Major Bureau of Prisons Reform After Years of Advocacy by Tzedek, ‘Monumental Step’

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has announced significant changes to how it applies earned time credits under the First Step Act — a move that comes as a result of years of lobbying on the part of Tzedek Association, who praised the change as a long-awaited shift toward fairness and consistency in the federal prison system.

When Congress passed the First Step Act in 2018 with bipartisan support, it aimed to reward genuine rehabilitation by allowing inmates to earn time off their sentences through productive, evidence-based programs. As Senator Dick Durbin recently noted, “The First Step Act acknowledges the obvious—the vast majority of people who are incarcerated will someday be released, so we must prepare them to successfully return to their communities.”

Under the law, inmates who complete 30 days of approved classes or activities can earn up to 15 days of credit, depending on their risk level. These credits can reduce their time in secure custody or allow earlier transition to community-based programs like halfway houses or home confinement.

The reform differs from traditional “good conduct time,” which merely rewards compliance. Earned time credits instead recognize effort and engagement — turning education and rehabilitation into real incentives for personal growth.

Now, the BOP is changing how it calculates those credits. Instead of relying on a static “Projected Placement Date,” the agency will use a “Conditional Placement Date” (FCPD) that reflects the full impact of earned time credits across an inmate’s sentence. This adjustment will guide key management decisions, such as reclassification and facility transfers, making the earned credits central to prison operations.

Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, President of the Tzedek Association, called the development a “truly monumental” moment for prison reform. “This reform will change thousands of lives—allowing men and women who have worked hard to better themselves to move into lower-security settings and reconnect with their families much earlier,” he said in a statement shared with Belaaz. Rabbi Margaretten thanked BOP Director William Marshall III, Deputy Director Josh Smith, and Rick Stover for their leadership in bringing the reform to fruition.

For those incarcerated, the new policy provides a clearer roadmap. By reviewing their “time credit worksheet” and engaging in approved programs, inmates can now track precisely when they become eligible for prerelease custody. This predictability helps families plan for reunification and encourages inmates to invest meaningfully in rehabilitation.