- Inmates can be sent far away. With state convictions, the inmates are only sent to prisons within the state. The federal system can send an inmate to a prison anywhere in the United States.
- No parole. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole unless they were convicted before 1989.
- Frequent moves. The federal system is known for frequently moving inmates with long sentences or known gang affiliations around to different prisons. Just when an inmate begins to feel settled in, he might find himself headed to another prison.
Life in prison video
- Transportation disruptions. A move from one prison to another can take weeks or months. An inmate may be temporarily parked in other facilities or county jails for days and weeks at a time then moved again. Visits, commissary, mail and sometimes calls are disrupted.
Five things to do before going to federal prison.
Final thoughts: The federal prison system can present difficulties unknown to state inmates, but with a supportive family and the right attitude thousands of federal inmates successfully complete sentences and come home each year.
