Department of Justice April 4, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule finalizes the interim rules on Special Administrative Measures that were published on October 31, 2001 (66 FR 55062). The previously existing regulations authorized the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau), at the direction of the Attorney General, to impose special administrative measures with respect to specified inmates, based on information provided by senior intelligence or law enforcement officials, if determined necessary to prevent the dissemination of either classified information that could endanger the national security, or of other information that could lead to acts of violence and/or terrorism. The interim rule extended the period of time for which such special administrative measures may be imposed from 120 days to up to one year, and modified the standards for approving extensions of such special administrative measures. In addition, where the Attorney General has certified that reasonable suspicion exists to believe that an inmate may use communications with attorneys (or agents traditionally covered by the attorney-client privilege) to further or facilitate acts of violence and/or terrorism, the interim rule amended the previously existing regulations to provide that the Bureau must provide appropriate procedures to monitor or review such communications to deter such acts, subject to specific procedural safeguards, to the extent permitted under the Constitution and laws of the United States. The interim rule also requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to give written notice to the inmate and attorneys and/or agents before monitoring or reviewing any communications as described in this rule. The interim rule also provided that the head of each component of the Department of Justice that has custody of persons for whom special administrative measures are determined to be necessary may exercise the same authority to impose such measures as the Director of the Bureau of Prisons.