What Is the RDAP Program?
The Residential Drug Abuse Program -- known as RDAP -- is the Federal Bureau of Prisons' most intensive substance abuse treatment program and the only BOP program that can result in a direct reduction of your federal sentence. Under 18 U.S.C. Section 3621(e), federal inmates who successfully complete RDAP and meet eligibility requirements can receive up to 12 months off their sentence plus up to six months of additional halfway house placement.
RDAP is a nine-month, 500-hour residential program. Participants live in a designated housing unit separate from the general population and spend their days in intensive group therapy, structured curriculum, written assignments and community accountability sessions. It is not easy. It is not a shortcut. But for eligible inmates, it is the single most powerful sentence reduction tool available within the federal prison system.
Critical RDAP Strategy for First-Time and White Collar Federal Inmates
This section is written specifically for people who have never been in the federal system before -- especially those facing white collar charges, drug offenses, financial crimes or other nonviolent cases where the offense itself may not seem connected to substance abuse. Read this carefully before your sentencing.
The PSI Report Is Everything -- Do Not Ignore the Substance Abuse Section
Your Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (PSI or PSR) is the most important document for RDAP eligibility. When your probation officer interviews you for the PSI, there will be a section on substance abuse history. If you have ever used drugs or alcohol to excess -- even recreationally, even legally prescribed medication, even years ago -- be honest and thorough in this section.
The BOP requires documented substance abuse within the 12 months prior to your arrest or indictment, whichever came first. This does not mean the substance abuse had to cause the crime. A white collar defendant who drank heavily while under financial stress qualifies. A first-time offender who used prescription pills to cope qualifies. The connection to the actual offense is irrelevant -- what matters is that the use is documented and verifiable.
Once your PSI is finalized it is extremely difficult to amend. You cannot go back later and add substance abuse history that was not there at sentencing. This decision must be made before or during your PSI interview.
Get Third-Party Documentation Before You Report to Prison
The BOP will not accept documentation of substance abuse that comes from you directly. All supporting documentation must come from a third party and the BOP will call to verify it is genuine. Before you report to your assigned facility, gather as much of the following as possible and have it sent directly to the Drug Abuse Program Coordinator (DAPC) at your institution:
- Letters or clinical notes from your doctor, therapist or counselor confirming substance use
- Records from any substance abuse treatment program, AA/NA attendance, or outpatient counseling
- Two or more DUI or DWI convictions within five years of your arrest
- Records from your probation or parole officer noting substance use
- BOP Health Services detoxification records if you were detoxed upon entry into federal custody
The more third-party documentation you have, the stronger your application. Do not assume your PSI alone will be sufficient -- supporting records dramatically improve your chances of admission.
White Collar Inmates Are Among the Most Common RDAP Participants
If you are facing a fraud charge, tax offense, embezzlement, insider trading or other nonviolent financial crime, you are in one of the most favorable categories for RDAP eligibility. The federal courts have long recognized that financial stress, high-pressure environments and self-medication with alcohol or prescription drugs frequently accompany white collar criminal behavior.
RDAP does not require that substance abuse caused your crime. It requires only that substance abuse occurred in the 12-month window before your arrest or indictment and that it is documented. White collar defendants often have the personal resources to have seen doctors, therapists or counselors who can provide exactly the third-party documentation the BOP requires.
If your charges are sensitive and you do not want details of your case widely known inside the facility, RDAP housing units tend to have a higher proportion of white collar and nonviolent offenders compared to the general population. Many participants find the environment more manageable as a result.
Apply Early -- The Process Takes Time
RDAP is not available at every federal facility. If you are assigned to a non-RDAP institution you will need BOP approval to transfer to a facility that offers the program. The BOP aims to have approved inmates arrive at RDAP facilities with at least 24 months remaining on their sentence. If you wait until you are close to your release date to apply, you may not receive the full 12-month reduction even if you are accepted and complete the program.
Apply to the DAPC at your facility as early as possible. Bring your documentation. Be persistent. Fewer than 10% of RDAP applications are currently accepted under the stricter eligibility rules put in place since 2009 -- but those who are properly prepared and documented have a significantly higher acceptance rate than those who apply without preparation.
Understand What RDAP Actually Requires -- and What Can Get You Removed
RDAP is demanding. The program uses a therapeutic community model that includes group accountability sessions where participants are expected to report rule violations by other participants. This aspect of the program -- essentially a requirement to inform on fellow inmates -- causes many participants to withdraw or be removed.
If you are removed from RDAP for any reason, you lose your early release eligibility and may face additional sanctions including loss of good time credit or a facility transfer. Before committing to the program, understand what it requires and be prepared to complete all three phases. You can reapply after 90 days if you withdraw voluntarily, but your timeline for early release will be significantly affected.
