1

SPECIAL MANAGEMENT UNIT

(SMU)
INMATE HANDBOOK

USP LEWISBURG
LEWISBURG, PA
May 2013

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 2

3
INTRODUCTION:
You have been assigned to the Special Management Unit (SMU) at the
United States Penitentiary (USP), Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The SMU
is a multi-level program whose mission is to teach self-discipline,
pro-social values, and the ability to successfully coexist with members of other geographical, cultural, and religious backgrounds. USP
Lewisburg offers Levels I and II of the program, and most inmates
transfer to another facility for Levels III and IV. Ordinarily this
program will be completed in 18 - 24 months.
Successful completion requires strict adherence to the rules and
regulations of the unit. In addition, completion of the program requires your active participation in self study, individual, and group
activities geared toward the development of behavior and values that
will allow for successful reintegration into a general population.
Advancement through the levels of this program is dependent on observed behavior and program participation. As you progress to the
higher levels of the program, you will earn additional privileges.
Lack of effort, rule and disciplinary infractions, or a poor attitude
may result in delaying completion of the program, to include repeating levels. Progress in the program is evaluated by a multi-disciplinary team ordinarily consisting of Executive, Unit, Correctional,
Psychology, and Educational staff.
The Unit Team will consist of a Counselor, Case Manager, and Unit
Manager. Caseloads will be divided by housing units.
This handbook is designed to present a general overview of the Special Management Unit at USP Lewisburg. It is not intended to be a
complete guide to all rules and regulations governing your behavior.
It is intended to assist you in understanding and adjusting to your
new institution. Additionally, radio station 88.5 FM broadcasts an
audio version of the Admission and Orientation Lecture every Wednesday beginning at 9:00 a.m.
SMU PROGRESSION AND PROGRAM COMPLETION: As dictated by the Program
Statement 5217.01 Special Management Units (SMU), inmates will be reviewed within the first 28 days of their arrival and subsequently every 90 days through levels I, II, III and every 30 days in level IV.
These reviews will be conducted by members of the Unit Team, Education, Correctional Services, and Psychology and chaired by the Associate Warden of Programs. These reviews will be used to determine
the progression through levels. Inmates found guilty of disciplinary
actions in the greatest or high category will ordinarily be returned
to the previously completed level or all the way back to level I. In
situations where an inmate is pending a Disciplinary Hearing with
the Disciplinary Hearing Officer (DHO), he will still be eligible for
privileges at his SMU level. If the inmate is found not guilty by the
DHO, the inmate will retain his current level with all the time and
effort being credited to the current level.
After an inmate completes level II, he will ordinarily be submitted
for a 324 Program Participation transfer for completion of SMU level
III/IV to another SMU facility. Since bed space is sometimes limited

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 4

5

at these facilities some inmates will complete level III at USP
Lewisburg. In these cases inmates will be referred via 325 Program
Completion transfer after they enter level IV.
Inmates progressing through, but not completing the SMU program after twenty four months will have their cases reviewed by the AWP
and submitted for additional time adequate for SMU completion at
the discretion of the Regional Director.
PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES: In preparation for return to general population, you are required to complete mandatory treatment services
(see Appendix A for SMU curriculum). These services include selfstudy, individual, and group activities provided by Psychology Services. Your program participation will determine your readiness to
progress through each level of the unit. In addition to mandatory
SMU programs, Psychology Services will be responsible for providing
mental health services to SMU participants on an as-needed basis.
PSYCHOLOGY STAFF
U.S.P. Lewisburg has five psychologists, five treatment specialists,
and one Psychology Technician working behind the wall.
 

 

CONTACTING A PSYCHOLOGIST
A psychologist remains on-call 24 hours per day, seven
days per week. If you have a mental health emergency
(e.g. suicidal thoughts, psychosis) inform any staff member you need to speak with a psychologist immediately.
For problems that are not emergencies, speak with a psychologist during rounds or send the unit psychologist a
cop-out. For complex psychiatric medication needs we use
the Tele-health program, with a consulting psychiatrist
from USMCFP Springfield. He will interview you through an
audiovisual interface that allows you to talk to him as
if in person. Note the majority of psychotropic medication needs are managed by the institution Health Services
department.
CONFIDENTIALITY/PRIVACY
It is important to outline measures we take to respect
your privacy when you participate in Psychology programs.
We keep electronic records of our contacts with inmates.
These records are the property of the BOP, but we protect
and manage them. That means we do not routinely make our
records available to staff members outside the Federal
Government, with some exceptions. The Privacy Act and the
Freedom of Information Act govern the FBOP’s management of
your records. Ordinarily, we disclose our records with
your understanding and support; however, there are times
when we may communicate information without your consent.
When we are asked by staff to evaluate your mental status,
usually because the staff is concerned that you might have
deteriorating mental health, we will do so. Sometimes
the DHO will ask us to evaluate your competency to proceed with the disciplinary process. Anytime we perceive
a threat to you, someone else, or to the security of the
institution, we will communicate whatever information is

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

required to address that concern.
Alcohol and drugs are
always considered a security threat, so if you tell us you
have them, are using them, or know that someone else has or
is using them, we are required to report that information.
If you have any questions or concerns about confidentiality
or privacy, ask a psychologist about it.
 

SUICIDE PREVENTION
It is not uncommon for people to experience depression and
hopelessness while in jail or prison, particularly if they
are serving a long sentence, are experiencing family problems or problems getting along with other inmates, or receive bad news. Sometimes, inmates consider committing
suicide due to all of the pressure they are under. Staff
is trained to monitor inmates for signs of suicidality, and
is trained to refer concerns to the Psychology Department.
However, staff does not always see what inmates see. If you
are personally experiencing any of the problems noted above,
or you or another inmate are showing signs of depression
(sadness, tearfulness, lack of enjoyment in usual activities), withdrawal (staying away from others), or hopelessness (giving away possessions, stating that “there is nothing to live for”), please alert a staff member right away.

PSYCH-EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS/DAP:
Psychology Services provides self-help/personal-growth materials in
the form of workbooks, articles, and books designed to introduce you
to ideas and concepts which encourage positive change. Some of these
will be required for program advancement (see handbook) and others
are provided solely by request. We encourage you to take full advantage of the materials available to you.
The logistical restrictions inherent in the SMU make offering formal
Drug Abuse Programs impossible, however, related self-study materials and cell-side counseling provided by treatment specialists will
be available. We strongly encourage your participation in formal DAP
programs upon your eventual return to a mainline facility.
SMU INCENTIVE PROGRAMMING
GENERAL OVERVIEW: SMU inmates in Phase II and III may be provided
with an opportunity to participate in an incentive based program.
This program consists of seven core areas and in each of the areas
various assignments will be assigned for completion. Once the assignments are completed (at an acceptable level) and continual progress is made in Education and Recreation programming, the individual
is then eligible for a monetary stipend.
How to enroll? Monthly, or bi-monthly, a signup sheet will be distributed for enrollment. It is highly recommended that all inmates
select their top three choices (rather than just one) and all efforts
will be made to fulfill your request. Following the collection of the
enrollment forms, assignments will be provided shortly thereafter.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 6
Expectations:
• 
NO BOOKS will be written in. Responses will be provided on separate paper.
• 
ALL assignments are required to be completed fully and with genuine effort.
• 
Acceptable effort will be evaluated by your treatment specialist
and his/her judgment is the sole determining factor for receiving credit.
• 
Turn assignments in personally and only to your assigned treatment specialist.
• 
In the event there are unanswered questions or other incompleteness, you will not be given credit for the module and will have
to redo the assignment for the following month.
• 
Books MUST be returned in the condition in which they were provided. Failure to do so will result in the cost of the books being deducted from your incentive pay.
• 
If an inmate is pending a 100 or 200 series incident report he
cannot participate.
• 
If an inmate is in FRP refusal status he cannot participate.
• 
It is your responsibility to speak with Education and Recreation
to ensure your programming status is acceptable.
• 
If ANY of the above expectations are violated, program eligibility may be discontinued.
REMEMBER, this Incentive Program is a privilege and an opportunity. Thus
mutual kindness and respect is strongly encouraged when working with
your assigned treatment specialist.
Sexually Abusive Behavior Prevention and Intervention 
an Overview for Offenders

You Have the Right to be Safe from Sexually Abusive Behavior. While you are
incarcerated, no one has the right to pressure you to engage in sexual acts.
You do not have to tolerate sexually abusive behavior or pressure to engage in unwanted sexual behavior from another inmate or a staff member. 
Regardless of your age, size, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, you have the right to be safe from sexually abusive behavior. 
What Can You Do To Prevent Sexually Abusive Behavior?
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself and others against
sexually abusive behavior:
• Carry yourself in a confident manner at all times. Do not permit your emotions (fear/anxiety) to be obvious to others.
• Do not accept gifts or favors from others. Most gifts or favors come with strings attached to them.
• Do not accept an offer from another inmate to be your protector.
• Find a staff member with whom you feel comfortable discussing
your fears and concerns.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

7
• Be alert! Do not use contraband substances such as drugs
or alcohol; these can weaken your ability to stay alert and
make good judgments.
• Be direct and firm if others ask you to do something you
don’t want to do. Do not give mixed messages to other inmates regarding your wishes for sexual activity.
• Stay in well-lit areas of the institution.
• Choose your associates wisely. Look for people who are
involved in positive activities like educational programs,
psychology groups, or religious services. Get involved in
these activities yourself.
• Trust your instincts. If you sense that a situation may be
dangerous, it probably is. If you fear for your safety, report your concerns to staff. 
What Can You Do if You Are Afraid or Feel Threatened?
If you are afraid or feel you are being threatened or pressured to
engage in sexual behaviors, you should discuss your concerns with
staff. Because this can be a difficult topic to discuss, some staff,
like psychologists, are specially trained to help you deal with
problems in this area. 
If you feel immediately threatened, approach any staff member and
ask for assistance. It is part of his/her job to ensure your safety.  If it is a staff member that is threatening you, report your
concerns immediately to another staff member that you trust, or
follow the procedures for making a confidential report. 
What Can You Do if You Are Sexually Assaulted?
If you become a victim of a sexually abusive behavior, you should
report it immediately to staff who will offer you protection from
the assailant.  You do not have to name the inmate(s) or staff
assailant(s) in order to receive assistance, but specific information may make it easier for staff to know how best to respond. You
will continue to receive protection from the assailant, whether or
not you have identified him or her (or agree to testify against him/
her). After reporting any sexual assault, you will be referred immediately for a medical examination and clinical assessment. Even
though you many want to clean up after the assault it is important
to see medical staff BEFORE you shower, wash, drink, eat, change
clothing, or use the bathroom. Medical staff will examine you for
injuries which may or may not be readily apparent to you. They can
also check you for sexually transmitted diseases, and gather any
physical evidence of assault. The individuals who sexually abuse or
assault inmates can only be disciplined and/or prosecuted if the
abuse is reported.
Regardless of whether your assailant is an inmate or a staff member, it is important to understand that you will never be disciplined or prosecuted for being the victim of a sexual assault.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 8

9

How Do You Report an Incident of Sexually Abusive Behavior?

Management Program for Inmate Assailants

It is important that you tell a staff member if you have been sexually assaulted. It is equally important to inform staff if you have
witnessed sexually abusive behavior. You can tell your case manager, Chaplain, Psychologist, SIS, the Warden or any other staff
member you trust. BOP staff members are instructed to keep reported
information confidential and only discuss it with the appropriate
officials on a need-to-know basis concerning the inmate-victim’s
welfare and for law enforcement or investigative purposes.  There
are other means to confidentiality report sexually abusive behavior
if you are not comfortable talking with staff.

Anyone who sexually abuses/assaults others while in the custody of
the BOP will be disciplined and prosecuted to the fullest extent of
the law. If you are an inmate assailant, you will be referred to
Correctional Services for monitoring. You will be referred to Psychology Services for an assessment of risk and treatment and management needs. Treatment compliance or refusal will be documented
and decisions regarding your conditions of confinement and release
may be effected. If you feel that you need help to keep from engaging in sexually abusive behaviors, psychological services are
available. 

• Write directly to the Warden, Regional Director or Director. You
can send the Warden an Inmate Request to Staff Member (Cop-out)
or a letter reporting the sexually abusive behavior. You may also
send a letter to the Regional Director or Director of the Bureau of
Prisons. To ensure confidentiality, use special mail procedures.

Policy Definitions

• File an Administrative Remedy. You can file a Request for Administrative Remedy (BP-9). If you determine your complaint is too sensitive to file with the Warden, you have the opportunity to file your
administrative remedy directly with the Regional Director (BP-10).
You can get the forms from your counselor or other unit staff.

Code 101/(A): Sexual Assault

• Write the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) which investigates
allegations of staff misconduct. OIG is a component of the Department of Justice and is not a part of the Bureau of Prisons. The address is:

Code 206/(A): Making a Sexual Proposal

Office of the Inspector General
P. O. Box 27606
Washington, D.C. 20530

Prohibited Acts: Inmates who engage in inappropriate sexual behavior can be charged with the following Prohibited Acts under the Inmate Disciplinary Policy:

Code 114/(A): Sexual Assault of Any Person
Code 205/(A): Engaging in a Sex Act

Code 221/(A): Being in an Unauthorized Area with a Member of the
Opposite Sex
Code 229/(A): Sexual Assault of Any Person
Code 300/(A): Indecent Exposure

Understanding the Investigative Process

Code 404/(A): Using Abusive or Obscene Language 

Once the sexually abusive behavior is reported, the BOP and/or
other appropriate law enforcement agencies will conduct an investigation.  The purpose of the investigation is to determine
the nature and scope of the abusive behavior. You may be asked to
give a statement during the investigation. If criminal charges are
brought, you may be asked to testify during the criminal proceedings.

