Prohibited acts and available sanctions.

  1. Law
  2. CFR 28
  3. Judicial Administration
  4. Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice
  5. Institutional Management
  6. Inmate Discipline and Special Housing Units
  7. Inmate Discipline Program
  8. Prohibited acts and available sanctions.

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§ 541.3 Prohibited acts and available sanctions.

(a) Prohibited acts. The list of prohibited acts are divided into four separate categories based on severity: Greatest; High; Moderate; and Low. We describe the prohibited acts in Table 1 - Prohibited Acts and Available Sanctions. Aiding, attempting, abetting, or making plans to commit any of the prohibited acts is treated the same as committing the act itself.

(b) Available sanctions. The list of available sanctions for committing prohibited acts is listed in Table 1 - Prohibited Acts and Available Sanctions. If you commit repetitive prohibited acts, we can impose increased sanctions, as listed in Table 2 - Additional Available Sanctions for Repeated Prohibited Acts Within the Same Severity Level.

Expand Table

Table 1 - Prohibited Acts and Available Sanctions

Greatest Severity Level Prohibited Acts
100 Killing.
101 Assaulting any person, or an armed assault on the institution's secure perimeter (a charge for assaulting any person at this level is to be used only when serious physical injury has been attempted or accomplished).
102 Escape from escort; escape from any secure or non-secure institution, including community confinement; escape from unescorted community program or activity; escape from outside a secure institution.
103 Setting a fire (charged with this act in this category only when found to pose a threat to life or a threat of serious bodily harm or in furtherance of a prohibited act of Greatest Severity, e.g., in furtherance of a riot or escape; otherwise the charge is properly classified Code 218, or 329).
104 Possession, manufacture, or introduction of a gun, firearm, weapon, sharpened instrument, knife, dangerous chemical, explosive, ammunition, or any instrument used as a weapon.
105 Rioting.
106 Encouraging others to riot.
107 Taking hostage(s).
108 Possession, manufacture, introduction, or loss of a hazardous tool (tools most likely to be used in an escape or escape attempt or to serve as weapons capable of doing serious bodily harm to others; or those hazardous to institutional security or personal safety; e.g., hack-saw blade, body armor, maps, handmade rope, or other escape paraphernalia, portable telephone, pager, or other electronic device).
109 (Not to be used).
110 Refusing to provide a urine sample; refusing to breathe into a Breathalyzer; refusing to take part in other drug-abuse testing.
111 Introduction or making of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for the individual by the medical staff.
112 Use of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for the individual by the medical staff.
113 Possession of any narcotics, marijuana, drugs, alcohol, intoxicants, or related paraphernalia, not prescribed for the individual by the medical staff.
114 Sexual assault of any person, involving non-consensual touching by force or threat of force.
115 Destroying and/or disposing of any item during a search or attempt to search.
196 Use of the mail for an illegal purpose or to commit or further a Greatest category prohibited act.
197 Use of the telephone for an illegal purpose or to commit or further a Greatest category prohibited act.
198 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Greatest severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Greatest severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Greatest severity prohibited acts.
199 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like another Greatest severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Greatest severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Greatest severity prohibited acts.
Available Sanctions for Greatest Severity Level Prohibited Acts
A. Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time (up to 100%) and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.1. Disallow ordinarily between 50% and 75% (27-41 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.2 Forfeit up to 41 days of earned First Step Act (FSA) Time Credits (see 28 CFR part 523, subpart E) for each prohibited act committed.
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 12 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate's personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.
High Severity Level Prohibited Acts
200 Escape from a work detail, non-secure institution, or other non-secure confinement, including community confinement, with subsequent voluntary return to Bureau of Prisons custody within four hours.
201 Fighting with another person.
202 (Not to be used).
203 Threatening another with bodily harm or any other offense.
204 Extortion; blackmail; protection; demanding or receiving money or anything of value in return for protection against others, to avoid bodily harm, or under threat of informing.
205 Engaging in sexual acts.
206 Making sexual proposals or threats to another.
207 Wearing a disguise or a mask.
208 Possession of any unauthorized locking device, or lock pick, or tampering with or blocking any lock device (includes keys), or destroying, altering, interfering with, improperly using, or damaging any security device, mechanism, or procedure.
209 Adulteration of any food or drink.
210 (Not to be used).
211 Possessing any officer's or staff clothing.
212 Engaging in or encouraging a group demonstration.
213 Encouraging others to refuse to work, or to participate in a work stoppage.
214 (Not to be used).
215 (Not to be used).
216 Giving or offering an official or staff member a bribe, or anything of value.
217 Giving money to, or receiving money from, any person for the purpose of introducing contraband or any other illegal or prohibited purpose.
218 Destroying, altering, or damaging government property, or the property of another person, having a value in excess of $100.00, or destroying, altering, damaging life-safety devices (e.g., fire alarm) regardless of financial value.
219 Stealing; theft (including data obtained through the unauthorized use of a communications device, or through unauthorized access to disks, tapes, or computer printouts or other automated equipment on which data is stored).
220 Demonstrating, practicing, or using martial arts, boxing (except for use of a punching bag), wrestling, or other forms of physical encounter, or military exercises or drill (except for drill authorized by staff).
221 Being in an unauthorized area with a person of the opposite sex without staff permission.
222 (Not to be used).
223 (Not to be used).
224 Assaulting any person (a charge at this level is used when less serious physical injury or contact has been attempted or accomplished by an inmate).
225 Stalking another person through repeated behavior which harasses, alarms, or annoys the person, after having been previously warned to stop such conduct.
226 Possession of stolen property.
227 Refusing to participate in a required physical test or examination unrelated to testing for drug abuse (e.g., DNA, HIV, tuberculosis).
228 Tattooing or self-mutilation.
229 Sexual assault of any person, involving non-consensual touching without force or threat of force.
231 Requesting, demanding, pressuring, or otherwise intentionally creating a situation, which causes an inmate to produce or display his/her own court documents for any unauthorized purpose to another inmate.
296 Use of the mail for abuses other than criminal activity which circumvent mail monitoring procedures (e.g., use of the mail to commit or further a High category prohibited act, special mail abuse; writing letters in code; directing others to send, sending, or receiving a letter or mail through unauthorized means; sending mail for other inmates without authorization; sending correspondence to a specific address with directions or intent to have the correspondence sent to an unauthorized person; and using a fictitious return address in an attempt to send or receive unauthorized correspondence).
297 Use of the telephone for abuses other than illegal activity which circumvent the ability of staff to monitor frequency of telephone use, content of the call, or the number called; or to commit or further a High category prohibited act.
