FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 7, 2009 -- A Federal Prison Consultant for Jail Time Consulting, Michael Frantz , recently spoke to a group of community minded individuals about the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Furlough Program . This BOP program allows minimum security inmates to leave prison for short increments of time and go home to stay with their families. Furloughs can be day furloughs, three day furloughs, or five day furloughs.


The Bureau of Prisons developed a furlough program to help the inmate attain his or her correctional goals. It is also intended to allow an inmate to re-establish his or her family ties, get re-involved with the community in a positive aspect, look for suitable employment upon his or her release, or just allow him some time to chill out and be free of the monotonous

and boring time in prison. Michael Frantz said, "It also is a great way to keep an inmate's morale up!" Frantz also stipulated, "A furlough is not a right but a privilege granted an inmate under prescribed conditions. It is not a reward for good behavior, or a means to shorten a criminal sentence. A furlough is defined as an authorized absence from a federal prison by an inmate who is not under escort of a staff member, U.S. Marshal, or state or federal agents."


There are two main types of social furloughs. The first type of furlough is the Day Furlough. The Day Furlough is a furlough within the geographic limits of the commuting area of the federal prison (approximately a 100-mile radius), which lasts 16 hours or less and ends

before midnight. The inmate is picked up by his family and travels unescorted to his home. He may remain at his home with his family for sixteen (16) hours before reporting back to the institution that evening, usually before the 10:00 PM evening count.


The second type of furlough is an Overnight Furlough and can last up to seven (7) days. Normally, Overnight Furloughs are classified as three day furloughs or five day furloughs. The inmate may be picked up by his family and travel unescorted to his home. He remains at his home with his family for the length of his furlough, either three (3) nights or five (5) nights before reporting back to the his federal prison. "On certain occasions an inmate may be granted a seven day furlough, but it is rare", said Michael Frantz.


Federal Prison Consultant Frantz also discussed the eligibility requirements for federal inmates to receive a furlough. Michael Frantz said, "Eligibility for a Day Furlough requires that the inmate be at his current federal prison for one-hundred and eighty (180) days with clear conduct and he is within twenty-four (24) months of his anticipated release date. Eligibility for an Overnight Furlough requires that the inmate be at his current federal prison for one-hundred and eighty (180) days with clear conduct and he is within eighteen (18) months of his anticipated release date."


An inmate may receive more than one furlough but the furloughs must be at least ninety (90) days apart. An eligible inmate will initially receive a day furlough. Then he may later receive a three day or five day furlough if approved by the BOP. Inmates, in order to be eligible for furloughs, must have minimum security and community custody . This means the inmate must be at a Federal Prison Camp .


Frantz cautioned that federal prison inmate furloughs are not automatic or guaranteed at all. As a matter of fact they may be very difficult to get at certain federal prisons. "Certain Wardens just don't like to allow inmates to have a furlough", Frantz said. He added, "Even though furloughs are permitted by the Bureau of Prisons, some short-sighted Wardens feel that allowing furloughs is being soft on prisoners. They just won't allow it!"


Jail Time Consulting is a specialist in preparing applications for federal prison furloughs and explains, informs, educates, and assists their clients in the preparation of the documents for social furloughs. Jail Time Consulting is an expert in the BOP’s social furlough policy, the eligibility requirements, custody and security requirements, and reasons for furlough justification, furlough conditions, required documentation, as well as the inmate return policy.


Michael Frantz also said there are many other types of furloughs. Jail Time Consulting provides information and assistance in medical furloughs, transfer furloughs, and both escorted and unescorted furloughs. Michael Frantz noted, "We have all the required forms including the Furlough Questionnaire (both "In" and "Out" of Sentencing District) as well as the Furlough Application. We have the Inmate’s Conditions of Furlough listing all the conditions and stipulations with which the inmate agrees to comply." Jail Time Consulting provides information and/or assistance to all federal prison inmates with their furlough requests.

About Michael Frantz:
Michael Frantz is a leading national Federal Prison Consultant with JT Consulting LLC (Jail Time Consulting) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The staff of Jail Time Consulting provides consultation services, research, sentence reduction strategies, and client positioning for many BOP programs. JT Consulting offers solutions to the problems that men and women facing federal incarceration are confronted with. These are solutions to real life issues affecting their families, their livelihood, and their future. Michael has authored a widely used book on federal prison titled, “Jail Time, What you need to know…Before you go to federal prison!” He has also authored over thirty-five JT Special Reports© on various federal prison issues affecting both the inmate and his/her family which are available on the website. He writes a daily blog on the Jail Time Consulting website http://jailtimeconsulting.com answering readers’ questions and comments. He is a nationally recognized federal prison authority and has published over 24 articles nationwide. He can be reached at 954-522-2254, 800-804-4686, or at mike@jailtimeconsulting.com

About Jail Time Consulting:

Jail Time Consulting is a national Federal Prison Consulting firm providing clear concise answers to your questions, fears, and concerns. We provide an ongoing reference and support system for your whole family. There is nothing that can completely eliminate all the anxiety and fear about the possibility of doing time in federal prison. Yet the insightful and timely information, support, and positioning we provide will help dispel the anxiety and fears that you are now facing.

Your attorney is charged with the task of preparing your case, negotiating possible plea agreements, and centering on the non-mandatory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines to determine your gross sentence calculation. He is uniquely disciplined and highly qualified in arguing your case before the court, developing defensive strategies, and reviewing your Pre-Sentencing Investigation Report (PSI/PSR). However, many attorneys are not fully knowledgeable in the Bureau of Prisons' policies, procedures, and Program Statements. There are currently over 289 Bureau of Prison’s Program Statements. The staff of JT Consulting is experts in the BOP’s policies, procedures, and program statements. We are experts at positioning our clients for these valuable programs.

We prepare and position our clients for admission to the 500-Hour Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) which offers the inmate up to a 12 month sentence reduction and a 6 month halfway house designation. This has the net effect of reducing the client’s incarceration in a federal prison by up to eighteen months. JT Consulting works closely with the client’s legal defense team to provide the client with the best possible net sentence.

Besides providing positioning for acceptance into the RDAP and other BOP programs, we also offer the “How to Survive Federal Prison” course which is a fast tract course that prepares the defendant and his family for federal incarceration. This is an interactive course which provides written information, documents, materials, and JT Special Reports© to the client and his family followed by one-on-one personal or telephone sessions to address all your questions and concerns. You can obtain information on this course by going to our website.

Jail Time Consulting also offers assistance in many other areas to not only position you for the possibility of the lowest possible net sentence but also to educate you on the transition to life in a federal prison. We can assist you in the important areas of Sentence Reduction Positioning, Facility Designation, program placement, perks and upgrades, inmate job selection, transfers, furloughs, visitation, telephone communication, and many other important areas. We are not attorneys; we work in cooperation and conjunction with your attorney. Our goal is twofold—to prepare you for your incarceration in federal prison and to assist you in receiving the lowest possible net sentence. Please visit our website at www.jailtimeconsulting.com to preview what we can offer.