Published on January 9, 2020, “The First Step Act – Earned Time Credits on the Horizon” is the fourth article in a series by Alan Ellis, Mark Allenbaugh and Nellie Klein. The article reviews the new PATTERN risk assessment tool currently being rolled out by the BOP as part of the First Step Act’s recidivism reduction efforts. PATTERN is intended to provide eligible prisoners the opportunity to earn time credits—not to be confused with good conduct time—that can be used for expanded pre-release custody options, such as release to a halfway house or home confinement. The article notes some impediments to full implementation as well as criticism this new tool already is receiving.
INSIGHT: The First Step Act – Earned Time Credits on the Horizon
By Melanie Trudeau
By Alan Ellis