BOP Publications

You can download full texts of various Federal Bureau of Prisons publications in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. If you are using an older browser, you must have the free Acrobat Reader.

File sizes may be extremely large! You may have to download when Internet traffic is off-peak. Some publications have been divided into several parts to speed downloading.

Note that all publications dated earlier than 1996 were scanned from paper copies; text and graphics can vary slightly from the originals. These will not be accessible using screen readers, but print copies of many publications are still available from the Office of Public Affairs.

State of the Bureau

This annual publication provides a summary of the year's activities, statistical data, and a facilities directory. Some issues include articles on aspects of Bureau operations.

• 2003. (File size: 4.3MB)
• 2002. (File size: 4.8MB)
• 2001. 
• 2000.
• 1999.
• 1998.
• 1997. Introduction. Goals/Year in Review. Facilities: A-Lea. Facilities: Lew-Y. Facilities: In the Works/Community Corrections. Statistics.
• 1996.
• 1995. Part 1. Part 2.
• 1994 (article on emergency preparedness). Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.
• 1993 (article A Day in the Life of the Bureau of Prisons). Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.
• 1992 (article on program evaluation and planning). Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.
• 1991 (article on drug treatment programs).

Federal Prisons Journal

Published from 1989 to 1994, this professional journal offers articles and interviews on Bureau programs, initiatives, history, and correctional management.

• Winter 1994 - special issue on prison management. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.
• Fall 1992 - includes articles on work programs for nonviolent offenders, reusing military bases, conflict resolution, prisons in Israel, managing protective custody.
• Spring 1992 - special issue on women offenders. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7.
• Winter 1991 - includes articles on Soviet prisons, working the morning watch, ethics and prison administrators.
• Summer 1990 - special issue on the BOP's 60th anniversary; includes articles on Alcatraz, drug treatment, the Bureau's directors. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.
• Summer 1989 - includes articles on suicide prevention, community treatment centers, converting a college to a Federal Prison Camp. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.

Other Publications

• Volunteer Today - For and about Federal Bureau of Prisons volunteers.
• Factories With Fences - The history of Federal Prison Industries.
• Alcatraz - The final annual report from the former Federal penitentiary.

For publications of the National Institute of Corrections, visit the NIC Web site.