U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons

Office of the Director

Washington, D.C. 20534

April 21, 2020

MEMORANDUM FOR INMATE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
FROM:

M.D. Carvajal, Director

SUBJECT:

COVID-19 Safeguards

As Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), it is my responsibility to
ensure the safety, security and orderly operation of 122 federal
prisons, as well as the safety and security of approximately 36,000
staff and more than 170,000 federal inmates, including those housed in
privately managed or community-based facilities. I want to take this
opportunity to share with you, the families and friends of someone in
our custody, a message about what we are doing to safeguard the health
of your loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. I understand the
anxiety you are feeling.
First, I want to thank you for your understanding and cooperation as
we diligently work to try and prevent the introduction of coronavirus
in our facilities and as we try to stop its spread inside those
facilities that have been affected. No decision, regardless of how
large or small, is taken lightly or done without considerable thought.
For example, we understand the hardship of not being able to see your
loved ones, but their safety, and the safety of our staff, is our
priority. Stopping social visits has had a major impact on keeping you,
and them, safe and we’re helping to keep the community safe, too. To
help compensate, the amount of monthly phone minutes allowed was
increased and, while collect calls will be charged accordingly, free
phone and video calls were approved. The BOP recognizes how important
it is for families to keep in touch, especially at during these uncertain
times. You need to know how your loved one is doing and they need to
know how the virus is affecting you and their community.
As we continue to revise and update our response to COVID-19 based on
the most recent guidance from the World Health Organization and the

 Centers for Disease Control (CDC), I must thank every staff member for
their dedication to our mission, for their relentless efforts to reduce
the spread of the coronavirus both inside and outside our institutions,
and for their commitment to keeping each inmate safe and well.
As I write this message, 45 BOP facilities and 14 Residential Reentry
Centers have been affected nationwide. Although planning and
preparations have been going on since January, and BOP has fully
implemented its COVID-19 Action Plan, no amount of preparation could
have left our institutions unaffected. The first positive inmate case
was reported on March 21, 2020, and the first positive staff case was
reported the very next day. Sadly, we have also experienced the death
of 22 inmates, all with pre-existing medical conditions listed by the
CDC as risk factors for developing the more severe COVID-19 disease.
All individuals entering our facilities, including staff, are screened
and temperature checked. This is a critical step to ensure we reduce
the risk of introducing and spreading the virus inside our facilities.
We also implemented various screening efforts along with quarantine and
isolation procedures for the inmate population to slow the spread of
the virus. As of April 1, we made the decision that all inmates, in
every institution, will be secured in their assigned cells/quarters in
order to decrease the spread of the virus. Again, we did not make this
decision lightly, and I know it can be difficult for everyone. But just
like in communities nationwide who have been required to shelter in
place, we feel the safest course to prevent the spread of the virus is
to have inmates shelter in place as well. These actions will remain
in place until May 18, 2020, at which time they will be reevaluated.
A new measure we have implemented in managing the evolving pandemic for
institutions with active COVID-19 transmission includes feeding all
inmates in their units. The CDC recently provided guidance
specifically for correctional and detention facilities recommending
all staff and inmates be issued, and strongly encouraged to wear, an
appropriate face covering when in public places and when social
distancing cannot be achieved.
We are working hard to apply the authorities granted to us to increase
the use of home confinement. We are aggressively screening all inmates
who have COVID-19 risk factors for suitability, starting with inmates
incarcerated at facilities with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases.
The Attorney General authorized the use of home confinement as a
priority in response to the COVID-19 pandemic late last month. Since
then, the BOP has reviewed thousands of cases and successfully placed
over 1300 inmates on home confinement.
All of our decisions are made with one goal in mind - keeping everyone
safe and healthy. We recognize this is hard on you and your loved ones.
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 It is hard on all of us but we will get through it working together.
Our world is much different than it was even a month ago.
I will close by personally acknowledging that you and your loved ones
cooperation has made a difference during this difficult time, and I
thank you. This pandemic is a global emergency and the BOP is taking
proactive operational measures to safeguard each person entrusted to
our care and custody. I am committed to doing everything I can to
achieve our goal of keeping those in our facilities as safe and healthy
as possible during this difficult time, and returning to normal
operations when it is safe to do so.

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