Compendium of Non-Investigative Reports on the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Over the past decade and before, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has conducted extensive oversight of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).  This compilation of non-investigative OIG reports, Management Advisory Memoranda (MAM), survey results, and data dashboards references the oversight the OIG has conducted of the BOP, organized around four topical themes:  (1) Safety and Security of BOP Institutions, (2) Health and Welfare of Inmates, (3) Inmate Management Programs and Staffing, and (4) Cost Management. 

The BOP generally has been responsive to findings and recommendations in our prior oversight products, with about 80 percent of the recommendations from reports and MAMs closed as of January 2022.  Nonetheless, numerous important recommendations remain open, and as these reports, MAMs and our 2021 Top Management and Performance Challenges Report reflect, the BOP continues to face significant and serious issues in each of these areas that require the consistent and substantial attention of BOP and Department of Justice leadership. 

The OIG’s investigative summaries of administrative misconduct by BOP officials can be found here.   

To download a PDF of this compendium, click here.

Safety and Security of BOP Institutions

Ensuring the safety and security of BOP inmates and staff is among the BOP’s highest priorities.  Critical threats to their safety include the introduction of contraband into BOP facilities, such as cell phones or illegal drugs, inadequate monitoring of high-risk inmates, including terrorist inmates, and sexual misconduct or abuse. 

Health and Welfare of Inmates

The BOP is responsible for providing its inmate population adequate medical care and humane living conditions. The OIG has reviewed various BOP programs, facilities, and services intended to meet this important need.

Inmate Management Programs and Staffing

The BOP’s mission includes proactively managing its offender population to ensure safe and secure operations and providing staff who are ethical, professional, well-trained, and diverse.  

Cost Management

Maintaining cost-efficient facilities and being a good steward of public funds are essential to the BOP’s mission.  In FY 2021, the BOP’s enacted budget was approximately $8.1 billion, representing over 23 percent of the DOJ’s overall budget that year.The BOP is the largest DOJ component, with 122 institutions, 6 regional offices, a headquarters, 2 staff training centers, and 22 residential reentry management offices nationwide.  The BOP manages almost 154,000 inmates and almost 37,000 staff as of January 2022.  The OIG conducts reviews, evaluations, and audits of the BOP’s budget management and expenditures to ensure that the BOP is utilizing its funds and managing its operations efficiently and effectively.