Hi -

I'd like to understand how the register number for the Federal Bureaus
of Prisons is made up. My understanding is that the number is
xxxxx-xxx, where each x is a number. I'd like to understand what the
valid range of numbers is, and what they stand for. For example, I am
speculating that the second batch of numbers is the prison location,
and the first 5 numbers are the prisoner? I'd also like to understand
the range of the numbers, e.g. there are 300 prisons in the US,
therefore the second batch of x ranges from 000 to 300, or whatever
may be the case.

Thanks,

Oliver

Dear researchd-ga;

Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question.
Actually the numbering convention is much simpler than you might
expect. Upon entry into the US Department of Corrections the US
Marshal?s Service assigns each inmate with an eight-digit number by
which he will be identified throughout his entire commitment. The
first five digits are unique identifiers for that specific inmate. The
last three digits, separated from the first five by a dash, denote the
US Marshal?s judicial code. What is the purpose of the US Marshal's
judicial codes? The code indicates the jurisdiction from which the
inmate originally entered the corrections system. This numbering
convention creates enough unique combinations of registration numbers
that the Federal Bureau of Prisons could never possibly use them all
for many, many years to come. What, you might ask, does the Bureau do
if it ever incarcerates more than 99,999 prisoners from a single
jurisdiction? Simple, they just replace the "0" ahead of the Marshals'
code with a "1", and there are instantly enough numbers for 99,999
more.

That's all there is to it. These documents should explain it all quite
well (you?ll even find all the judicial codes listed here too):

?The United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons
assigns a eight digit "Register Number" to all offenders in the
following format:  XXXXX-0XX.   The last three digits signify the
district wherein the offender was arrested and or processed into the
system.  In large districts, where over 100,000 people have been
processed, the '"0" is replaced with a "1".?
FEDERAL CURE
?Federal Bureau of Prisons and United States Marshals Service Register
Number Codes?
http://www.fedcure.org/information/RegisterNumberCodes.shtml
 
FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS
Program Statement 5100.08
?Inmate Security Designation and Custody Classification?
http://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5100_008.pdf
(Explained on page 26 of this 108 page government document)

I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher



INFORMATION SOURCES

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SEARCH TERMS USED:

FEDERAL 

PRISON

PRISONER

INMATE

BUREAU

REGISTER 

NUMBER

DIGITS

CODES

CLASSIFICATION

US MARSHAL