Staff Misconduct: The Standards of Employee Conduct prohibit employees from engaging in, or allowing another person to engage in
sexual, indecent, profane or abusive language or gestures, and inappropriate visual surveillance of inmates.  Influencing, promising
or threatening an inmate’s safety, custody, privacy, housing, privileges, work detail or program status in exchange for sexual favors
is also prohibited. 

Counseling Programs for Victims of Sexually Abusive Behavior

What is sexually abusive behavior? According to federal law (Prison
Rape Elimination Act of 2003) sexually abusive behavior is defined
as:

Most people need help to recover from the emotional effects of sexually abusive behavior. If you are the victim of sexually abusive
behavior, whether recent or in the past, you may seek counseling
and/or advice from a psychologist or chaplain. Crisis counseling,
coping skills, suicide prevention, mental health counseling, and
spiritual counseling are all available to you. 

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

a. Rape: the carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, or sexual assault with
an object or sexual fondling of a person FORCIBLY or against that
person’s will; The carnal knowledge, oral sodomy, or sexual assault with an object or sexual fondling of a person not forcibly or
against the person’s will, where the victim is incapable of giving
consent because of his/her youth or his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity; or The carnal knowledge, oral

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 10

11

sodomy, or sexual assault with an object or sexual fondling of a
person achieved through the exploitation of the fear or threat of
physical violence or bodily injury.
Carnal Knowledge: contact between the penis and vulva or the penis
and the anus, including penetration of any sort, however slight.
Oral Sodomy: contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth and
the vulva, or the mouth and the anus.
b. Sexual Assault with an Object: the use of any hand, finger, object, or other instrument to penetrate, however slightly, the genital or anal opening of the body of another person (NOTE: This does
NOT apply to custodial or medical personnel engaged in evidence
gathering or legitimate medical treatment, nor to health care provider’s performing body cavity searches in order to maintain security and safety within the prison).
c. Sexual Fondling: the touching of the private body parts of another person (including the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner
thigh, or buttocks) for the purpose of sexual gratification.
d. Sexual Misconduct (staff only): the use of indecent sexual language, gestures, or sexually oriented visual surveillance for the
purpose of sexual gratification. 
An incident is considered Inmate-on-Inmate Abuse/Assault when any
sexually abusive behavior occurs between two or more inmates.  An
incident is considered Staff-on-Inmate Abuse/Assault when any sexually abusive behavior is initiated by a staff member toward one or
more inmates.  It is also considered Staff-on-Inmate Abuse/Assault
if a staff member willingly engages in sexual acts or contacts that
are initiated by an inmate. 
NOTE: Sexual acts or contacts between two or more inmates, even
when no objections are raised, are prohibited acts, and may be illegal. Sexual acts or contacts between an inmate and a staff member, even when no objections are raised by either party, are always
forbidden and illegal. 
Inmates who have been sexually assaulted by another inmate or staff
member will not be prosecuted or disciplined for reporting the assault.  However, inmates will be penalized for knowingly filing any
false report.

Contact Offices:
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the Inspector General
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 4322
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001
Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
302 Sentinel Drive, Suite 200
Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701

Central Office
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20534
South Central Regional Office
4211 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 300
Dallas, Texas 72519

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

Northeast Regional Office
U.S. Customs House, 7th Floor
2nd and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

North Central Regional Office
Gateway Complex Tower II, 8th Floor
400 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101-2492

Southeast Regional Office
3800 North Camp Creek Parkway, SW
Building 2000
Atlanta, GA 30331-5099

Western Regional Office
7338 Shoreline Drive
Stockton, CA 95219

Diversity in a Prison Environment
I. 

What is Diversity?

Diversity in a prison environment can be characterized by the differences and uniqueness that each individual brings to this institution.
These differences are observed through race, religion, ethnicity, and
geographic background. All of these factors create the environment
in which you are now apart. So, what is your responsibility to yourself, the other inmates, and the staff of this institution? Contrary
to the differences within this institution, your responsibility is to
distinguish between right and wrong by enhancing your knowledge of
this diverse landscape. Become aware of the pitfalls (gangs, drugs,
and prison politics). This will enable you to chart a course to avoid
the traps and achieve success. Consider having the following values
of Respect, Tolerance, Honesty, and Responsibility as a part of the
compass which directs your decision making. When these values are at
work in your life, your attitude toward individual differences will be
evident through your contribution toward a safe environment.
II. 
How
 
A.
race.
 
B.
man   
 
C.
 
D.
time.

is it reflected in this environment?
Race: Your family background, lineage or people compose your
Religion: Protestant, Islam, Judaism, Native American, RoCatholic, other
Ethnicity: Common traits or customs.
Geographic Background: Where I lived for any period of

III.  What is my responsibility?
 
A. Distinguish between right and wrong
 B. Increase knowledge by participation
 
C. Determine best practice to succeed
IV. 
 
 
 
 

How do I reflect a right attitude?
A. Respect: Considering others as I would like to be
considered.
B. Honesty: Without desire to lie. Genuine.
C. Tolerance: Patience and understanding.
  D. Accountability: Responsible for my own actions.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 12
V. 
 
 
 

The Bureau’s Stance on Diversity
A. Zero tolerance for those that do not reflect an attitude of
diversity
B. Rule breakers receive incident reports or other sanctions

RELIGIOUS SERVICES:
The Chapel library has extensive resources available for your spiritual growth. A list of available softcover books is posted on the
TRULINCS computer system under local documents. The book lists
are posted by religion. The Chaplains are available for spiritual
counsel during regular rounds or by written request. A list of
Holy Days, Fast Days, and Ceremonial Meals is located on the TRULINCS computer system. Cop-out deadlines are also included.
TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING - PEOPLE OF ALL RACES/RELIGIONS
If Lewisburg is your first assignment in the BOP your Unit Team will
denote your religious preference. If you would like to change your
religious preference, you must submit a written request to the
chaplain. USP Lewisburg is home to people from all over the United
States and the world. There are inmates from 22 different religious groups housed in this institution. Please show respect to
those from different backgrounds and religions. Many world religions have some variation of the rule, “Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you.” No one may disparage the religious beliefs
of an inmate, nor coerce or harass an inmate to change religious
affiliation.

 
CHAPLAIN DUTY HOURS:
  
There are four full-time chaplains assigned  to USP
  
Lewisburg. Between them , there is seven-day coverage,
  
including evenings Monday thru Friday.
   
 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Pastoral Visits: If requested by an inmate, the chaplain shall facilitate arrangements for pastoral visits by a clergy person or
representative of the inmate's faith. The chaplain may request an
NCIC check and documentation of such clergy person's or faith group
representative's credentials. Pastoral visits may not be counted
as social visits. They will ordinarily take place in the visiting
room during regular visiting hours.
Minister of Record: You may designate one individual on your visiting list as your Minister of Record (MOR) by submitting a request
to the Chaplain. This request must include contact information for
the MOR so the Chaplain can obtain credentials and security checks
for the MOR. An approved MOR will not count against the maximum
number of visitors you are allowed to have on your visiting list,
and may visit during normal visiting hours.
Mentors: Opportunities for mentoring relationships are available as
a part of the Threshold Program. See the Chaplain for more information.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

13
Prisoner Visitation & Support (PVS): Inmates wishing to receive
visits from PVS should submit a written request to the Chaplain to
be placed on the waiting list.
PROCEDURES FOR ACQUIRING RELIGIOUS ITEMS, LITERATURE, PROPERTY
Authorized personal religious items will be purchased/acquired by
the adherent. Authorized items available from Commissary may be
purchased by those whose religious preference reflects a need for
those items. Authorized items not available from Commissary may
be purchased via Special Purpose Order from an approved vender.
Items should be less than $100 in value. Catalogues are available
from the Chaplain upon submission of a written request. Authorized
items not available for purchase may be acquired via the Authorization to Receive a Package form (i.e., eagle feathers, elekes,
etc.). Submit a written request to the Chaplain for the form.
Softcover books may be checked out from the Chapel library in two
week increments. Loaned books must be returned to the Chaplain in
order to receive new books. Books are traded on a one-for-one basis. You may also purchase personal religious books following the
procedures outlined in Program Statement 5266.10, Incoming Publications.
RELIGIOUS DIET PROGRAM
Initial Interview: Inmates must submit a written request to be interviewed. The chaplaincy team will review the answers to your
interview. A determination will be made to approve you for selfselection from mainline, with access to a no-flesh option or for
the certified processed food tray. You will be notified in writing
of the accommodation on form BP-S700.053, Notification of Religious
Diet Accommodation. If approved to the certified food component,
Food Service will ordinarily begin serving the certified food tray
in two working days, under normal operations. Those not approved
for the certified food line may request a re-interview at six-month
intervals.
Removal: An inmate may be removed from the certified food diet if
he is observed: Eating food from mainline; missing six consecutive meals; changing his religious preference; purchasing food from
commissary that is not permissible to eat based on his religious
requirements. Removal is not punitive in nature but provides an
opportunity for the inmate and staff to reevaluate this program’s
appropriateness to meet the inmate’s demonstrated needs. The process of re-approving a religious diet for an inmate who voluntarily withdraws or who is removed ordinarily may extend up to thirty
days. Repeated withdrawals (voluntary or otherwise), however, may
result in inmates being subjected to a waiting period of up to one
year. At the inmate’s request for reinstatement, an oral interview
will be conducted prior to reinstatement.
RELIGIOUS RIGHTS OF INMATES
Opportunities for religious activities are open to the entire inmate population, without regard to race, color, nationality, or ordinarily, creed. The warden, after consulting with the institution
chaplain, may limit participation in a particular religious activity or practice to the members of that religious group. Ordinarily,
when the nature of the activity or practice (e.g., religious fasts,

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 14
wearing of headwear, work proscription, ceremonial meals) indicates
a need for such a limitation, only those inmates whose files reflect
the pertinent religious preference will be included. When seeking a religious accommodation, you should submit the request in
writing, and the Chaplain will attempt to accommodate your request
within the bounds of policy.
PROCEDURES FOR FAMILY TO CONTACT INSTITUTION IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
In the event that an immediate member of your family (mother/father, brother/sister, son/daughter or spouse), is taken to the hospital or dies, a member of your family may call (570) 523-1251 and
request to speak to a Chaplain. The caller will need your registration number, the name of the individual involved, and the name, address, and telephone number of the hospital or funeral home. This
information will be verified before you are notified. If the information received cannot be verified by an outside agency (hospital, funeral home, law enforcement, etc.) you will not be notified. After
the information has been verified, a chaplain will notify you of the
emergency, and if appropriate, arrange for you to communicate with
your family.
Mechanical Services:
Mechanical Services job details are not available to SMU inmates.
Food Service:
The mission of the Food Service Department is to prepare and serve
nutritionally adequate meals. The Bureau of Prisons has adopted
a National Menu that all food service departments must adhere to.
Variances to the National Menu can be granted by the Central Office
and implemented at the local level.
Meals are served in a three compartment tray with a snap on lid.
This ensures the wholesomeness of the items served. Trays are color coded to distinguish between certified religious diets, no flesh,
heart healthy, and regular meals. All meals are to be consumed in
the cells. The menu at U.S.P. Lewisburg does not include fried
items, items with bones, sugar, or soup. An alternative for these
items is provided when listed on the menu. Heart healthy and no
flesh alternatives are available upon request.
Inmates have the ability to select/change their meal preference
monthly. The meal choice that each inmate has made on the first of
the month will remain the same throughout the month; the only exceptions being if the inmate is approved for the Certified Religious
Diet Program, or if he is placed on a medical diet.
Medical Diets will be accommodated when requested by the Health
Services Department. The Certified Religious Diet is available when
an inmate is approved by Religious Services. Menus can be obtained
by requesting to utilize the computer in the law library.
Substitutions of similar items are authorized when necessary per
P.S. 4700.05, Food Service Manual.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

15
SMU TELEPHONE CALLS: Provided there are no telephone restrictions
as the result of disciplinary sanctions or other administrative
reasons, inmates will receive two phone calls per month in Level I
and four calls per month in Level II. Calls may be up to 15 minutes in length for all Levels. Access to the telephone is based
on calls per month and not minutes. Replacement calls will not be
given due to the call being dropped by the called party or dropped
due to the called party’s cell phone.
LEGAL TELEPHONE CALLS: All legal calls require the approval of the
Unit Team. Unit Team Staff will set up and supervise legal calls.
VISITING:
Provided there are no visiting restrictions as the result of disciplinary or other reasons, visitation for inmates in levels I and
II will be facilitated via video visiting, and will only be available to immediate family members, which include parents or (legal
guardians which must be verified), siblings, offspring, spouses, and
grandparents. The relationship must be verified. These visits are
limited to one hour only. Inmates in levels III, and IV will be
permitted non-contact visiting in the institution visiting room.
Inmates in Level’s I and II must submit a request in writing to the
Unit Manager, at least one week in advance of the expected visit.
As the availability of video equipment will be limited, visits will
be limited to one hour per inmate (more time may be allotted based
on availability of visiting booths).
Visits will be scheduled in accordance with the availability of
video equipment needed to facilitate the visit, and rotated according to the level and the living quarters. NOTE: Visitation is subject to monitoring and participation in the visiting process constitutes consent to this monitoring. Local hotels are as follows:
Rodeway Inn,
Days Inn,
Econolodge,
Best Western,