298 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another High severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of High severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed High severity prohibited acts.
299 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like another High severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of High severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed High severity prohibited acts.
Available Sanctions for High Severity Level Prohibited Acts
A. Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time up to 50% or up to 60 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.1 Disallow ordinarily between 25% and 50% (14-27 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.2 Forfeit up to 27 days of earned FSA Time Credits for each prohibited act committed.
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 6 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate's personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.
Moderate Severity Level Prohibited Acts
300 Indecent Exposure.
301 (Not to be used).
302 Misuse of authorized medication.
303 Possession of money or currency, unless specifically authorized, or in excess of the amount authorized.
304 Loaning of property or anything of value for profit or increased return.
305 Possession of anything not authorized for retention or receipt by the inmate, and not issued to him through regular channels.
306 Refusing to work or to accept a program assignment.
307 Refusing to obey an order of any staff member (may be categorized and charged in terms of greater severity, according to the nature of the order being disobeyed, e.g., failure to obey an order which furthers a riot would be charged as 105, Rioting; refusing to obey an order which furthers a fight would be charged as 201, Fighting; refusing to provide a urine sample when ordered as part of a drug-abuse test would be charged as 110).
308 Violating a condition of a furlough.
309 Violating a condition of a community program.
310 Unexcused absence from work or any program assignment.
311 Failing to perform work as instructed by the supervisor.
312 Insolence towards a staff member.
313 Lying or providing a false statement to a staff member.
314 Counterfeiting, forging, or unauthorized reproduction of any document, article of identification, money, security, or official paper (may be categorized in terms of greater severity according to the nature of the item being reproduced, e.g., counterfeiting release papers to effect escape, Code 102).
315 Participating in an unauthorized meeting or gathering.
316 Being in an unauthorized area without staff authorization.
317 Failure to follow safety or sanitation regulations (including safety regulations, chemical instructions, tools, MSDS sheets, OSHA standards).
318 Using any equipment or machinery without staff authorization.
319 Using any equipment or machinery contrary to instructions or posted safety standards.
320 Failing to stand count.
321 Interfering with the taking of count.
322 (Not to be used).
323 (Not to be used).
324 Gambling.
325 Preparing or conducting a gambling pool.
326 Possession of gambling paraphernalia.
327 Unauthorized contacts with the public.
328 Giving money or anything of value to, or accepting money or anything of value from, another inmate or any other person without staff authorization.
329 Destroying, altering, or damaging government property, or the property of another person, having a value of $100.00 or less.
330 Being unsanitary or untidy; failing to keep one's person or quarters in accordance with posted standards.
331 Possession, manufacture, introduction, or loss of a non-hazardous tool, equipment, supplies, or other non-hazardous contraband (tools not likely to be used in an escape or escape attempt, or to serve as a weapon capable of doing serious bodily harm to others, or not hazardous to institutional security or personal safety) (other non-hazardous contraband includes such items as food, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, smoking apparatus and tobacco in any form where prohibited, and unauthorized nutritional/dietary supplements).
332 Smoking where prohibited.
333 Fraudulent or deceptive completion of a skills test (e.g., cheating on a GED, or other educational or vocational skills test).
334 Conducting a business; conducting or directing an investment transaction without staff authorization.
335 Communicating gang affiliation; participating in gang related activities; possession of paraphernalia indicating gang affiliation.
336 Circulating a petition.
396 Use of the mail for abuses other than criminal activity which do not circumvent mail monitoring; or use of the mail to commit or further a Moderate category prohibited act.
397 Use of the telephone for abuses other than illegal activity which do not circumvent the ability of staff to monitor frequency of telephone use, content of the call, or the number called; or to commit or further a Moderate category prohibited act.
398 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Moderate severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Moderate severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Moderate severity prohibited acts.
399 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like another Moderate severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Moderate severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Moderate severity prohibited acts.
Available Sanctions for Moderate Severity Level Prohibited Acts
A. Recommend parole date rescission or retardation.
B. Forfeit and/or withhold earned statutory good time or non-vested good conduct time up to 25% or up to 30 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (an extra good time or good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.1 Disallow ordinarily up to 25% (1-14 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (a good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.2 Forfeit up to 27 days of earned FSA Time Credits for each prohibited act committed.
C. Disciplinary segregation (up to 3 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate's personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.
Low Severity Level Prohibited Acts
400 (Not to be used).
401 (Not to be used).
402 Malingering, feigning illness.
403 (Not to be used).
404 Using abusive or obscene language.
405 (Not to be used).
406 (Not to be used).
407 Conduct with a visitor in violation of Bureau regulations.
408 (Not to be used).
409 Unauthorized physical contact (e.g., kissing, embracing).
498 Interfering with a staff member in the performance of duties most like another Low severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Low severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Low severity prohibited acts.
499 Conduct which disrupts or interferes with the security or orderly running of the institution or the Bureau of Prisons most like another Low severity prohibited act. This charge is to be used only when another charge of Low severity is not accurate. The offending conduct must be charged as “most like” one of the listed Low severity prohibited acts.
Available Sanctions for Low Severity Level Prohibited Acts
B.1 Disallow ordinarily up to 12.5% (1-7 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (to be used only where inmate found to have committed a second violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months); Disallow ordinarily up to 25% (1-14 days) of good conduct time credit available for year (to be used only where inmate found to have committed a third violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months) (a good conduct time sanction may not be suspended).
B.2 Forfeit up to 7 days of earned FSA Time Credits (only where the inmate is found to have committed a second violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months; forfeit up to 14 days of FSA Time Credits (only where the inmate is found to have committed a third violation of the same prohibited act within 6 months).
D. Make monetary restitution.
E. Monetary fine.
F. Loss of privileges (e.g., visiting, telephone, commissary, movies, recreation).
G. Change housing (quarters).
H. Remove from program and/or group activity.
I. Loss of job.
J. Impound inmate's personal property.
K. Confiscate contraband.
L. Restrict to quarters.
M. Extra duty.
Expand Table

