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Navigate federal prison with clarity

Built by people who lived it — for the 154,000 currently inside and the families holding everything together. Every guide, tool, and resource is free.

Free guide

First Step Act: Custody, Designation & First Step Act

How FSA credits actually work, who qualifies, and which programs count toward early release.

15 min read · Updated Apr 2026
Interactive tool

FSA Earned Time Credit Calculator

Input your sentence, risk level, and programming to estimate projected time served.

Interactive · Real-time results
For families

The First 72 Hours After Surrender

What your family should expect when your loved one reports to federal prison.

12 pages · Free PDF on InmateHelp.org
0
Federal Inmates
0
FSA Releases
9.7%
FSA Recidivism
0
BOP Programs

Your journey

Where are you in the process?

Every federal journey is different. Find resources built for your exact situation.

Resource library

Essential guides for every phase

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Interactive tool

FSA Earned Time
Credit Calculator

Estimate how First Step Act credits could affect your sentence. Adjust inputs and see projected results instantly.

Full calculator Family cheat sheet
FSA Credit Estimator
Sentence length60 months
PATTERN risk level
60
Sentenced
38
Projected
13
Saved

Estimate only. Actual credits depend on individual circumstances. Not legal advice.

The network

Need more than information?

Free information helps with the basics. When you need personalized support, our network is here.

From the Blog

Clear guidance, straight from Dr. Fisher

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Built Around a Three-Party Model

Inmate at the center. Sponsor on the outside. Coach inside the network. All three working together.

Inmate

The federal inmate at the center. Their progress, their goals, their advocacy. Account belongs to them.

Sponsor

A trusted family member or friend. Creates the account, manages logistics, communicates with the coach.

Coach

DrPrison staff with lived experience and clinical training. Handles filings, advocacy, and federal-system mechanics.

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A Note on the Word "Inmate"

We use "inmate" deliberately. It's the official term used by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and federal law. It's also what families type into search engines when they need help. Using softer alternatives would make this platform harder to find for the people who need it. The word describes a circumstance, not a character. The clinical respect for the person inside that custody status is in everything else we do.

Read the full statement →