Department of Justice January 9, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this document, the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) proposes to amend its rules on Good Conduct Time (GCT) and Literacy. The purpose of this proposed rule is to provide effective literacy programming alternatives to the General Educational Development (GED) program that more effectively meet the specialized needs of inmates. This will also have the added benefit of reducing lengthy waiting lists for the GED program. This proposed rule will exempt inmates from the ``satisfactory progress'' provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) and/or the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PLRA) if they participate in an ``authorized alternative adult literacy program.'' The Bureau's Literacy Program rules, which currently contemplate only GED attainment, would also be revised to allow for ``authorized alternative adult literacy programs.'' This change means that inmates participating in ``authorized alternative adult literacy programs'' will not need to demonstrate satisfactory progress toward earning a GED credential to be considered for the full benefits of GCT. Other than the change regarding inmates in ``authorized alternative adult literacy programs,'' we propose no further substantive changes.