Lewisburg
Lewisburg
Lewisburg
Lewisburg

1-800-424-6423
1-800-241-5050, en Espanol 1-888-709-4024
1-877-424-6423
1-877-574-2464

These hotels are located along PA State Route 15. USP Lewisburg is
located approximately two miles west along Wm. Penn Road off Route
15. There are signs indicating the visitor’s entrance to USP Lewisburg.
Local transportation services for the Lewisburg, PA area are limited to:
Aurora Taxi, Lewisburg 570-523-1400
Telos Taxi, Lewisburg 570-523-8294
Visiting Times:
Visiting hours at the Penitentiary are 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.,
Saturday and Sunday. There will be no visitation Monday through
Friday, with the exception of Federal holidays falling on any of
these days. Visitors arriving after 2:30 p.m., will not be admitted to visit.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 16
Age Limitations:
Visiting is disallowed for those persons who have not attained
their 18th birthday, unless accompanied by a legal guardian, or an
immediate family member who is over 18 years-of-age.
Number of Visitors at one time:
Visiting groups will be kept to a reasonable size, i.e., no more
than five (5) persons (including children) at one time.
Miscellaneous Visiting Rules:
Inmates are responsible to inform prospective visitors that dress
should be appropriate for an institutional setting and should not
present possible disrespect to others, who may be present in the
Visiting Video area or Visiting Room. Individuals who are dressed
in revealing clothing will not be allowed to enter the institution
for visiting. Shorts and skirts that cover the knee while standing
up, will be permitted. Additionally, tank tops, sleeveless clothing, or see-through tops are not permitted. Shirts or blouses must
cover the midriff while standing. Children, 12 and under, are the
only individuals who will be allowed to wear shorts above the knee,
tank tops or sleeveless clothing. No ball caps, hats, bandanas,
sweat bands, do rags, or any other type of head gear, is authorized
with the exception of religious head gear. Visitors will be denied a visit when Supervisory Staff (i.e., Lieutenant, Duty Officer,
etc.) determine a visitor's dress is inappropriate for the institutional setting.
Visitor will be required to present a current government photo
identification card that will be retained until the end of the visit
by the front desk officer during the visit. Visitors are not permitted to bring any items to give to inmates.
All visitors must be on the approved visiting list. They are subject to search, clearing a metal detector, and cooperating with an
Ion Scan. Any visitor not on your approved visiting list and or not
willing to participate in any of these screenings will be refused
entry. Any visitor becoming belligerent with staff or other visitor
will not be permitted to visit.
Special Visits for Family Emergencies:
No provisions outside the previously stated procedures are in place
for this type of visit. All visits will be handled as previously
stated.
LEGAL VISITS:
Legal Visits will be contact, unless a specific security concern
warrants otherwise. Legal visits will be set up by your Unit Team.
PROPERTY:
Inmates confined in the SMU Program will be provided a means to access legal materials, along with the opportunity to prepare legal
documents. Given this, consideration of the needs of other inmates
and the availability of staff or other resources will be weighed in
each instance. A reasonable amount of personal legal materials will
be permitted within the living space so as not to pose a fire, sani-

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

17
tation, security, or housekeeping hazard. For the approved property breakdown, SEE APPENDIX B. In order to request legal property
or any property, request to staff must be completed and handed to
a member of your Unit Team. They will forward it to the Property
Officer. Depending on the items requested, you may be brought to
the property area to be issued your items. In some cases it may be
brought to you by the Property Officer.
COMMISSARY:
SMU participants are permitted to purchase commissary items according to their level. As the inmate progresses in the program,
more commissary privileges will become available. Inmates who are
placed on commissary restriction will be able to purchase stamps,
hygiene items and over the counter medications (as specified by
staff) based on their level. Level I and II inmates will shop on a
bi-weekly basis. The specific day of the week that an inmate shops
from the commissary may vary from week to week due to institution
needs. Inmates are only authorized to shop from the commissary
list specific to their level. Commissary lists are available in the
housing units.
RAZORS:
Inmates will be offered new disposal razors when showering. It is
the inmate’s responsibility to return a razor for disposal at the
end of the shower.
HYGIENE ITEMS AND SUPPLIES:
Hygiene items, toothbrushes, toilet paper, writing paper, pencils,
envelopes, etc., will be issued by Custody Staff. Pencils and
toothbrushes will be issued on an exchange basis. Cleaning supplies will be issued on an as needed basis by staff. Inmates are
required to keep their cells clean and orderly.
CELL SANITATION:
There will be nothing attached to the windows, walls, sinks, or
light fixtures. Window sills will be kept clean at all times.
Cells will be kept clean and tidy at all times. Cells will be
cleaned daily. Beds will be made by 8:00 a.m. on a daily basis.
Any newspapers older than one week or magazines older than one
month or that have missing pages or have been modified in any way
are considered contraband and will be removed from the cell. Failure to follow sanitation standards may result in incident reports.
Housekeeping, cleanliness, and storage of food items and clothing are an important aspect of your stay here. You are to maintain
proper levels of sanitation in your cell at all times. The accumulation of food items, newspapers, magazines, books, etc: is a safety/fire hazard. Items will be confiscated and disciplinary action
may be taken. No items may be displayed or pictures drawn on the
cell walls, window, light covers or doors. These items include,
but are not limited to family/personal photos, magazine pictures,
newspaper, calendars, cloth lines, gang graffiti etc.
Unit officers will be responsible for scheduling weekly cell cleaning. The following cleaning kits will be issued:

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 18
Cleaning Kits
1- plastic container
1- scrub brush
1- 8 oz. Spray bottle of Quat 64 Disinfectant.
1- green cleaning cloth.
Mop, broom and toilet brush will also be available.
Pest Control:
The Safety Department is responsible for Pest Control Management.
Integrated Pest Management procedures will first be used with nontoxic baits and traps. Other measures may be used when approved by
the Safety Manager.
Units and cells will be treated as needed. If you have a pest control problem in your cell, you may send a cop-out to the Safety Department to request treatment. Prior to any treatment in your cell.
Your cell must be clean, no food/drink items exposed, and items
(shoes, papers, etc;) must be pick-up off the floor prior to treatment. If cell sanitation is poor, pest control treatment will not
be conducted.  
Fire Safety:
Staff at the institution are trained in using emergency fire suppression equipment such as fire extinguishers, standpipe hoses, manual pull stations, and other. During a fire emergency you will be
notified by the sound of the fire alarm and/or staff. In emergency
situations where the unit may need evacuated, the unit officer will
order all inmates to cuff up prior to be taken out of their cell.
Upon evacuation you will be escorted to a temporary holding area
until the unit has been cleared for return. Simulated fire drills
will be conducted quarterly in all units by staff. This is to familiarize staff with emergency procedures. Covering ceiling lights
with any type of material (paper, blankets, etc) and the accumulation of newspapers, magazines, books, etc: creates a fire hazard.
Items will be confiscated and disciplinary action may be taken.
Environmental:
All cells in the unit are lead and asbestos free.
Lighting and ventilation requirements in cells meet ACA standards.
The water you drink and use is safe and meets EPA standards.  
Safety:
Any unsafe or unhealthful condition may be reported to the Unit
Manager, Safety Manager or Warden.
CLOTHING/LINEN: Inmates will be issued a numbered laundry bag. The
laundry bag will contain three pairs of boxer shorts, three tshirts, two towels, three pairs of socks, two sheets, two pillowcases, and two blankets. Inmates are responsible for these items.
To have laundry cleaned, place the items in the bag, and give it to
the Evening Watch Officer after the evening meal on Sunday, Tuesday
and Thursday. Laundry will be returned the next day. Sheets and
blankets should also be placed in the laundry bag for cleaning.
HAIRCUTS: Inmates may submit a written request to the block officer no
later than the Friday of the preceding week if they wish to be scheduled for a haircut. Inmates are permitted one hair-cut per month.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

19
SHOWER SCHEDULE: Showers will be provided three times per week. Inmates
wishing to shave will be offered a razor while showering. It is the responsibility of the inmate to return the shaving razors.
EXERCISE: Inmates will be offered five hours of recreation per week. If
the inmate refuses recreation when the recreation area is available, he
will be considered as having refused his recreation for that day. Inmates are not allowed to choose recreation partners.
POSTAGE STAMPS: Inmates with funds will be expected to purchase their
own stamps. Inmates determined to be indigent by their Unit Team will
be issued postage stamps according to National Policy, provided a written request is made to their Unit Team.
SPECIAL MAIL: Delivery of special mail will be the responsibility of the
Unit Team. Outgoing special mail will be collected by staff each day,
with the exception of weekends and holidays.
CELL MOVES
Cell moves will be conducted at least once every twenty-one (21) days.
Staff will determine housing assignments; cell moves are not optional.
Refusing cell moves will result in an incident report and other actions
deemed appropriate by staff.
 
LEISURE TIME PROGRAMS/RECREATION:
1. SERVICES AVAILABLE
a. 

Inmates in Level 1 and 2 will be provided the opportunity
to participate in recreational in-cell activities. These
activities will be in the form of handouts. To receive
credit for individual participation, inmates must complete the series of activities within the allotted time.
The activities will be handed out and collected by recreation staff. If any recreation material is damaged,
altered, or lost, the inmate will receive an Incident Report which may result in an adjustment of the delivery of
recreation materials to the inmate.

b.  

The institution does not provide an inmate photograph
program for SMU inmates.

c. 

A Smoking Cessation class will be offered twice a year.
Inmates interested should subit a request in writing to
the Recreation Department.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Program Participation
INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
 
Inmates who continuously participate in education programming will be eligible for the Incentive
 
Program offered by the Psychology Department.
 
Education programming includes participation in the Literacy Program, Adult Continuing Education (ACE) or PostSecondary Education (PSE).

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 20
LITERACY PROGRAM:
 
General Education Development (GED): Inmates who do not have
a High School(HS) Diploma or GED, wanting to participate in
the Education Program, will be assigned to the GED program
until completion, transfer or dropped from the program. GED
testing will be conducted after successful completion 
of all assignments, practice tests and recommendation of the
instructor.
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act/Prison Litigation Reform Act(VCCLEA/PLRA)
VCCLEA applies to an inmate whose offense occurred on or after September 13, 1994, but before April 26, 1996. PLRA applies to inmates
whose offense occurred on or after April 26, 1996. Both laws, (VCCLEA and PLRA), mandate inmates who do not possess a GED or HS diploma, must satisfactorily participate in the literacy program for a
minimum of 240 hours or until attainment of a GED. Failure to do so
will result in being coded as GED UNSAT and may affect the inmate’s
Good Conduct Time (GCT) by 12 days per year.
Inmates determined to be in need of the Literacy Program (and sentenced under VCCLEA/PLRA) will be provided in-cell assignments and
material appropriate for their placement. Inmates enrolled in the
Literacy Program will be normally visited once a week by an educational staff member to pick up, distribute and answer questions on
their assigned work. The amount of time it takes to receive materials depends on many factors including available resources, institutional needs and the competitive needs of all inmates. Inmates who
do not complete their assigned work two consecutive times will be
dropped from the Literacy Program, listed as “refused” participation
and coded appropriately. Once dropped, they will remain out of the
program for a minimum of 2 months/60days. It will be the responsibility of the inmates to contact the education department for the reenrollment after 2 months/60 days has expired.
GED/ESL Incentive:
a. The Student of the Month Award shall consist of a $5.00 monetary
award, (if eligible).
b. Inmates advancing from reading to Pre-GED to GED will receive a
$5.00 monetary award,
(if eligible).
c. Each student completing the Literacy Program/GED/ESL will receive
a monetary award of $25.00, (if eligible).
d. Due to the special circumstances at the Special Management Institution at USP Lewisburg, a formal graduation ceremony will be given
for General Population inmates only.
Adult Continuing Education (ACE)
ACE radio Program packet information will be distributed to each cell every
two months. Inmates may participate in the ACE programs provided they have
a High School Diploma or GED. Every week an educational staff member will
make rounds to pick up ACE packet answer sheets. Any requests, questions, or

