VoL.19 No.1 - Prison System Budget Cuts - FY88 Budget Seeks Prison Construction Funds

Sep 29, 2026

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Article analyzes the FY88 federal budget impact on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) following an omnibus $598 billion appropriations bill signed Dec. 22, 1987. It details funding reductions, changes from House-Senate negotiations, and the knock-on effects for prison construction, modernization, training, security, and witness protection. It also covers limits on the Assets Forfeiture Fund and how surplus may be redirected to detention facility construction amid overcrowding.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

DOJ's FY88 Budget: Overcrowded Prison System Doesn't Get What Is Needed

Corrections Digest

AIDS Symposium Planned

Assets Forfeiture Fund

Office of Justice Programs

VoL.19 No.1 Squeezing Pennies... ## FY‘88 BUDGET SEEKS PRISONCONSTRUCTION FUNDS FROMASSET FORFEITURE PROGRAM FBOP Doesn't Get What It Needs;State/Local Assistance Gutted By Betty B.BosargeManaging Editor,Washington Crime News Services The Federal Bureau of Prisons(FBOP)willhave to tighten its belt for the remainder of FiscalYear 1988 as a result of the omnibus $598 billionappropriations bill for the Federal Governmentpassed by Congress on Dec.21 and signed byPresident Reagan Dec.22. The measure cuts funds for FBOP which hadbeen requested by both the House and Senate inprevious budget sessions,and knocks the NationalInstitute of Corrections(NIC)funds down to $9,590,000 from the requested $10,000,000. Overall,FBOP is being allocated$719,814,000 of the total DOJ budget of $5,352,073,000.The Senate had sought$750,670,000 for FBOP and the House had pro-posed $745,700,000. As the result of House-Senate ConferenceCommittee negotiations,the FBOP budget allowsfor a program growth of only $29,222,000 forinstitutional activations,prisoner population ad-justments,and contract confinement. Both the House and Senate had requested$210,300,000 for FBOP buildings and facilities.This amount was knocked down to $201,676,000by the Conference Committee.The Conference (Continued on page two) January 13,1988 IN THIS ISSUE DOJ's FY88 BUDGET:Overcrowded PrisonSystem Doesn't Get What Is Needed… … …1MARYLAND:Jail Inmates Want Magazines… …3AJA:Seeks Awards Nominees… …3AUSTRALIA:Riot Ends Peacefully… …3FLORIDA:Corrections Conference Planned… …4TEXAS:Executes Inmate After Delays…… …4MICHIGAN:Jackson Officer Fatally Stabbed………5GEORGIA:Judge Recommends AIDSTests.… …5DEATH ROW INDIGENTS:Article ExploresProblems With Legal Representation …………6TIME SERVED:BJA Reports Statistics… …7JOB LISTINGS… ……… …9PRIVATIZATION:Council Recommends More……9JUVENILE DETENTION:Workshops Scheduled…9LEGALISSUES:AJA Plans Seminar… …9COURT SECURITY:Seminars Offered… …10VIRGINIA:Court Rules On ProvidingAttorneys For Death Row Inmates. …10 | AIDS SYMPOSIUM PLANNED
On April 22,Prison Health Services,Inc.(PHS)will
present a symposium entitled“AIDS:Challenge to Cor-
rections”in Los Angeles,immediately preceding the
American Jail Association(AJA)training conference.
For more information,contact Lynn Buffington,Con-
ference Director,PHS,Inc.,c/o The Planning Factory,
1704-A Marsh Rd,The Shoppes of Graylyn,Wilming
ton,DE 19810.Phone:1-302-479-8400. | | --- | ## CORRECTIONS DIGEST Committee eliminated funds requested for themodernization of the Federal Prison in Leaven-worth,Kan.According to the Conference Com-mittee members,they were informed during theirnegotiations that the modernization funds couldnot be used at present because of the transfer ofCuban detainees to Leavenworth as a result of theprison riots in Oakdale,La.,and Atlanta,Ga. The DOJ budget also includes an appropria-tion of $73,746,000 for support of U.S.prisoners.The Senate had proposed $76,900,000 while theHouse had asked for $74,800,000. The Conference Committee voted$183,800,000 for the U.S.Marshal's Ser-vice instead of the $182,800,000 proposed bythe House and the $192,720,000 requested by theSenate.However,the Committee specified thatthe budget figure includes an increase of $3,500,000 for the high priority areas of judicialsecurity,witness security,and prisoner transpor-tation. Conference Committee members said theyhave been“made aware of concern”on the part ofthe Federal judiciary about the levels of securitybeing provided in Federal courtrooms. "While the conferees are mindful of the 1982agreement reached by the Chief Justice of theUnited States and the Attorney General definingthe various levels of anticipated risk,environmentswhich require the presence of a deputy U.S.marshal in a Federal courtroom during judicialproceedings,the conferee

FAQs

What prompted the FBOP budget tightening for the remainder of Fiscal Year 1988?

The omnibus $598 billion appropriations bill for the federal government passed by Congress and signed by President Reagan reduced FBOP funding compared with House and Senate requests.

How did the conference committee alter FBOP allocations for buildings, facilities, and program growth?

It reduced the buildings and facilities amount and limited program growth for institutional activations, prisoner population adjustments, and contract confinement.

How does the Assets Forfeiture Fund change in FY88, and how may it help address overcrowding?

A proposal to defer payments was struck; instead, obligations are capped at 50% of available FY88 amounts. The committee also agreed surplus could be transferred to construct detention facilities for the Federal Prison System account.

Sep 29, 2026

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