H.R. 2879: Prison Staffing Reform Act of 2025

The Prison Staffing Reform Act of 2025 aims to address understaffing within the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and its associated impacts on employees, inmates, and overall organizational efficiency. The bill includes several key components:

1. Background and Rationale

The bill notes that the BOP operates 121 institutions across the U.S. and has nearly 35,000 employees. It points out that current understaffing issues threaten the health and safety of both staff and inmates by leading to:

• Lack of access to essential medical care and resources for inmates
• Unsafe working conditions for employees, resulting in stress and long shifts
• Increased risks of violence and misconduct within facilities

2. Comprehensive Review Requirement

Within 180 days of the bill's enactment, the Director of the BOP is mandated to conduct an external review of staffing levels. This review will evaluate how understaffing affects:

• The health care and programming services available to inmates
• The safety and working conditions of employees
• The financial implications for the BOP

3. Plan Submission

The Director must submit the findings to both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and the Council of Prison Locals C-33. The submitted plan must include:

• Strategies to recruit and hire staff to fill existing vacancies
• A guideline outlining staffing requirements per inmate for various prison roles

4. Conduct of Review

The review must be conducted by an organization independent of the BOP and in consultation with:

• The Council of Prison Locals C-33
• Civil rights organizations
• Organizations focused on recidivism reduction

5. Contents of the Review

The review should identify the effects of understaffing on various aspects such as:

• Access to medical and therapeutic programs for inmates
• The availability of educational resources
• Prison security and the maintenance of sanitary conditions
• Staff workplace conditions, including stress and health impacts

It must also include an independent assessment of the health care quality provided to inmates and a strategic plan for improving staffing levels over the next three years.

6. Timeline for Implementation

After the plan submission, the Bureau of Prisons has up to three years to implement the outlined strategies, contingent upon receiving necessary funding. Additionally, annual progress reports must be submitted detailing the implementation status of the plan.

Relevant Companies

None found