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

21
concerns need to be submitted to educational staff in writing. The
amount of time it takes to receive materials depends on many factors including available resources, institutional needs and competitive needs of all inmates. Inmates who do not complete two ACE
Radio Program work sheets monthly will not be considered participating in educational programing. If the ACE packet is lost or
damaged inmates may print or copy a new packet from the Electronic
Law Library/Local Documents. Inmates that fail a program will be
given a new answer sheet to complete before the deadline, (time
permitting).
Post-Secondary Education (PSE)
Inmates may participate in PSE studies provided payment is done by
the inmate. PSE credit on the electronic transcripts will be given
to those inmates who are enrolled and participate in an accredited
PSE program. Inmate progress will be checked by periodic calls to
their schools. Inmates who do not complete their assigned work assignments or receive two consecutive non-participation responses
from the school will be dropped from the PSE program and listed as
“refused” participation. Once dropped, the inmate will remain out
of the PSE Education portion of the Incentive Program for a minimum of 2 months/60 days. It will be the responsibility of the inmate to contact the education department for re-enrollment after 2
months/60 days has expired.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
The ESL classes are for non-English speaking inmates only. Inmates
may participate in the ESL program after they have completed the
GED program or have verified a High School diploma. If, for instructional/programming/administrative reasons, a teacher believes
that the inmate would benefit from taking the ESL program first (or
in addition to the GED program), they may do so based on the teacher’s recommendation. Inmates enrolled in the ESL program will be
normally visited once each week by an educational staff member to
pick up, distribute and answer questions on their assigned work.
The amount of time it takes to receive materials depends on many
factors including available resources, institutional needs, and
the competitive needs of all inmates. Once enrolled, inmates who
do not complete their assigned work two consecutive times will be
dropped from the ESL Program and listed as “refused” participation.
Once dropped, the inmate will remain out of the program for a minimum of 2 months/60 days. It will be the responsibility of the inmates to contact the education department for re-enrollment after 2
months/60 days has expired.
Vocational Training
Inmates may participate in the VT course provided they meet the
qualifications/pre-requisites. This course is available ONLY to
qualifying SMU Phase II inmates. Only qualifying inmates will be
contacted by the Education Department to enroll in this course
within the first 30 days of placement in Phase II. Inmates must
have a HS diploma or GED. When entering Phase II, inmates must
have 6+ months available to complete the course. Inmates cannot
have any 100 or 200 series Incident Reports or pending Incident Reports within the last 4 months in your disciplinary record. Discipline records will be monitored during enrollment. If at any time

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 22
you receive a 100 or 200 series Incident Report, you will be removed
from this course and program permanently. Inmates enrolled in the VT
program will be normally visited once every week by the VT Instructor
to pick up and distribute their assigned work. Any requests, questions, or concerns need to be submitted to the VT Instructor in writing. Once enrolled, inmates who do not complete their assigned work
will be dropped from the VT Program permanently and listed as “refused” participation. Rules, procedures, and schedules are subject
to change at any time according to institutional needs.
Parenting
The Parenting Radio Program packet information will be distributed
to each cell every two months. All SMU inmates may participate in
the program. Every week an educational staff member will make rounds
to pick up Parenting answer sheets. This program is separate from
other education programming and does not count towards the SMU education requirement or the Incentive Pay Program. The amount of time it
takes to receive materials depends on many factors including available resources, institutional needs and competitive needs of all inmates. If the Parenting packet is lost or damaged inmates may print
or copy a new packet from the Electronic Law Library/Local Documents.
Once the exams are graded and a passing score achieved, inmates will
receive credit on their education transcript and a certificate of
achievement will be received. Inmates that fail a program will be
given a new answer sheet to complete before the deadline, (time permitting).
Discipline
Inmates receiving an Incident Report as a result of any action involving the education department or education staff will be immediately removed from all education programming for a minimum of 2
months/60 days and coded appropriately. It will be the responsibility of the inmate to contact the education department for re-enrollment after 2 months/60 days has expired.
Law Library/Legal Material
Law Library
 
a. All required information, legal books, cases, forms, and  
 
Program Statements that are required by policy are on the   
 
Electronic Law Library (ELL) located in each unit. The ELL   
  system is updated by Central Office monthly on an as needed
 
basis.
 
b. Each SMU housing unit is equipped with an ELL for
 
inmate  use. Inmates must submit a request to their unit
 
officer requesting use of the ELL. Use, order and times   
 
for the ELL will be determinied by that unit’s correctional  
 
staff through established policy and procedures.
ELL Operations
1. 
Once inmates are logged onto ELL, they will have access for  
 
two hours. After two hours, they will be logged out
 
automatically and be required to wait the mondatory 30   
 
minutes before being allowed to log back in.
2. 
To familiarize inmates on the ELL system, there is a “help”  
 
button on the upper center of the opening page which has
 
a self-paced tutorial. Additionally, the ELL Training

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

23
 
Manual  may be accessed in the Local Documents section of   
 
the ELL, Also, the ELL Training Manual is available to
 
review in their cell by submitting a written request to
 
the Main Law Library. The ELL Training Manual will be
 
delivered, at which time the inmate will sigh a BP-199
 
Request for Withdrawal of Inmate’s Funds to insure the
 
return of borrowed materials. An Incident Report will
 
be issued if the ELL Training Manual is lost, damaged or
 altered.
3. 
Materials requested in accordance with Policy Statement   
 
1315.07, Legal Activities, Inmate, dated November 5, 1999,   
 
not found on the ELL may be requested from the Main
 
Law Library by submitting either a Law Library
 
Request Form or a Cop-Out.
4. 
Institution Supplements are on the ELL under Local Documents
Legal Materials
a. 
Copies will be made of legal materials only.
b. 
Legal deliveries will normally be provided to all units
 
once per week by a Law Library staff member. The amount of   
 
time it takes to recieve materials depends on many factors,  
 
including but not limited to, available resources,
 
institutional needs, date of submission and the competitive  
 
needs of all inmates. Inmates needing material to be
 
copied are encouraged to save time by sending the material   
 
through institutional mail.
c. 
Inmates may request copies of thier legal material by   
 
using appropriate Legal Request Form, Cop-Out, or notebook   
 
size pieceof paper (8 1/2x11). The request will have a
 
minimum: the inmate;s name; registration number; and the   
 
number of copies requested. Staff will not be responsibile   
 
for the removal of fasteners or stapling finished copies.  
 
Requests on envelopes, scrap paper, cards or material with   
 
staples/fasteners or unclear instructions will be returned   
 unprocessed.
e. 
All inmates, including indigent inmates, will sign a
 
BP-199, Request for Withdrawal of Inmate’s Personal Funds   
 
before  receiving any requested copies. The cost of the
 
copies is $0.15, per page.
f. 
In order to maintain legalmaterials at an acceptable level,  
 
inmates will receive no more than five copies of thier legal  
 
materials, unless court ordered to provide additional
 copies. 
Leisure Library
a.  
Levels 1, 2 and 3 inmates have book carts/shelves on each   
 
floor in their units.
b. 
Book titles are limited to what is available on the cart/  
shelf. No requests will be accepted for specific book titles.
c. 
Books are rotated approximately every 60 days.
d. 
Books are handed out by the Unit Officers with the
 
established Unit Schedules.
Typewriters - No typewriters wil be made available for SMU inmates.
Inmates requesting materials to be typed are encouraged to contact
typing services outside the institution to propare their legal
documents.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 24

25

  
NOTE: The Education Department does not supply any reference materials (dictionaries, thesauruses, phone books, etc.), pencils, paper, or other supplies to the SMU Units.

TRIAGE
a. 
Triage is a process that determines what category of care a
patient should be placed in. The purpose of Triage is to make
sure that truly urgent conditions are given priority treatment.

HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT

b. 

You must bring or present your ID picture card and verify your ID
number each time you are seen by Health Services staff. This ensures compliance with the double check ID system.
MEDICAL SERVICES
All inmates in the SMU program will be seen by medical staff on a
daily basis. Every pre-caution will be made to maintain patient
privacy. When deemed necessary, an inmate may be removed to the
medical room or department for further intervention(s). Medical staff making rounds will attempt to establish verbal contact
with each inmate. All inmates requesting to see either a physician
or a dentist will be scheduled with the appropriate clinician after evaluation by the clinician during his/her rounds. No routine
sick call will be held on weekends or holidays, but a Primary Care
Provider may schedule routine evaluations during weekend hours at
his/her discretion. Only emergencies will be taken care of by the
clinician. Specialty clinics are held at least every six months
to maintain proper medical treatment for those who require regular
clinical follow-up.
CATEGORIES OF CARE
The Bureau of Prisons assigns medical problems to one of five categories of care:
a. 

b. 

Medically Necessary - Acute or Emergent: A condition that,
if not immediately treated, is life-threatening, likely to
cause blindness, or irreversible loss of function.
Medically Necessary - Non-Emergent.
A condition that, if
untreated, will result in premature death, or interfere with
the possibility of later repair; or creates a level of pain
or discomfort which impairs the ability to conduct activities
of daily living.

c. 

Medically Acceptable - Not Always Necessary. Medical conditions whose treatment may be delayed without jeopardizing the
life, sight, or bodily function of the patient.

d. 

Limited Medical Value. Medical conditions in which treatment provides little or no medical value, are not likely to
provide substantial long-term gain, or are expressly for the
inmate’s convenience.

e. 

Extraordinary. Medical interventions are deemed extraordinary if they affect the life of another individual, such as
organ transplantation, or are considered investigational in
nature.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

During triage the following will occur: The inmate will provide a brief history by completing the Chronological Record
of Medical Care form; vital signs will be taken, if indicated; an appointment will be scheduled within a time frame appropriate for the inmate’s medical needs; or, if no follow-up
appointment is warranted, the inmate will be advised of other
options (e.g. obtaining over-the-counter medications from
the Commissary, submitting an Inmate Request to Staff Member,
etc).

SCOPE OF SERVICES
a. 
The Bureau of Prisons will treat all Medically Necessary   
 Emergent & Non-Emergent Conditions.
b. 
 
 
 

Medical problems falling within Medically Acceptable Not Always Necessary Category are essentially Elective
Procedures. These procedures require approval of the
Institution’s Utilization Review Committee.

c. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Committee considers such factors as: the risks and
benefits of the treatment; available financial resources;   
available medical consultant resources; medical treatment
received prior to incarceration; prognosis in the absence
of treatment; the effect the intervention is likely    
to have on the inmate’s ability to conduct activities of
daily living; the likely effect delay in care would have on  
subsequent treatment, etc.

d. 
Medical problems falling within the Limited Medical Value
 or Extraordinary Categories are ordinarily not treated by   
 
the Bureau of Prisons.
Consultants and Referrals
All care that is provided by the Bureau of Prisons will be consistent
with community standards of care. When available, and when required,
community consultants will be contracted for commonly needed services such as cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, general surgery, ophthalmology, optometry, orthopedics, psychiatry, radiology,
urology. Additionally, patients may also be referred to Bureau of
Prisons Medical Referral Centers
OBTAINING HEALTH CARE:
a. 
Emergency Care: All emergencies or injuries will be   
 
screened for priority of treatment and then will be    
 
examined accordingly. Appropriate medical care
 
will be provided by institutional Health Services staff.
b. 
Medical treatment on evenings, mornings, weekends, and   
 
federal holidays is limited to treatment of acute problems   
 
only. Treatment needs will be determined by the medical
 
staff.  Access to emergency medical care is obtained by

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 26
 
 
 

notifying any staff member or activation of the inmate
duress system. Any emergency or injury, must be reported to  
Bureau of Prisons staff immediately.

c. 
 
 

Questions Regarding Health Services, Requests For
Medical Care, Dental Care, Sick Call, Lab Results, X-Ray
Results, Eye Glasses, Etc.
1. 

All other Non-Emergency requests require completion
of sick call slip.

2. 

These forms can be obtained from your block officer
or any Health Services staff member.

3. 

The forms must be turned in during daily sick-call
and/or sick-call rounds on the blocks, between 0630
and 0715 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.

4. 

You must turn the form in yourself so the PA can ask
any questions he/she may have about your problem.

5. 

The PA may choose to have you seen at a later date.

DENTAL SICK-CALL
Is for emergency care only, such as toothaches, abscesses, temporary fillings, pain, etc.
SMU and SPECIAL HOUSING INMATES:
Inmates placed in Special housing or housed in lock-down (SMU)
units will be seen by a PA at least once daily and can request
sick-call. If medical staff determine the sick-call is of an emergent priority, the inmate will be evaluated that day. Inmates with
routine medical and dental care concerns will be addressed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays when the PA makes their
morning rounds.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
a. All new commitments to the Federal Bureau of Prisons System
will be scheduled for a complete physical examination, which is
mandatory, within 14 days of arrival at the institution.
This examination may include laboratory studies, hearing and sight
screening, medical history, and physical examination. A dental examination will be completed within 30 days of an inmate’s arrival.
 
b. All inmates under the age of 50 are entitled to a routine physical examination every two years. Those inmates age 50 or over are
entitled to this examination annually. These examinations may include an electrocardiogram, rectal examination, tonometry, vision
testing, and blood work testing, and other tests, as determined
by your Primary Care Provider. Because this physical is for your
health and well-being, we encourage you to take the opportunity extended to you. During this voluntary examination, you may refuse
any part of the process that you do not want performed.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

27
c. All inmates, within 12 months of their release date, are entitled to a pre-release physical examination. Requests for this examination must be made through the Health Services Department, no
later than two months prior to release in order for the examination
to be scheduled and completed.
ANNUAL IMMUNIZATION/SCREENING
a. All inmates will be scheduled for the tuberculosis screening
on an annual basis. This screening will be in the form of the PPD
skin test and/or chest x-ray. The date of these screenings will be
based on the inmate’s previous test date.
b. During the flu season which is typically in early winter, inmates will have the influenza vaccination or “flu shot” on an availability basis. Since some seasons cause the supply of this vaccination to be short, it will depend on the availability of the
vaccine and the inmate’s medical priority. This optional vaccination requires an inmate to submit a Request to a Staff Member (copout) to the Health Services Department requesting the flu shot vaccination.
PHARMACY
a. 
All Medications Will Be Delivered To SMU Inmate Cells.
b. 

