§4047 Prison Impact Assessments

Summary

Federal departments that send proposed laws that could change how many people are sent to federal prisons must include a prison impact statement with the proposal. The Attorney General, working with the U.S. Sentencing Commission and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, must prepare prison impact assessments and must give one to Congress within 21 days when asked about pending bills. Each assessment must show projected changes in prison, probation, and post‑prison supervision populations; estimate federal costs from those changes, including building and running prisons for the current fiscal year and the five years after; describe other big cost or operational effects; and explain the methods and assumptions used. By March 1 each year, the Attorney General must send Congress a yearly report showing the combined effect of all law changes that took effect in the prior calendar year.