Bureau Of Prisons (BOP)
The Council of Prison Locals C-33 is the most organized Council within the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Organization representing more than 30,000 bargaining unit employees in the United States, including its US Territory of Puerto Rico.
Take Action Now
Use the tools below to send a letter to your lawmaker on each of the following specific issues.
Pass the Thin Blue Line Act
Three federal correctional officers have been murdered since 2008 just for doing their jobs. In two of those cases, their murderers were already serving life sentences for murder. Rather than face the death penalty for their grisly act, they got a second life sentence. Another life sentence for people already condemned to life in prison is not punishment. It is an insult to the grieving families of these fallen officers. By giving convicted murderers another life sentence, we are showing inmates across the country that they can, quite literally, get away with murder.
That's why we are supporting H.R. 72, the Thin Blue Line Act. Introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and expected to be re-introduced by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) in the Senate, the bill would make killing a correctional worker, a firefighter or other first responder an aggravating factor in death penalty determinations. It restores the key deterrent for lifers looking to make a name for themselves by killing our brave officers.
If passed, this law could finally provide peace and justice for the families of our fallen officers and make our prisons safer for tens of thousands of dedicated correctional workers. We owe it to the Rivera, Williams and Albarati families to stand up and fight for its passage.
Pass Eric's Law
Officer Eric Williams was brutally murdered in 2013 by an inmate at U.S. Penitentiary Canaan. At the time he took Officer Williams' life, the inmate was already serving a life sentence for murder. Although a federal jury found the prisoner guilty of this brutal crime, the inmate received essentially no additional punishment because one juror out of twelve would not vote for a death penalty sentence.
Currently, prosecutors cannot impanel a second jury for sentencing if a jury in a federal death penalty case fails to reach a unanimous decision on a sentence. Instead, the judge must impose a sentence other than the death penalty. Eric's Law would require the court to order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury in these instances.
We are supporting Eric's law, which we’re waiting to be re-introduced in the 117th Congress, and which was introduced Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Representative Fred Keller (R-PA) in the last Congress, to finally bring justice to Officer Williams' family and to send a powerful message to inmates who might be thinking about trying to kill one of our brave officers.
Recent News
- Prison break: As the Trump administration touts prison reform as a victory, the Federal Bureau of Prisons struggles
- The Bureau of Prisons is Hiring!
- Lead Conspirator in Correctional Officer's Murder Convicted on 6 Counts
- Demoralized Federal Prison Officers Feel Left Behind By 'Law And Order' Trump
- As Health Conditions Worsen At Prison Holding 1,000 Detainees, Staff Fears A Riot
- As Health Conditions Worsen At Prison Holding 1,000 Detainees, Staff Fears A Riot
- Short-staffed, Victorville prison union claims health care lacking for immigration detainees
- Federal prison workers protest in Victorville, saying the transfer of detainees creates a dangerous situation
- Safety Concerns Grow as Inmates Are Guarded by Teachers and Secretaries
- Massive Contraband Smuggling Problem, Staffing Shortage Behind Security Lockdown at Federal Prison in Big Spring
- White House-backed prisons bill divides parties, hits roadblocks in Senate
- Trump Administration Draws Bipartisan Concerns for Flouting Congress on Federal Prisons Staffing
- Federal budget cuts may remove positions at Wisconsin's only federal prison
- Rep. Marino Leading to Protect Federal Prison Jobs in Pennsylvania
- Dozens of Lawmakers From Both Parties Implore Justice Dept. Not to Cut 6,000 Jobs
- Slain officer’s family fears staff cuts will force prison guards to work alone
- Correctional officers, dad of one who was slain fight Trump's budget plan
- Federal prison workers decrease, dangers increase in Trump's budget
- Victorville prison sent back $3M while union officials raised equipment concerns
- Drugs, 1,046 cellphones seized at Fort Dix federal prison
- Oklahoma correctional officers concerned about safety amid cuts
- Proposed cuts pose safety threats at Beckley facility
- WNT Prison Budget Cuts - February 1st, 2018
- Federal Bureau of Prisons intends to reduce staff nearly 12 percent, 62 positions at Lompoc FCC in jeopardy
- NC Prison Employee Speaks Out
- Union workers at W.Va. prison worried about staff cuts
- Correctional officers at Lompoc prison raise concerns over proposed staff cuts
- Dangerous Cuts
- Federal Prison Union: Trump Privatizing To Endanger COs, Public
- Will a plan to cut 300 positions at Kentucky’s federal prisons endanger guards?