Restricted medications: Will be issued only on a dose-bydose basis and must be taken in full view of the person issuing the drug. You will be required to allow the dispensing
individual to inspect your mouth after accepting the medication.

c. 

Refills:
1. 
All refills have
right corner on
must complete a
Care form for a
2. 

d. 

an expiration date. Check the lower
the label. If it is expired, you
new Chronological Record of Medical
new prescription.

All refills have a limited number of refills. Check
the lower left corner of the label. If it is expired, you must complete a new Chronological Record
of Medical Care for a new prescription.

Over-The-Counter Medications:(OTC) P6541.02, 11/17/2004,
requires that personal resources will be used by inmates to
obtain OTC medications that are indicated for cosmetic and
general hygiene issues or symptoms of minor medical ailments.
1. 

Patients will be referred to the commissary if their
symptoms can be partially controlled by items available through the commissary.
   
2. 
Inmates will purchase OTC items from the commissary
with their personal funds. The pharmacist will not
dispense OTC medications prescribed by the clinician
for non-indigent inmates. Inmates who are listed on

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 28

29
b. The determination of whether a patient has one  
of these two conditions is to be based on current
examination findings.

the TRUFACS database as indigent may receive up to
two OTC medications per week from the institution
pharmacy if a clinician determines that the medications are medically necessary.
  
IDLE, CONVALESCENCE, AND MEDICAL ASSIGNMENTS
a. In situations where it is necessary to restrict the inmates activities due to health concerns, an inmate may be placed on Idle,
Convalescence, or Medically Unassigned status. The medical staff
will issue you a Medical Duty Status form that identifies your limitations.
b. Idle: Temporarily disability not to exceed three days duration
including weekends and holidays. Restricted to your room except
for meals, barbering, religious services, sick-call, visits, and
call-outs. No recreation activity.
c. Convalescence: Recovery period for an operation, injury, or serious illness. Not less than four days and not to exceed 30 days,
subject to renewal. May not participate in recreation activities.
d. Medically Unassigned/Totally Disabled: In the event of a serious medical problem, or a medical disability that requires a protracted period of convalescence. You will remain on TOTAL SPORTS
AND RECREATION RESTRICTION.
e. Restricted Duty: Restricted from specific activities because of
existing physical or mental handicap for a specific time period or
indefinitely.
 1. Lower Bunk Assignments will be issued by medical
 
staff only if the inmate:
  
 
a.Is currently being treated for insulin dependant diabetes, seizure disorder,
 

b.Has an artificial limb, fracture, or limb
paralysis,

 
   

c.Is age 60 or older,
d. Weighs in excess of 350 pounds.

 2. 
Special Shoes
  
a. Requests for special footwear (non-steel
  
toe boots, soft shoes, etc., ) will be approved
  only if one of the following conditions are met:
 

1. The patient is an insulin dependent
diabetic with circulatory impairment;
or

 

2. The patient has a deformity which
prevents placement of the foot into a
pair of properly fitting institution
issue shoes.

 

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

c. Special footwear is not regarded as medically
necessary for the following common conditions:
pes planus, plantar fasciitis, heel spur, and
ankle arthritis. Patients with these conditions
should be referred to the Commissary for purchase
of arch supports, insoles, heel cups, or elastic
sleeves.
3.

PRESCRIPTION EYE GLASSES: Only BOP issued eye
glasses will be offered and/or permitted. There
will be no inmate purchase or repair of, special
order eye glasses from home or outside vendors.

RIGHTS/RESPONSIBILITY
While in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, you have the
right to receive health care in a manner that recognizes your basic
human rights. You also accept the responsibility to cooperate with
your health care plans and respect the basic human rights of your
health care provider.

Your Health Care Rights     
  
1. 
You have the right to access health care services based on
the local procedures at this institution. Health services
include medical, dental, and all support services.
2. 
You have the right to know the name and professional status
of your health care providers and to be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity.
3. 
You have the right to address any concerns regarding your
health care to any member of the institutional staff including the physician, the Health Services Administrator, members of your Unit Team, the Associate Warden, and the Warden.
4. 
You have the right to provide the Bureau of Prisons with Advance Directives or a Living Will that would provide the Bureau of Prisons with instructions if you are admitted as an
inpatient to a hospital.
5. 
You have the right to be provided with information regarding
your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
6. 
You have the right to obtain copies of certain releasable
portions of your health record.
7. 
You have the right to be examined in privacy.
8. 
You have the right to participate in health promotion and
disease prevention programs, including those providing education regarding infectious disease.
9. 
You have the right to report complaints of pain to your
health care provider, have your pain assessed, managed in a
timely manner, be provided information about pain management
as well as information on the limitations and side effects
of pain treatments.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 30
10. 

31

You have the right to receive prescribed medications and treatments in a timely manner, consistent with the recommendations of
the prescribing health care provider.
11. 
You have the right to be provided healthy and nutritious food.
You have the right to instructions regarding a healthy diet.
12. 
You have the right to request a routine physical examination as
defined in Bureau of Prisons policy. (If you are under the age of
50, once every 2 years, if over the age of 50, once a year and
within one year of your release).
13. 
You have the right to dental care as defined in the Bureau of Prisons policy to include preventative services, emergency care, and
routine care.
14. 
You have the right to a safe, clean, and healthy environment that
includes smoke free living areas.
15. 
You have the right to refuse medical treatment in accordance with
the Bureau of Prisons policy. Refusal of certain diagnostic tests
for infectious diseases can result in administrative actions
against you.
 
You have the right to be counseled regarding the possible consequences of refusing medical treatment.
16. 
In the case of language or cultural differences, all care will be
taken to see that communication between the patient and those responsible for his care is adequate.
   
Your Health Care Responsibilities

11. 

1. 

a. Application: The inmate Copayment Program applies to anyone in
an institution under the Bureau’s jurisdiction and anyone who has
been charged with or convicted of an offense against the United
States, except inmates in inpatient status at a Medical Referral
Center (MRC). All inmates in outpatient status at the MRCs and inmates assigned to the General Population at these facilities are
subject to co-pay fees.

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 

10. 

You have the responsibility to comply with the health care policies of this institution and follow recommended treatment plans
established for you by the health care staff.
You have the responsibility to treat these providers as professional and follow their instructions to maintain and improve your
overall health.
You have the responsibility to address your concerns in the accepted format, such as the Inmate Request to Staff Member form, at
main line, or the accepted Inmate Grievance Procedures (BP8 - BP9).
You have the responsibility to provide the Bureau of Prisons with
accurate information to complete this agreement.
You have the responsibility to keep this information confidential.
You have the responsibility to be familiar with the current policy
and abide by such to obtain these records.
You have the responsibility to comply with security procedures
should security be required during your examination.
You have the responsibility to maintain your health and not to
endanger yourself, or others, by participating in activities that
could result in the spreading or catching of infectious diseases.
You have the responsibility to communicate with your health care
provider honestly regarding your pain and your concerns about your
pain. You also have the responsibility to adhere to the prescribed
treatment plan and medical restrictions. It is your responsibility
to keep your provider informed of both positive and negative changes in your condition to assure timely follow-up.
You have the responsibility to be honest with your health care
provider(s), to comply with prescription treatments and follow
prescription orders. You also have the responsibility not to provide any other person with your medication or other prescription
item.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 

16. 
17. 

You have the responsibility to eat healthy and not abuse or
waste food or drink.
You have the responsibility to notify medical staff that you
wish to have an examination.
You have the responsibility to maintain your oral hygiene
and health.
You have the responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of personal and common areas and safety in consideration of others.
You have the responsibility to follow smoking regulations.
You have the responsibility to notify Health Services regarding any ill-effects that occur as a result of your refusal. You also accept the responsibility to sign the
treatment refusal form.
You have the responsibility to advise Health Services staff
of any communication difficulties in regards to your medical
needs and/or treatments.
Inmates are not allowed to feed or care for wild or stray
animals. Inmates found feeding or caring for wild or stray
animals are subject to disciplinary action.

NOTICE TO INMATES - INMATE COPAYMENT PROGRAM
Pursuant to the Federal Prisoner Health Care Copayment Act (FHCCA) of 2000 (P.L. 106-294, 18 U.S.C. 4048), the Federal Bureau of
Prisons and USP/LEC Lewisburg, provide notice of the Inmate Copayment Program for health care, effective October 3, 2005.

b.
 

Health Care Visits with a Fee:
1. 
You must pay a fee of $2.00 for health care services, charged to your Inmate Commissary Account,
per health care visit, if you receive health care
services in connection with a health care visit that
you requested, except for services described in section C, below.
These requested appointments include Sick Call and afterhours requests to see a health care provider. If you ask a
non-medical staff member to contact medical staff to request
a medical evaluation on your behalf for a health service not
listed in section C, below, you will be charged a $2.00 copay fee for that visit.

 

2. 

You must pay a fee of $2.00 for health care services, charged to your Inmate Commissary Account,
per health care visit, if you are found responsible
through the Disciplinary Hearing process to have injured an inmate who, as a result of the injury, requires a health care visit.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 32
c.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Health Care Visits with no Fee:
We will not charge a fee for:
1. 
Health care services based on health care staff referrals;
2. 
Health care staff-approved follow-up treatment for a chronic condition;
3. 
Preventive health care services;
4. 
Emergency services;
5. 
Prenatal care;
6. 
Diagnosis or treatment of chronic infectious diseases;
7. 
Mental health care; or
8. 
Substance abuse treatment.
If a health care provider orders or approves any of the following,
we will also not charge a fee for:

  
* 
Blood pressure monitoring;
  * 
Glucose monitoring;
  * 
Insulin injections;
  
* 
Chronic care clinics;
  * 
TB testing;
  * 
Vaccinations;
  
* 
Wound Care; or
  * 
Patient education.
Your health care provider will determine if the type of appointment scheduled is subject to a co-pay fee.
d.

Indigence: An indigent inmate is an inmate who has not had a trust
fund account balance of $6.00 for the past 30 days. If you are
considered indigent, you will not have the co-pay fee deducted
from your Inmate Commissary Account.

33
 3. 
What if I have a chronic medical problem, like heart
trouble or diabetes?
If you have a chronic medical problem, we will not
charge a fee for certain visits related to your
chronic medical problem. If you request Sick Call
for something not related to your chronic medical
problem, such as a cold or back pain, you will be
charged a co-pay fee.
 4. 
How is the payment made?
 
The co-pay fee will be deducted from your Inmate   
 
Commissary Account.
 5. 
Who determines if a visit is subject to a co-pay fee?
 
Health care providers (doctors, nurses, mid-level   
 
providers) determine whether a visit is subject to a  
 
co-pay fee and will enter that information into   
 
TRUFACS to be processed.
 6. 
Who decides if the co-pay fee is deducted from my account?
 
The TRUFACS system, managed by the Trust Fund   
 
Branch, will decide whether it is appropriate to
 
deduct the co-pay fee from your Inmate Commissary   
 
Account. The health care provider does NOT decide
 
if the fee will be collected, only whether the type   
 
of visit qualifies for a co-pay fee. All financial
 
transactions are completed by TRUFACS.
7. 

If you are NOT indigent, but you do not have sufficient funds to
make the co-pay fee on the date of the appointment, a debt will be
established by TRUFACS, and the amount will be deducted as funds
are deposited into your Inmate Commissary Account.
e.
f.

 2. 
How much is the fee?
The fee charged for health care services under the Inmate
Copayment Program is $2.00.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

not have the co-pay
Account. An india trust 
fund
days.

If you are NOT indigent, but you do not have sufficient funds
to make the co-pay fee on the date of the appointment, a
debt will be established by TRUFACS, and the amount will be
deducted as funds are deposited into your Inmate Commissary
Account.

Complaints: You may seek review of issues related to health service
fees through the Bureau’s Administrative Remedy Program (see 28
CFR part 542).
Frequently Asked Questions About Co-pay:

 1. 
What is a co-pay fee?
A co-pay fee is a fee charged to you when you request
health care services, such as Sick Call, or after hours
treatment for a condition which is not an emergency. It is
similar to fees charged in the community under most health
insurance plans.

What if I am indigent?
If you are considered indigent, you will
fee deducted from your Inmate Commissary
gent inmate is an inmate who has not had
account balance of $6.00 for the past 30

The health care provider does not determine your indigent
status for the purpose of the co-pay fee, only whether the
type of visit qualifies for a co-pay fee. If you are indigent, TRUFACS will not deduct the co-pay fee.
8. 

What if I am not indigent, but I spent all my money last
week? Will the doctor or the MLP refuse to see me until I
get more money in my account?
Your appointment will take place as scheduled. The health
care provider will code the visit as paid or non-paid based
on the type of visit. TRUFACS will maintain the information regarding the visit, set up a debt, and apply incoming
funds to satisfy the debt. You will not be denied health
care based on the amount of money in the Inmate Commissary
Account.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 34
 
9. 

What if the health care provider marked a visit as qualify for a
co-pay fee when it should not have qualified for a co-pay fee? How
do I get my money back?
If you believe you were incorrectly charged a co-pay fee, address
your concerns to the Health Services Administrator (HSA). He or she
has the ability to informally resolve your complaint and correct
the mistake if one was made. If the HSA does not satisfactorily
resolve your complaint, you can use the Administrative Remedy process to address any complaints.