Table 2 - Additional Available Sanctions for Repeated Prohibited Acts Within the Same Severity Level

Prohibited act severity level Time period for
prior offense
(same code) 		Frequency of
repeated offense 		Additional available sanctions
Low Severity (400 level) 6 months 2nd offense 1. Disciplinary segregation (up to 1 month).
2. Forfeit earned SGT or non-vested GCT up to 10% or up to 15 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow extra good time (EGT) (an EGT sanction may not be suspended).
3rd or more offense Any available Moderate severity level sanction (300 series).
Moderate Severity (300 level) 12 months 2nd offense 1. Disciplinary segregation (up to 6 months).
2. Forfeit earned SGT or non-vested GCT up to 371⁄2% or up to 45 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow EGT (an EGT sanction may not be suspended).
3rd or more offense. Any available High severity level sanction (200 series).
High Severity (200 level) 18 months 2nd offense 1. Disciplinary segregation (up to 12 months).
2. Forfeit earned SGT or non-vested GCT up to 75% or up to 90 days, whichever is less, and/or terminate or disallow EGT (an EGT sanction may not be suspended).
3rd or more offense Any available Greatest severity level sanction (100 series).
Greatest Severity (100 level) 24 months 2nd or more offense Disciplinary Segregation (up to 18 months).

[75 FR 76267, Dec. 8, 2010; 75 FR 81854, Dec. 29, 2010, as amended at 85 FR 66229, Oct. 19, 2020; 87 FR 2719, Jan. 19, 2022]


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