By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – Federal inmates that successfully complete recidivism and reduction programs will be eligible to receive early release. This is according to new rules announced Thursday by the U.S. Justice Department.

These rules were mandated by Congress through a federal 2018 law known as the First Step Act. Inmates can earn between 10 and 15 days of time credits to reduce their sentences for participating in programs or other activities provided by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

They can be eligible to get out of halfway houses early or into home confinement if they have earned the credits. Some inmates may also be eligible to earn 12 months’ worth of credit which could then be used for supervised release.

The retroactive application of the rule means that inmates will be able to get credits from previous programs they have participated in since December 21, 2018, which was the date when First Step Act was adopted.

The Justice Department faced criticism over its original proposal on how it would implement the federal time credits rule, with federal defenders https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-justice-dept-clashes-with-inmates-over-credits-shave-prison-time-2021-08-10 saying the Bureau of Prisons’ menu of available programs was too limited and the number of hours required to complete them would make it too hard for inmates to earn credits.

Federal defenders stated that the math “speaks for itself” in a Jan 2021 letter sent to the bureau. According to the BOP’s proposal, it would take 219 weeks or more than 4 years for a year worth of credit.

The First Step Act was passed by criminal justice advocates. They lauded Thursday’s finalized rule, claiming that it conforms to what Congress had intended.

Holly Harris, president of Justice Action Network said that today’s announcement was relief for “thousands of people who have made the hard work of turning their lives around and returning to their communities as productive, law-abiding residents.”