10. 

What gives the BOP the authority to collect the co-pay fee?
Public Law 106-294, the Federal Prisoner Health Care Co-payment Act
of 2000 (P.L.106-294, 18 U.S.C, 4048) requires the BOP to collect
co-pay fees.

11. 

Who gets the money collected?
Twenty-five percent of the money collected goes to pay for administration of the Inmate Co-payment Program, and seventy-five percent
goes to the Crime Victims Fund.

12. 

If my detail supervisor or Unit Team call Health Services to see me
because I don’t feel well, will I be charged a co-pay fee?
If any staff member (including the Warden or Associate Warden)
other than a health care provider requests a medical evaluation on
your behalf, and it is not a medical emergency, you will be charged
a co-pay fee.

13. 

If my Health Care Provider refers me to a specialist, will I be
charged a co-pay fee for the specialist?
No. Referral from one health care provider to another will not result in a co-pay fee.

Case Management
The Case Management Coordinator (CMC) at USP Lewisburg is responsible for
the oversight of the Case Management and Correctional Systems functions.
Ordinarily, within 28 days of your entry into the institution you will appear before the Institution Classification Committee and your program review. This committee is comprised of members of the administration, psychology, education, Unit Team, and custody staff.
During this classification review you will be provided with the SMU programming information and the expectations for your successful and timely
completion of the program. You will also go through the program review
process with your Unit Team and a modified version of the Admittance and
Orientation lecture. You will be periodically reviewed every 90 days by
your Unit Team.

35
payments on your six months account balance. This will be explained
in greater detail by your Unit Team. While you are participating in
the SMU program you may be considered for Inmate Performance Pay
as an orderly after completing phase I and II of the program. This
will be determined by your Unit Team.
Custody Classification
Your custody classification will occur annually or with greater frequency when factors such as program refusal, detainers, acts of violence, completion of programs or changes in sentence length occur.
Release Planning and Preparation (if applicable)
When you’ve reached the last 17 to 19 months of your sentence you
will be reviewed for Residential Reentry Center (RRC)appropriateness according to the Second Chance Act of 2007. Your Unit Team
will discuss this with you in greater detail. During this time you
will already be required to participate in the Release Preparation
Program and complete the classes according to the schedule your
Unit Team sets. During your release planning your Unit Team will
discuss Veteran’s and Social Security benefits if applicable. They
will also cover Selective Service and BOP Registration requirements. If approved for placement in an RRC your Unit Team will discuss Furlough requirements and specific RRC expectations.
Parole
If you are eligible for parole you will be eligible for an in person hearing with a USPC hearing examiner according to your eligibility date.
Transfer to Foreign Countries
The Bureau of Prisons is authorized to transfer custody of a foreign citizen, who is serving a sentence in the United States, to
his country of citizenship for completion of his sentence. This
transfer is voluntary and subject to eligibility, and the approval
of both countries. You can initiate this process by submitting an
Inmate Request to Staff Member (BP-A0148).
Administrative Remedy Process
When attempting to informally resolve an issue, you should first
present the issue of concern to your Unit Counselor in writing. If
your Unic Counselor is unable to satisfy the concern, you may request a (BP-8) Informal Resolution Attempt. This form can be obtained from your Unit Counselor and is ordinarily answered within
five business days. If you are not satisfied with the response from
your Informal Resolution Attempt you may request an (BP-9) Administrative Remedy Request. This must be done with in 20 calendar days.
The following is taken directly from P.S. P1330.17 Administrative
Remedy Program dated August 20, 2012:

The following items will be discussed during your program review:

[INITIAL FILING.

Financial Responsibility Program (FRP)
You will be expected to make payments toward the completion of any assessment, fine, restitution balance or any financial obligation you have not
paid. Your team will base the commensurate payment amount and frequency of

a. Submission. The deadline for completion of informal resolution
and submission of a formal written Administrative Remedy Request,
on the appropriate form (BP-9), is 20 calendar days following the
date on which the basis for the Request occurred.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

§542.14 INITIAL FILING.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 36
In accord with the settlement in Washington v. Reno, and for such period
of time as this settlement remains in effect, the deadline for completing
informal resolution and submitting a formal written Administrative Remedy
Request, on the appropriate form (BP-9) (BP-229), for a disputed telephone
charge, credit, or telephone service problem for which the inmate requests
reimbursement to his/her telephone account, is 120 days from the date of the
disputed telephone charge, credit, or telephone service problem.
Administrative Remedy Requests concerning telephone issues that do not
involve billing disputes or requests for refunds for telephone service
problems (such as Administrative Remedy P1330.07 8/20/2012 Federal
Regulations from 28 CFR: this type. Implementing instructions: this type.
5 Requests concerning telephone privileges, telephone lists, or telephone
access) are governed by the 20-day filing deadline.

b. Extension. Where the inmate demonstrates a valid reason for
delay, an extension in filing time may be allowed. In general, valid
reason for delay means a situation which prevented the inmate
from submitting the request within the established time frame.
Valid reasons for delay include the following: an extended period
in-transit during which the inmate was separated from documents
needed to prepare the Request or Appeal; an extended period of
time during which the inmate was physically incapable of preparing
a Request or Appeal; an unusually long period taken for informal
resolution attempts; indication by an inmate, verified by staff,
that a response to the inmate’s request for copies of dispositions
requested under §542.19 of this part was delayed. Ordinarily, the
inmate should submit written verification from staff for any claimed
reason for delay.
If an inmate requests an Administrative Remedy form but has not attempted
informal resolution, staff should counsel the inmate that informal resolution
is ordinarily required. If the inmate nevertheless refuses to present a
request informally, staff should provide the form for a formal Request. Upon
receipt of the inmate’s submission, the Coordinator shall accept the Request
if, in the Coordinator›s discretion, informal resolution was bypassed for
valid reasons, or may reject it if there are no valid reasons for bypassing
informal resolution.

c. Form
 
(1) The inmate shall obtain the appropriate form from CCC
staff or institution staff (ordinarily, the correctional counselor).
The following forms are appropriate:
 
■ Request for Administrative Remedy, Form BP-9 (BP-229), is
appropriate for filing at the institution.
 
■ Regional Administrative Remedy Appeal, Form BP-10 (BP-230), is
appropriate for submitting an appeal to the regional office.
 
■ Central Office Administrative Remedy Appeal, Form BP-11 (BP-231),
is appropriate for submitting an appeal to the Central Office.

 
(2) The inmate shall place a single complaint or a
reasonable number of closely related issues on the form. If the
inmate includes on a single form multiple unrelated issues, the
submission shall be rejected and returned without response, and the
inmate shall be advised to use a separate form for each unrelated
issue. For DHO and UDC appeals, each separate incident report
number must be appealed on a separate form.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

37
Placing a single issue or closely related issues on a single form facilitates
indexing, and promotes efficient, timely and comprehensive attention to the
issues raised. P1330.07 8/20/2012 Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this type.
Implementing instructions: this type. 6

 
(3) The inmate shall complete the form with all requested
identifying information and shall state the complaint in the space
provided on the form. If more space is needed, the inmate may
use up to one letter-size (8 1/2» by 11») continuation page. The
inmate must provide an additional copy of any continuation page.
The inmate must submit one copy of supporting exhibits. Exhibits
will not be returned with the response. Because copies of exhibits
must be filed for any appeal (see § 542.15 (b) (3)), the inmate is
encouraged to retain a copy of all exhibits for his or her personal
records.
 
(4) The inmate shall date and sign the Request and submit it
to the institution staff member designated to receive such Requests
(ordinarily a correctional counselor). CCC inmates may mail their
Requests to the CCM.
d. Exceptions to Initial Filing at Institution
 (1) Sensitive Issues. If the inmate reasonably believes
the issue is sensitive and the inmate’s safety or well-being
would be placed in danger if the Request became known at the
institution, the inmate may submit the Request directly to the
appropriate Regional Director. The inmate shall clearly mark
“Sensitive” upon the Request and explain, in writing, the reason
for not submitting the Request at the institution. If the Regional
Administrative Remedy Coordinator agrees that the Request is
sensitive, the Request shall be accepted. Otherwise, the Request
will not be accepted, and the inmate shall be advised in writing
of that determination, without a return of the Request. The inmate
may pursue the matter by submitting an Administrative Remedy
Request locally to the Warden. The Warden shall allow a reasonable
extension of time for such a resubmission.
(2) DHO Appeals. DHO appeals shall be submitted initially to the
Regional Director for the region where the inmate is currently
located.
See the Program Statement Inmate Discipline Program.
(3) Control Unit Appeals. Appeals related to Executive Panel
Reviews of Control Unit placement shall be submitted directly to
the General Counsel.
See the Program Statement Control Unit Programs.

(4) Controlled Housing Status Appeals. Appeals related to the
Regional Director’s review of controlled housing status placement
may be filed directly with the General Counsel.
See the Program Statement Procedures for Handling HIV Positive Inmates Who
Pose Danger to Other.

9. APPEALS § 542.15
a. Submission. An inmate who is not satisfied with the Warden’s
response may submit an Appeal on the appropriate form (BP-10) to

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 38
the appropriate Regional Director within 20 calendar days of the
date the Warden signed the response. An inmate who is not satisfied
with the Regional Director’s response may submit an Appeal on the
appropriate form (BP-11) to the General Counsel within 30 calendar
days of the date the Regional Director signed the response. When
the inmate demonstrates a valid reason for delay, these time limits
may be extended. Valid reasons for delay include those situations
described in §542.14(b) of this part. Appeal to the General Counsel
is the final administrative appeal.
These deadlines specify the date of the Appeal’s receipt in the regional
office or the Central Office. The deadlines have been made deliberately long to
allow sufficient mail time. Inmates should mail their Appeals promptly after
receiving a response to ensure timely receipt. Ordinarily, the inmate must
submit written verification from institution staff for any reason for delay
that cannot be verified through SENTRY.
In many cases, courts require a proper Appeal to the General Counsel before
an inmate may pursue the complaint in court.
b. Form
 
(1) Appeals to the Regional Director shall be submitted on the form
designed for regional Appeals (BP-10) and accompanied by one complete copy or
duplicate original of the institution Request and response. Appeals to the
General Counsel shall be submitted on the form designed for Central Office
Appeals (BP-11) and accompanied by one complete copy or duplicate original of
the institution and regional filings and their responses. Appeals shall state
specifically the reason for appeal.
 
 
(2) An inmate may not raise in an Appeal issues not raised in the
lower level filings. An inmate may not combine Appeals of separate lower level
responses (different case numbers) into a single Appeal.
 
(3) An inmate shall complete the appropriate form with all requested
identifying information and shall state the reasons for the Appeal in the
space provided on the form. If more space is needed, the inmate may use
up to one letter-size (8 1/2» x 11») continuation page. The inmate shall
provide two additional copies of any continuation page and exhibits with the
regional Appeal, and three additional copies with an Appeal to the Central
Office (the inmate is also to provide copies of exhibits used at the prior
level(s) of appeal). The inmate shall date and sign the Appeal and mail it to
the appropriate Regional Director, if a Regional Appeal, or to the National
Inmate Appeals Administrator, Office of General Counsel, if a Central Office
Appeal (see 28 CFR part 503 for addresses of the Central Office and Regional
Offices).
c. Processing. The appropriate regional office to process the Appeal is the
regional office for the institution where the inmate is confined at the time
of mailing the Appeal, regardless of the institution that responded to the
institution filing.P1330.07 8/20/2012 Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this
type. Implementing instructions: this type. 8

10. ASSISTANCE §542.16
a. An inmate may obtain assistance from another inmate or from
institution staff in preparing a Request or an Appeal. An inmate
may also obtain assistance from outside sources, such as family
members or attorneys. However, no person may submit a Request or
Appeal on the inmate›s behalf, and obtaining assistance will not be
considered a valid reason for exceeding a time limit for submission
unless the delay was caused by staff.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

39
b. Wardens shall ensure that assistance is available for inmates
who are illiterate, disabled, or who are not functionally literate
in English. Such assistance includes provision of reasonable
accommodation in order for an inmate with a disability to prepare
and process a Request or an Appeal.
 

 
For example, Wardens must ensure that staff (ordinarily unit staff)
provide assistance in the preparation or submission of an Administrative
Remedy or an Appeal upon being contacted by such inmates that they are
experiencing a problem.

11. RESUBMISSION §542.17
a. Rejections. The Coordinator at any level (CCM, institution,
region, Central Office) may reject and return to the inmate without
response a Request or an Appeal that is written by an inmate in
a manner that is obscene or abusive, or does not meet any other
requirement of this part.
b. Notice. When a submission is rejected, the inmate shall be
provided a written notice, signed by the Administrative Remedy
Coordinator, explaining the reason for rejection. If the defect
on which the rejection is based is correctable, the notice shall
inform the inmate of a reasonable time extension within which to
correct the defect and resubmit the Request or Appeal.
 

