BOP is Shortchanging First Step Act Credits — Demand Action Now

The First Step Act was signed by President Trump to reward rehabilitation with earlier release dates through earned time credits. Yet the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is still shortchanging inmates by miscalculating those credits. The FSA Time Credit Assessment Calculator fails to include credits earned during pre-release custody in a halfway house or on home confinement, even though the BOP admits these credits continue to accrue. This omission keeps people in custody longer than the law allows. On August 1, BOP Director William Marshall, along with Rick Stover and Joshua Smith, announced a “change” to the calculation process. In reality, nothing changed. The flawed “earn and burn” method remains, preventing inmates from applying all eligible credits toward their projected release date up front—unlike good time credits, which are front-loaded. This is not a small oversight. It undermines the purpose of the First Step Act, wastes taxpayer money, and delays family reunification. The fix is simple: count all credits—earned or projected—through the end of the sentence, including halfway house and home confinement, and apply them immediately. Announcements without results are political theater. Fix the calculator now or step aside for someone who will.