The Legal Authority -- 18 U.S.C. Section 3621(e)
RDAP early release eligibility is authorized under federal law. Under 28 C.F.R. Section 550.58, an inmate sentenced for nonviolent offenses who is determined to have a substance abuse problem and successfully completes RDAP may be eligible for early release by a period not to exceed 12 months.
Under 18 U.S.C. Section 3621(e)(2)(B): the period a prisoner convicted of a nonviolent offense remains in custody after successfully completing a treatment program may be reduced by the Bureau of Prisons, but such reduction may not be more than one year from the term the prisoner must otherwise serve.
Who Is Not Eligible for RDAP Early Release
The following categories of inmates are not eligible for the sentence reduction under RDAP. Note that some of these inmates may still participate in the RDAP program for treatment purposes without receiving the sentence reduction:
- INS detainees and deportable aliens
- Pre-trial inmates
- Contractual boarders (inmates from other jurisdictions)
- Inmates with a prior felony or misdemeanor conviction for homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault or child sexual abuse offenses
- Inmates whose current offense involved the actual, attempted or threatened use of physical force against a person or property
- Inmates whose current offense involved carrying, possession or use of a firearm, explosive device or other dangerous weapon
- Inmates whose current offense by its nature presents a serious potential risk of physical force against another person
- Inmates whose current offense involves sexual abuse of children
- Inmates with serious mental illness that interferes with program participation
- Inmates with less than 24 months remaining on their sentence at time of application
For federal sentencing guidelines and to estimate your sentence structure and points, see our Federal Sentencing Guidelines page.
RDAP Facility List -- Updated January 2025
The BOP currently operates 65 RDAP programs at 53 locations across six regions. Facilities marked as closing or suspended are noted. This list is sourced directly from the Bureau of Prisons and updated January 2025.
Mid-Atlantic Region (MXR)
- FPC Alderson, WV ♦
- FCI Beckley, WV
- USP Big Sandy, KY
- FCI-I Butner, NC *
- FCI-II Butner, NC
- FCI Cumberland, MD
- SCP Cumberland, MD
- SFF Hazelton, WV ♦ -- SUSPENDED
- FMC Lexington 1, KY
- FMC Lexington 2, KY *
- FCI Memphis, TN
- FCI Morgantown, WV -- CLOSING
- FCI Petersburg Low, VA
- FCI Petersburg Medium, VA
North Central Region (NCR)
- FPC Duluth, MN -- CLOSING
- FCI Englewood, CO
- FCI Florence, CO
- USP Florence, CO
- SCP Greenville, IL ♦
- SCP Leavenworth, KS
- USP Marion, IL
- FCI Milan, MI
- FCI Sandstone, MN
- MCFP Springfield, MO *
- FCI Terre Haute, IN *
- FCI Waseca, MN ♦
- FPC Yankton, SD
Northeast Region (NER)
- FCI Allenwood Low, PA
- FCI Allenwood Medium, PA
- USP Canaan, PA
- FCI Danbury, CT ♦
- FCI Elkton, OH
- FCI Fairton, NJ
- FCI Fort Dix 1, NJ
- FCI Fort Dix 2, NJ
- SCP Lewisburg, PA
- SCP McKean, PA
- FCI Schuylkill, PA
South Central Region (SCR)
- FCI Bastrop, TX
- FCI Beaumont Low, TX -- SUSPENDED
- FCI Beaumont Medium, TX
- USP Beaumont, TX
- FPC Bryan, TX ♦
- FMC Carswell, TX ♦ S *
- FCI El Reno, OK
- FCI Forrest City Low, AR
- FCI Forrest City Medium, AR
- FMC Fort Worth, TX
- FCI La Tuna, TX
- FCI Seagoville, TX
- SCP Texarkana, TX
Southeast Region (SER)
- FCI Coleman Low, FL
- USP-II Coleman, FL
- SCP Edgefield, SC
- FSL Jesup, GA
- FCI Marianna, FL
- FCI Miami, FL S
- FPC Montgomery, AL
- FPC Pensacola, FL -- CLOSING
- FCI Tallahassee, FL ♦
- FCI Yazoo City Low, MS
Western Region (WXR)
- FCI Herlong, CA
- FCI Lompoc, CA
- FCI Phoenix, AZ
- SCP Phoenix, AZ
- FCI Safford, AZ
- FCI Sheridan, OR *
- SCP Sheridan, OR -- SUSPENDED
- FCI Terminal Island 1, CA
- FCI Terminal Island 2, CA *
Female Integrated Treatment Programs ♦
- SCP Greenville, IL -- North Central Region
- FCI Danbury, CT -- Northeast Region
- FMC Carswell, TX -- South Central Region
- FCI Tallahassee, FL -- Southeast Region
Source: Bureau of Prisons, RDAP Locations PDF, updated January 2025. Facility status may change -- verify current status with the BOP or your case manager before making decisions based on this list.