(1) Sensitive Submissions. Submissions for inmate claims which are
too sensitive to be made known at the institution are not to be returned to
the inmate. Only a rejection notice will be provided to the inmate. However,
other rejected submissions ordinarily will be returned to the inmate with the
rejection notice.
 (2) Defects. Defects such as failure to sign a submission, failure
to submit the required copies of a Request, Appeal, or attachments, or
failure to enclose the required single copy of lower level submissions are
examples of correctable defects. Ordinarily, five calendar days from the date
of the notice to the inmate is reasonable for resubmission at the institution
level; at least 10 calendar days at the CCM or regional offices; and 15
calendar days at the Central Office.
 (3) Criteria for Rejection. When deciding whether to reject a
submission, Coordinators, especially at the institution level, should be
flexible, keeping in mind that major purposes of this Program are to solve
problems and be responsive to issues inmates raise. Thus, for example,
consideration should be given to accepting a Request or Appeal that raises
a sensitive or problematic issue, such as medical treatment, sentence
computation, or staff misconduct, even though that submission may be somewhat
untimely.

c. Appeal of Rejections. When a Request or Appeal is rejected
and the inmate is not given an opportunity to correct the defect
and resubmit, the inmate may appeal the rejection, including a
rejection on the basis of an exception as described in §542.14 (d),
to the next appeal level. The Coordinator at that level may affirm
the rejection, may direct that the submission be accepted at the
lower level (either upon the inmate’s resubmission or direct return
to that lower level), or may accept the submission for filing. The
inmate shall be informed of the decision by delivery of either a
receipt or rejection notice.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 40
12. RESPONSE TIME §542.18.
If accepted, a Request or Appeal is considered filed on the date
it is logged into the Administrative Remedy Index as received.
Once filed, response shall be made by the Warden or CCM within 20
calendar days; by the Regional Director within 30 calendar days;
and by the General Counsel within 40 calendar days. If the Request
is determined to be of an emergency nature which threatens the
inmate’s immediate health or welfare, the Warden shall respond not
later than the third calendar day after filing. If the time period
for response to a Request or Appeal is insufficient to make an
appropriate decision, the time for response may be extended once by
20 days at the institution level, 30 days at the regional level, or
20 days at the Central Office level. Staff shall inform the inmate
of this extension in writing. Staff shall respond in writing to all
filed Requests or Appeals. If the inmate does not receive a response
within the time allotted for reply, including extension, the inmate
may consider the absence of a response to be a denial at that
level.
The date a Request or an Appeal is received in the Administrative Remedy
index is entered into SENTRY as the “Date Rcv”, and should be the date it is
first received and date-stamped in the Administrative Remedy Clerk’s office.
Notice of extension ordinarily is made via SENTRY notice.
13. REMEDY PROCESSING
a. Receipt. Upon receiving a Request or Appeal, the Administrative Remedy
Clerk shall stamp the form with the date received, log it into the SENTRY
index as received on that date, and write the “Remedy ID” as assigned by
SENTRY on the form. Once a submission is entered into the system, any
subsequent submissions or appeals of that case shall be entered into SENTRY
using the same Case Number. The “Case Number” is the purely numerical part
of the “Remedy ID” which precedes the hyphen and “Submission ID.” All
submissions received by the Clerk, whether accepted or rejected, shall be
entered into SENTRY in accordance with the SENTRY Administrative Remedy
Technical Reference Manual.
Sensitive issues, when the inmate claims that his or her safety or wellbeing would be placed in danger if it became known at the institution that
the inmate was pursuing the issue, should be withheld from logging in until
answered and/or should be logged into SENTRY with sufficient vagueness as to
subject code and abstract to accommodate the inmate’s concerns.
A Request should be submitted and logged in at the institution where the
inmate is housed at the time the inmate gives the Request to the counselor
or other appropriate staff member. If the event(s) occurred at a previous
institution, staff at that previous institution shall provide, promptly upon
request, any investigation or other assistance needed by the institution
answering the Request. If an inmate is transferred after giving the Request
to a staff member, but before that Request is logged in or answered, the
institution where the Request was first given to a staff member remains
responsible for logging and responding to that Request.
b. Investigation and Response Preparation. The Clerk or Coordinator
shall assign each filed Request or Appeal for investigation and response
preparation. Matters in which specific staff involvement is alleged may not be
investigated by either staff alleged to be involved or by staff under their
supervision. Allegations of physical abuse by staff shall be referred to the
Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) in accordance with procedures established
for such referrals. Where appropriate; e.g., when OIA or another agency
is assuming primary responsibility for investigating the allegations, the
response to the Request or Appeal may be an interim response and need not be
delayed pending the outcome of the other investigation.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

41
Requests or Appeals shall be investigated thoroughly, and all relevant
information developed in the investigation shall ordinarily be supported by
written documents or notes of the investigator’s findings. Notes should be
sufficiently detailed to show the name, title, and location of the information
provided, the date the information was provided, and a full description of
the information provided. Such documents and notes shall be retained with
the case file copy. When deemed necessary in the investigator’s discretion,
the investigator may request a written statement from another staff member
regarding matters raised in the Request or Appeal. Requested staff shall
provide such statements promptly. For a disciplinary Appeal, a complete copy
of the appealed disciplinary actions record shall be maintained with the
Appeal file copy.
c. Responses. Responses ordinarily shall be on the form designed for that
purpose, and shall state the decision reached and the reasons for the
decision. The first sentence or two of a response shall be a brief abstract
of the inmate’s Request or Appeal, from which the SENTRY abstract should
be drawn. This abstract should be complete, but as brief as possible. The
remainder of the response should answer completely the Request or Appeal, be
accurate and factual, and contain no extraneous information. The response
should be written to be released to any inmate and the general public under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. Inmate names shall
not be used in responses, and staff and other names may not be used unless
absolutely essential.
Program Statements, Operations Memoranda, regulations, and statutes shall be
referred to in responses whenever applicable, including section numbers on
which the response relies.
d. Response Time Limits. Responses shall be made as required in Section 12 of
this Program Statement.
e. Index Completion. When a response is completed, the Clerk shall update
SENTRY in accordance with the SENTRY Administrative Remedy Manual and the
instructions in Attachment A. Particular attention should be paid to updating
the status date, code, and reason, and to making any changes to the subject
code and abstract indicated by the Coordinator or by the response drafter.
The abstract shall be taken from the response’s first paragraph. Abbreviations
may be liberally used, as long as they are easily understood, to allow as
complete a description of the issue in the 50 characters allotted. For
consistency, the Administrative Remedy Coordinator shall approve the closing
entry, including the subject codes, status code and reason, and abstract,
before the closing entry is made by the Clerk.
f. Response Distribution. For an institution response, one copy of
the complete Request and response shall be maintained in the Warden’s
Administrative Remedy File together with all supporting material. Three
copies shall be returned to the inmate. An inmate who subsequently appeals
to the regional or Central Office shall submit one copy with each appeal. One
copy of a Regional Appeal and response shall be retained at the regional
office. One copy shall be sent to the Warden at the original filing location.
The remaining two copies shall be returned to the inmate; one to submit in
case of subsequent appeal to the Central Office, and one to retain.
One copy of a Central Office Appeal and response will be returned to the
inmate. One copy will be retained in the Central Office Administrative Remedy
File, one copy will be forwarded to the regional office where the Regional
Appeal was answered, and one to the Warden’s Administrative Remedy File at
the original filing location.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 42
Correctional Systems Department
The CMC, SCSS, or Correctional Systems staff also make regular visits to Special Management Units. Questions submitted via Inmate 
request to Staff Member (BP-A0148) are answered in a timely and
professional manner.
Designation and Sentence Computation Center (DSCC) Functions
DSCC staff must thoroughly review all sentencing and designation
material. The review includes, but is not limited to, jail credit,
over-served time, medical, PSI, and J&C information.
An inmate’s sentence is completed and audited immediately if
the inmate is within 30 days of the statutory release date and
within five working days if the inmate is within six months or
less of the statutory release date. For terms in excess of six
months from statutory release date, the sentence must be computed
and audited within 30 calendar days.
Prior to calculating an inmate’s sentence, DSCC staff will carefully analyze the J&C to ensure it is in accordance with applicable
statutes, case law, and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The name
entered on the J&C is considered the committed name to be used by
the inmate, as well as the Bureau. It is the DSCC’s responsibility to indicate on the sentence computation the existence of fines,
costs or restitution. DSCC staff will monitor and update Good Time
Data on a daily basis.
Interstate Agreement on Detainers
The Interstate Agreement on Detainers Act (IADA) allows the disposal of detainers lodged against inmates by jurisdictions in states
that are party to the agreement. Either an inmate or a state may
initiate proceedings for this purpose. Under the IADA, a jurisdiction having an untried indictment, information, or complaint lodged
as a detainer may secure temporary custody of the inmate for trial.
A detainer is lodged when a formal request from a Federal, state,
or local jurisdiction for an inmate’s custody upon completion of a
term of imprisonment. This includes requests for criminal and noncriminal charges. (e.g. material witnesses, probation/parole violator warrants, deportation, child support, etc.).
Mail Operations
Mail service to inmates is provided on a five-day schedule, Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. The CMC, SCSS, or Correctional
Systems staff make regular visits to Special Management Units. This
ensures inmates have an opportunity to address mail concerns.
Upon admission to the institution, inmates complete a BP-407, Acknowledgments of Inmate. By executing Part 1-I of the BP-407 electing not to receive their general correspondence, all general correspondence received shall be returned to the sender, unopened, with
the endorsement “refused.”
All incoming general correspondence and all outgoing mail (except
“special mail”) is subject to inspection and random reading by
staff. Mail is collected by Correctional Services staff throughout
the day. Inmates on indigent status requiring postage may be re-

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

43
quired to hand outgoing mail directly to a member of their unit team
for processing. Correctional Systems staff will process all incoming
Special Mail. Special Mail means correspondence sent to or received
from the following: the U.S. President and Vice President of the United States, the U.S. Department of Justice (including the Bureau of
Prisons), U.S. Attorneys Offices, Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health
Service, Secretary of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, U.S. Courts (including U.S. Probation Officer), Members of the U.S. Congress, Embassies and Consulates, Governors, State Attorneys General, Prosecuting
Attorneys, Directors of State Departments of Corrections, State Parole
Commissioners, State Legislators, State Courts, State Probation Officers, other Federal and State law enforcement officers, attorneys, and
representatives of the news media. For incoming correspondence to be
processed under the Special Mail procedures, the sender must be adequately identified on the envelope, and the front of the envelope must
be marked “Special Mail - Open only in the presence of the inmate”.
Incoming Special Mail will be delivered to the inmate by his unit
team. The mail will be opened in the inmate’s presence, checked for
contraband and only then, delivered to the inmate.
Inmates are required to deliver their own outgoing Special Mail directly to staff. Inmates in the Special Management Units will deliver
their Special Mail directly to Correctional Services staff assigned to
work the units. Inmates will present their inmate identification card
when delivering outgoing Special Mail to staff. Staff will confirm
that the inmate delivering it is the same inmate identified in the return address on the mail, and initial the return address area on the
envelope.
All incoming inmate property packages must be authorized in advance
unless otherwise approved under another Bureau policy. An Authorization to Receive Package or Property, BP-331 shall be used for this
purpose. A BP-331 shall remain valid for no longer than 60 calendar
days from the date of approval. Ordinarily, the only reason a package
would be authorized would be in order to receive release clothing 30
days prior to release.
Hard back books must come in from a commercial publisher, book store,
or book clubs. Since this type of book is not prohibited in SMU cells,
they will be inventoried and placed directly in your inmate property.
The Warden may reject correspondence sent by or to an inmate if it is
determined detrimental to the security, good order, or discipline of
the institution, to the protection of the public, or if it might facilitate criminal activity.
Receiving and Discharge
An inmate identification card is prepared for each newly designated inmate. If a previous identification card is damaged or not working, inmates can obtain a new card by submitting a Inmate request to Staff
Member (BP-A0148) to the CMC.
Special Management inmates will be issued property per the Institution
Supplement on Property according to their level. SMU Inmates will have
limited personal property.
    

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 44
INMATE DISCIPLINE
Inmates found to be in violation of institution rules may be subject to
disciplinary action. All disciplinary action will be consistent with
the severity of the incident, inmate’s past history, and general institutional adjustment. Failure to participate in the SMU program may
result in disciplinary action. Moreover, disciplinary infractions may
result in additional treatment assignments or the need to repeat levels
of SMU.
Aiding another person to commit a disciplinary infraction, or attempting
to commit any of the offenses, and making plans to commit any of these
offenses in all categories of severity will be considered the same as
commission of the offense itself.
When an incident occurs (that is a violation of a rule or regulation)
and the violation cannot be resolved informally, an incident report is
written by a staff member.

45
PROHIBITED ACTS AND DISCIPLINARY SEVERITY SCALE
GREATEST SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS
100 Killing.

101 Assaulting any person, or an armed assault on the institution’s secure perimeter (a charge for assaulting any person at this
level is to be used only when serious physical injury has been attempted or accomplished).
102 Escape from escort; escape from any secure or non-secure institution, including community confinement; escape from unescorted community program or activity; escape from outside a secure institution.
103 Setting a fire (charged with this act in this category only when found to pose a threat to life or a threat of serious bodily harm
or in furtherance of a prohibited act of Greatest Severity, e.g., in furtherance of a riot or escape; otherwise the charge is properly
classified Code 218, or 329).
104 Possession, manufacture, or introduction of a gun, firearm, weapon, sharpened instrument, knife, dangerous chemical, explosive, ammunition, or any instrument used as a weapon.
105 Rioting.
106 Encouraging others to riot.

