How First Step Act Time Credits Work — What Families of Incarcerated People at FCI Marianna Should Know

Here's the eligibility rule that trips families up most: FSA time credits only apply to people convicted in Federal District Court. Military prisoners, state boarders, people convicted in DC Superior Court, and anyone with a final deportation order are excluded. If your loved one falls into one of those groups, they can still take classes and programs - but those hours won't turn into FSA time credits.

The Bureau of Prisons sorts FSA-approved options into two buckets: Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) Programs and Productive Activities (PAs). This distinction matters. It's how the BOP organizes what qualifies under the FSA program guide, and it's the language staff use when discussing whether a class counts. When you're asking about time credits, you'll get clearer answers by using these terms and confirming the program appears on the FSA-approved list in the right category.

Sample Programs

• ✓ Anger Management (EBRR) - 18 hours of EBRR program credits.
• ✓ Where it’s offered - available at all BOP institutions (so it may be available to people at Marianna).
• ✓ Delivery requirement for credit - to ensure program fidelity and proper credit, it must be delivered by Psychology Services staff.

• ✓ Basic Cognitive Skills (EBRR) - 24 hours of EBRR program credits.

• ✓ Assert Yourself for Female Offenders (EBRR) - 8 hours of EBRR program credit.
• ✓ Where it’s listed - the national FSA guide lists it at SPC Marianna.
• ✓ Delivery requirement for credit - to ensure program fidelity and proper credit, it must be delivered by a Social Worker, Special Populations Program Coordinator, or Unit Team Staff.

Families often assume that if a program appears on the national list, it must be running at FCI Marianna right now. Not always true. The FSA guide lists some programs at specific locations - "Assert Yourself for Female Offenders" at SPC Marianna, for instance - while others are described as available system-wide. Even when a program exists at a facility, credit can depend on who teaches it. Anger Management must be delivered by Psychology Services staff. "Assert Yourself for Female Offenders" requires a Social Worker, Special Populations Program Coordinator, or Unit Team Staff. The practical takeaway: confirm the program is actually offered to your loved one at their facility, and confirm it's being taught by the required staff role.

1. Confirm your loved one is in an eligible group - FSA time credits only apply to people convicted in Federal District Court, and they don’t apply to several categories (like military prisoners or people with a final order of deportation).
2. Ask for the exact program name and category - have your loved one tell you the program title as it appears in the FSA guide and whether staff are calling it an EBRR program or a productive activity.
3. Verify the program is approved and credited - for questions about FSA-approved programs, email the BOP Reentry Services Division (RSD) at BOP-RSD-NRB-FSA@BOP.GOV.
4. Double-check the delivery requirement - some programs only count for credit if they’re delivered by the right discipline (for example, Psychology Services staff for Anger Management).
5. Have your loved one track completion details - encourage them to keep dates, the instructor/department, and any completion paperwork so it’s easier to resolve missing hours later.