First Step Act of 2018

The Authors firmly believes that both the Bureau Of Prisons and the United States Attorney General's Office missed mandatory implementation due dates under the First Step Act Of 2018, that will cause delays into 2020, and possibly longer. The Authors believe that Congress intended for early release time credit incentives to be effective immediately, on and after, December 21, 2018, that were by- and- large ignored by the Bureau Of Prisons in 2019, and that are now continuing into 2020. Programming was delayed and now it is having a very slow start. It appears that a constructive brake to earned time credits has been lodged, that will invariably reduce the amount of time credit awards in any given case, as a byproduct of missed implementation due dates. This has created a multitude of disparities for all inmates who were eager, qualified, and able, to embrace early release time credit incentive programming in 2019, but were not afforded that opportunity. Moreover, qualified inmates have a statutory right to engage time credit programming and activities for the entire length of their incarcerative sentences, but without adequate remedies at law. These issues appear ripe for Mandamus Court review, or Congressional review, now. There are no reported United States District Court cases examining the issues presented in this booklet to date. As always, the Author would invite constructive criticism, by any legal scholars reading this booklet. Federal Sentencing Alliance is not a law firm and cannot give legal advice. You are encouraged, however, to seek legal advice regarding the matters presented in this publication, and to be guided by the sound advice of your attorney on your particular case.(c) 2020 Federal Sentencing Alliance Please visit us at www.FederalSentencingAlliance.com