Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§3635 Definitions

Title 18 › Part II— CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › Chapter 229— POSTSENTENCE ADMINISTRATION › Subchapter D— RISK AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM › § 3635

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this part of the law. Dyslexia: a person who is smarter than their reading skills show and has unexpected trouble reading because they struggle with the sounds in spoken language, which also affects speaking and spelling. Dyslexia screening program: a proven, research-based test for dyslexia that is valid, low cost, and easy to get. Evidence-based recidivism reduction program: a group or one-on-one activity shown or likely to lower reoffending, meant to help people do well after prison, and may include things like life skills, family and parenting classes, moral or academic lessons, therapy, mentoring, substance treatment, job training or prison work, faith-based services, civic or restorative programs, and trauma support. Prisoner: someone sentenced for a federal crime or held by the Bureau of Prisons. Productive activity: programs for prisoners judged low-risk to keep them productive and maintain that low risk; it can include the recidivism programs above. Risk and needs assessment tool: an objective, tested method to measure a prisoner’s chance of reoffending, pick the best programs for them, and check changes over time.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §3635

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this subchapter the following definitions apply:

(1)The term “dyslexia” means an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell.

(2)The term “dyslexia screening program” means a screening program for dyslexia that is—

(A)evidence-based (as defined in section 8101(21) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21))) with proven psychometrics for validity;

(B)efficient and low-cost; and

(C)readily available.

(3)The term “evidence-based recidivism reduction program” means either a group or individual activity that—

(A)has been shown by empirical evidence to reduce recidivism or is based on research indicating that it is likely to be effective in reducing recidivism;

(B)is designed to help prisoners succeed in their communities upon release from prison; and

(C)may include—

(i)social learning and communication, interpersonal, anti-bullying, rejection response, and other life skills;

(ii)family relationship building, structured parent-child interaction, and parenting skills;

(iii)classes on morals or ethics;

(iv)academic classes;

(v)cognitive behavioral treatment;

(vi)mentoring;

(vii)substance abuse treatment;

(viii)vocational training;

(ix)faith-based classes or services;

(x)civic engagement and reintegrative community services;

(xi)a prison job, including through a prison work program;

(xii)victim impact classes or other restorative justice programs; and

(xiii)trauma counseling and trauma-informed support programs.

(4)The term “prisoner” means a person who has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment pursuant to a conviction for a Federal criminal offense, or a person in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.

(5)The term “productive activity” means either a group or individual activity that is designed to allow prisoners determined as having a minimum or low risk of recidivating to remain productive and thereby maintain a minimum or low risk of recidivating, and may include the delivery of the programs described in paragraph (1) 11 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (3)”. to other prisoners.

(6)The term “risk and needs assessment tool” means an objective and statistically validated method through which information is collected and evaluated to determine—

(A)as part of the intake process, the risk that a prisoner will recidivate upon release from prison;

(B)the recidivism reduction programs that will best minimize the risk that the prisoner will recidivate upon release from prison; and

(C)the periodic reassessment of risk that a prisoner will recidivate upon release from prison, based on factors including indicators of progress and of regression, that are dynamic and that can reasonably be expected to change while in prison.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 3635

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60