure out what could be going on. Case manager says he doesn’t know anything about the process and just waits for that email.
Does anyone have experience with how the approval process at regional works? Is there a chance that they don’t approve it even if the case worker is asking for it? We already had our home approved by his probation officer and the HWH.

[Free At Last 5]

It may be that the BOP is simply backed up due to the timing of the holidays. My home confinement period came after my approved date. I don’t think this is unusual, as the date on the paperwork is only the earliest date that it is possible. Even with BOP approval, it is still up to the HH to approve. The HH can also rescind the home confinement placement if there are any problems. I found the restrictions on HC more onerous than those living in the HH - ankle monitor while on HC and tighter travel times, etc. The other frustrating thing about HC is that it’s really hard to reconnect with friends during that period because you are pretty much limited to home and work locations, and even shopping or restaurant trips had to be scheduled. That said, I still would have preferred home confinement to HH, just be prepared for some frustration with the “freedom”! I can honestly say that the day I did my final checkout visit from HH was as sweet as the day I walked out the prison doors. Keep your eyes on the prize and be patient, because it really does end!

[fbopnomore]

Almost every federal agency experiences an end of year slowdown because of the holidays. Federal employees are limited to the amount of accrued vacation time they can "roll over" at the end of the leave year (sick leave time is not limited), so many of them encounter "use or lose" annual leave hours. Since very few folks are willing to "lose" leave time they have earned/accrued, some even pre-covid offices turned into ghost towns at the end of each "leave year". Requests for end of year vacation time, regardless of any "use or lose" hours, are also very strong, so shortages of bop employees actually working can also add to system delays.

For me, the HWH had an on-site bop overseer called the Residential Reentry Manager. RRM who had to approve passes, furloughs and home confinement too. He cancelled all end of year passes, absences, family visits, and locked the HWH down. Part of that was his nasty personality (he also ordered the HWH televisions to be turned off during most of the day) so we figured that the bop had put him in a situation where he was not interacting with real inmates, just the ones who were about to be released from bop custody. I have no idea if his utterances were final, or if they had to be approved by his bosses too.

[Laura1990]

Thank you both for your replies! I didn’t know about their PTO policy but that would explain the delay. My husband is ready to be locked in at home lol. He was offered a really great job opportunity. The job is completely remote and the HWH approved it but they don’t allow him to start until he gets home. His case worker said that he submitted all the paperwork to the RRM so I guess that is who we are waiting on. I will try my best to stay patient but it gets harder the closer we get..

[Free At Last 5]

That’s great news that he has a job lined up, and will be a positive on getting the HV release. Another thing in your favor is the BOP needs the HH beds. Your patience will be rewarded, probably soon. Best of luck!

[bellisq]

I'm hearing the BOP is in total chaos. That said, I think they want as many people out as possible. Hope you see him soon.