An incident report details the specific incident for which the inmate is charged.
The incident report stipulates which rule or regulation was violated,
and the place and time of the incident that occurred. A copy of the incident report is given to the inmate as soon after the incident occurs
as circumstances permit. Normally, the incident report is delivered to
the inmate within twenty-four (24) hours of the writing. The Unit Discipline Committee (UDC) or Discipline Hearing Officer (DHO) will thereafter
dispose of the misconduct report.

107 Taking hostage(s).

When found guilty of misconduct, inmates are subject to loss of privileges even when the misconduct is not associated to privilege.

112 Use of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for the individual by the
medical staff.

Inmates may appeal UDC actions directly to the Warden within twenty (20)
days of receiving their UDC Report via a BP-9 Administrative Remedy Appeal.
Inmates may appeal DHO actions directly to the Regional Director via a
BP-10 Administrative Remedy Appeal within twenty (20) days of receiving
their DHO Report.
Inmates who are serving a sentence under VCCLEA Violent or PLRA crime
status, and who incur High or Greatest severity level incident reports,
are required to have their cases heard before the DHO, and are subject
to the loss of good time if found guilty.
The chargeable offenses, range of penalties, and disciplinary procedures
are as follows:

Note: Aiding another person to commit any of these offenses, attempting to commit any of these offenses, and making plans to commit any of these offenses, in all categories of severity, shall be considered the same as a commission of the offenses itself.
The UDC shall refer all Greatest & High Severity Prohibited Acts to the
DHO with recommendation as to an appropriate disposition.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

108 Possession, manufacture, introduction, or loss of a hazardous tool (tools most likely to be used in an escape or escape attempt or to serve as weapons capable of doing serious bodily harm to others; or those hazardous to institutional security or personal safety; e.g., hacksaw blade, body armor, maps, handmade rope, or other escape paraphernalia, portable telephone, pager, or
other electronic device).
110 Refusing to provide a urine sample; refusing to breathe into a Breathalyzer; refusing to take part in other drug-abuse testing.
111 Introduction or making of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for
the individual by the medical staff.

113 Possession of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for the individual
by the medical staff.
114 Sexual assault of any person, involving non-consensual touching by force or threat of force.
115 Destroying and/or disposing of any item during a search or attempt to search.
196 Use of the mail for an illegal purpose or to commit or further a Greatest category prohibited act.
197 Use of the telephone for an illegal purpose or to commit or further a Greatest category prohibited act.
198 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Greatest severity prohibited act. This charge
is to be used only when another charge of Greatest severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like”
one of the listed Greatest severity prohibited acts.
199 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like
another Greatest severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Greatest severity is not accurate.
The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Greatest severity prohibited acts.
AVAILABLE SANCTIONS FOR GREATEST SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS A. Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time (up to 100%) and/or terminate or disallow
extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.1. Disallow ordinarily between 50% and 75% (27-41 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good conduct time
sanction may not be suspended).
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 12 months). P5270.09 7/8/2011 Federal Regulations are shown in this type.
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmates personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 46
HIGH SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –
200 Escape from a work detail, non-secure institution, or other non-secure confinement, including community confinement,
with subsequent voluntary return to Bureau of Prisons custody within four hours.

47
299 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons
most like another High severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of High severity is not
accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed High severity prohibited acts.

209 Adulteration of any food or drink.

AVAILABLE SANCTIONS FOR HIGH SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –
A.Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time up to 50% or up to  
60 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time
sanction may not be suspended).
B.1 Disallow ordinarily between 25% and 50% (14-27 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good
conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 6 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmates personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.

211 Possessing any officers or staff clothing.

MODERATE SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –

212 Engaging in or encouraging a group demonstration.

300 Indecent Exposure.

213 Encouraging others to refuse to work, or to participate in a work stoppage.

302 Misuse of authorized medication.

216 Giving or offering an official or staff member a bribe, or anything of value.

303 Possession of money or currency, unless specifically authorized, or in excess of the amount authorized.

217 Giving money to, or receiving money from, any person for the purpose of introducing contraband or any other illegal or
prohibited purpose.

304 Loaning of property or anything of value for profit or increased return.

201 Fighting with another person.
203 Threatening another with bodily harm or any other offense.
204 Extortion; blackmail; protection; demanding or receiving money or anything of value in return for protection against
others, to avoid bodily harm, or under threat of informing.
205 Engaging in sexual acts.
206 Making sexual proposals or threats to another.
207 Wearing a disguise or a mask.
208 Possession of any unauthorized locking device, or lock pick, or tampering with or blocking any lock device (includes
keys), or destroying, altering, interfering with, improperly using, or damaging any security device, mechanism, or procedure.

218 Destroying, altering, or damaging government property, or the property of another person, having a value in excess of
$100.00, or destroying, altering, damaging life-safety devices (e.g., fire alarm) regardless of financial value.
219 Stealing; theft (including data obtained through the unauthorized use of a communications device, or through unauthorized access to disks, tapes, or computer printouts or other automated equipment on which data is stored).

305 Possession of anything not authorized for retention or receipt by the inmate, and not issued to him through regular
channels.
306 Refusing to work or to accept a program assignment.

220 Demonstrating, practicing, or using martial arts, boxing (except for use of a punching bag), wrestling, or other forms of
physical encounter, or military exercises or drill (except for drill authorized by staff).

307 Refusing to obey an order of any staff member (may be categorized and charged in terms of greater severity, according to the nature of the order being disobeyed, e.g. failure to obey an order which furthers a riot would be charged as 105,
Rioting; refusing to obey an order which furthers a fight would be charged as 201, Fighting; refusing to provide a urine
sample when ordered as part of a drug-abuse test would be charged as 110).

221 Being in an unauthorized area with a person of the opposite sex without staff permission.

308 Violating a condition of a furlough.

224 Assaulting any person (a charge at this level is used when less serious physical injury or contact has been attempted or
accomplished by an inmate).

309 Violating a condition of a community program.

225 Stalking another person through repeated behavior which harasses, alarms, or annoys the person, after having been
previously warned to stop such conduct.

310 Unexcused absence from work or any program assignment.
311 Failing to perform work as instructed by the supervisor.

226 Possession of stolen property.

312 Insolence towards a staff member.

227 Refusing to participate in a required physical test or examination unrelated to testing for drug abuse (e.g., DNA, HIV,
tuberculosis).

313 Lying or providing a false statement to a staff member.

228 Tattooing or self-mutilation.

314 Counterfeiting, forging, or unauthorized reproduction of any document, article of identification, money, security, or
official paper (may be categorized in terms of greater severity according to the nature of the item being reproduced, e.g.,
counterfeiting release papers to effect escape, Code 102).

229 Sexual assault of any person, involving non-consensual touching without force or threat of force.
296 Use of the mail for abuses other than criminal activity which circumvent mail monitoring procedures (e.g., use of the
mail to commit or further a High category prohibited act, special mail abuse; writing letters in code; directing others to send,
sending, or receiving a letter or mail through unauthorized means; sending mail for other inmates without authorization;
sending correspondence to a specific address with directions or intent to have the correspondence sent to an unauthorized
person; and using a fictitious return address in an attempt to send or receive unauthorized correspondence).
297 Use of the telephone for abuses other than illegal activity which circumvent the ability of staff to monitor frequency of
telephone use, content of the call, or the number called; or to commit or further a High category prohibited act.
298 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another High severity prohibited act. This charge
is to be used only when another charge of High severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most
like” one of the listed High severity prohibited acts.

315 Participating in an unauthorized meeting or gathering.
316 Being in an unauthorized area without staff authorization.
317 Failure to follow safety or sanitation regulations (including safety regulations, chemical instructions, tools, MSDS
sheets, OSHA standards).
318 Using any equipment or machinery without staff authorization.
319 Using any equipment or machinery contrary to instructions or posted safety standards.
320 Failing to stand count.
321 Interfering with the taking of count.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 48

49

324 Gambling.

LOW SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –

325 Preparing or conducting a gambling pool.

402 Malingering, feigning illness.

326 Possession of gambling paraphernalia.

403 (Not to be used).

327 Unauthorized contacts with the public.

404 Using abusive or obscene language.

328 Giving money or anything of value to, or accepting money or anything of value from, another inmate or any other person
without staff authorization.

407 Conduct with a visitor in violation of Bureau regulations.

329 Destroying, altering, or damaging government property, or the property of another person, having a value of $100.00 or less.
330 Being unsanitary or untidy; failing to keep one's person or quarters in accordance with posted standards.
331 Possession, manufacture, introduction, or loss of a non-hazardous tool, equipment, supplies, or other non-hazardous contraband (tools not likely to be used in an escape or escape attempt, or to serve as a weapon capable of doing serious bodily harm to
others, or not hazardous to institutional security or personal safety) (other non-hazardous contraband includes such items as food,
cosmetics, cleaning supplies, smoking apparatus and tobacco in any form where prohibited, and unauthorized nutritional/dietary
supplements).

409 Unauthorized physical contact (e.g., kissing, embracing).
498 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Low severity prohibited act. This
charge is to be used only when another charge of Low severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as
“most like” one of the listed Low severity prohibited acts.
499 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons
most like another Low severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Low severity is not
accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Low severity prohibited acts.

332 Smoking where prohibited.

AVAILABLE SANCTIONS FOR LOW SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –

333 Fraudulent or deceptive completion of a skills test (e.g., cheating on a GED, or other educational or vocational skills test).

B.1 Disallow ordinarily up to 12.5% (1-7 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (to be used only where inmate found to have committed a second violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months); Disallow ordinarily up to
25% (1-14 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (to be used only where inmate found to have committed a
third violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months) (a good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate’s personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.

334 Conducting a business; conducting or directing an investment transaction without staff authorization.
335 Communicating gang affiliation; participating in gang related activities; possession of paraphernalia indicating gang affiliation.
336 Circulating a petition.
396 Use of the mail for abuses other than criminal activity which do not circumvent mail monitoring; or use of the mail to commit
or further a Moderate category prohibited act.
397 Use of the telephone for abuses other than illegal activity which do not circumvent the ability of staff to monitor frequency of
telephone use, content of the call, or the number called; or to commit or further a Moderate category prohibited act.
398 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Moderate severity prohibited act. This charge
is to be used only when another charge of Moderate severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like”
one of the listed Moderate severity prohibited acts.
399 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like
another Moderate severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Moderate severity is not accurate.
The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Moderate severity prohibited acts.
AVAILABLE SANCTIONS FOR MODERATE SEVERITY LEVEL PROHIBITED ACTS –
A. Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time up to 25% or up to 30 days, whichever is
less, and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.1 Disallow ordinarily up to 25% (1-14 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good conduct time sanction may not
be suspended).
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 3 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate’s personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

Note: Aiding another person to commit any of these offenses, attempting to commit any of these offenses, and making plans to
commit any of these offenses, in all categories of severity, shall
be considered the same as a commission of the offenses itself.
The UDC shall refer all Greatest & High Severity Prohibited Acts to the
DHO with recommendation as to an appropriate disposition.

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

 50
APPENDIX A
I. SMU Goals:
SMU seeks to impart attitudes and skills necessary for inmates to successfully function in general population at other BOP penitentiaries.
These skills include enhanced communication; tolerance of other racial, ethnic or geographic groups; negative peer pressure resistance;
gang membership resistance; and problem-solving methods alternative to
violence. These skills and abilities will only be acquired and used
when participants exhibit attitudes of willingness and open-mindedness.
Participants’ success in developing these attitudes and skills will be
exhibited by their completion of SMU treatment assignments, participation in SMU treatment groups (when assigned), and absence of institution misconduct.
II. SMU Treatment Curriculum:
Level I: 4 Months
 
1.  
Write “Criminal History Autobiography.”
 

2.

 

Complete workbook entitled “The Con-Game.”

 

3.

 

Complete workbook entitled “Values.”

 

4.

 

Complete Basic Cognitive Skills

Level II: 6-8 Months
 
1.  
Readings on treatment: True Story of the
  Three Little Pigs, to include a 1 page reaction
  paper on what was learned.
 

2.

 

Complete workbook entitled “Anger.”

 

3.

 

Complete workbook entitled “Coping Skills.”

51
APPENDIX B
Approved Property List for SMU inmates:
 
One clear radio with ear buds only
 
One (1) Bible, Koran or other religious scriptures
 
Three (3) paperback books
 
One (1) prescription eyeglasses
 
One cubic Foot of legal materials
 
One (1) magazine not more than 1 month old.
 
One (1) newspaper not more than 1 week old
 
Ten (10) personal letters
 
Six (6) photographs
 
Authorized religious metals
 
One (1) pair shower shoes
 
Writing tablet/pencil
 
Two (2) books of stamps
 
One (1) wedding band
 
One (1) roll of deodorant
 
One (1) pair tennis shoes
 
One (1) pair shorts, grey color only
* Soap and Shampoo will be provided by staff during scheduled showers
* Razors will be controlled by staff. Only disposable razors will be issued.
*All other items authorized on the commissary shopping list
 

Level III: 6-8 Months
 
1. Complete Rational Thinking workbook
 

2.Complete Criminal Lifestyle workbook

 

3. Complete Communication Skills workbook

Level IV: 2-4 Months
 
1. 
Complete Violence Prevention workbook
 

2. 

Complete Lifestyle Balance workbook

 

3. 

Complete Transitions workbook

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook

United States Penitentiary Lewisburg SMU Inmate Handbook