- Union official says Florence prison officers are in danger due to understaffing
- Understaffed federal prisons causes potential danger
- Trump Administration Proposes Slashing Jobs; Endangering Correctional Workers, Inmates, and Communities Across America
- Leaked Memo: Trump Admin to Boost Use of Private Prisons While Slashing Federal Staff
- Local union fears staff reduction at USP Lee
- A Chaplain's Conscience vs. the Bureau of Prisons
- Correctional Officers’ Union: Life Sentence for Murderer of Correctional Officer Does Not Go Far Enough
- Senator Toomey Re-Introduces Trio of Bills To Support Law Enforcement & Other Public Safety Officers
- AFGE Council of Prison Locals President Eric Young attends 20th Year Memorial Service of Officer Scott Williams
- Markup of H.R. 115; H.R. 510; H.R. 613; H.R. 1039; H.R. 1892; H.R. 1761
- Impact of Federal Hiring Freeze Seen at Veterans Affairs, Prisons, Social Security
- Union Fires Back at Pension-Cutting Bill, the IRS Gets Managers' Pay Wrong and More
- Law Enforcement Officers Council Put Up Billboards to Oppose Rep. Hice's Bill
- Federal Correctional Officers Praise DOJ Decision to End Use of Private Prisons
- Corporate America: Using Incarceration For Profits
- Eric Holder: We Can Have Shorter Sentences and Less Crime
- Warning: Prison Guards, Officers Possible Attacks From 'Black Guerilla Family'
- The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ fight against contraband
- Law enforcement fires back at Cotton over 'under-incarceration'
- Assault on 3 Correctional Officers Renews Call for Protective Equipment in Prisons (Press Release)
- From Tragedy to Triumph: The Legacy of Officer Eric Williams
- Marino Applauds Passage of Eric Williams Correction Officer Protection Act
- Senate Passes Toomey Bill to Protect Federal Corrections Officers
- Keeping death penalty would help keep guards safe (Eric Young Op-Ed in Orlando Sentinel)
- Casey calls for hearing on prison safety (Citizens Voice)
- Head of BOP Union Warns Against Relaxing Special Housing Safeguards (Press Release)
- An Everyday Hero: Aaron Scott
- AFGE Testifies on behalf of all Correctional Workers
- Council of Prison Locals Pushes Local Partnership
- AFGE, Council of Prison Locals Commend U.S. Sentencing Commission Action to Reduce Drug Trafficking Sentences (Press Release)
- AFGE Applauds Bureau of Prisons Expansion of Pepper Spray Pilot Program
- Meet Jill Carver: A Bureau of Prisons teacher and proud AFGE member
View All BOP News
Pending:
Help Protect Official Time
Council 33 uses official time to stand up for workers who have been wrongfully terminated, disciplined, harassed, or intimidated because of bad management practices. Official time is also used to improve correctional worker safety.
Support the Safe Prisons Project
Working for the Federal Bureau of Prisons will never be easy. But it shouldn’t be a death sentence. Help us protect those who protect America.
Passed:
Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2017
Thanks to your activism, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act was included in the criminal justice reform bill known as the First Step Act which was signed into law on December 21, 2018. As you know, federal correctional officers are extended the same enhanced ability to carry personal firearms as police and other law enforcement officers while off-duty. But federal correctional workers were unable to carry their personal firearms to and from work because the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) failed to provide secure gun lockers for correctional officers to safely store their firearms. This bill changes that and honors Lieutenant Albarati's memory. We are now working with prison management to ensure this law is implemented properly.
Thank Congress for Providing Pepper Spray
In March of 2016, President Obama signed the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act into law, providing permanent funding to provide pepper spray and usage training to correctional workers across the country. This law would not have been possible without activists like you and lawmakers in the Senate and House passing the bill.
Learn the history behind the Eric Williams Correctional Officer Protection Act.
TSP Fix
Because of the hard work of safe prisons activists like you, correctional workers now have access to a fair retirement that they have earned.
In July of 2015, President Obama signed a bill to allow law enforcement workers who retire after December 31, 2015, to access their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), without paying a 10% penalty on withdrawals. The bipartisan Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act exempts law enforcement officers from the 10% penalty on their TSP if they retire at 50.
AFGE and our law enforcement councils have worked tirelessly for decades to see this retirement penalty reformed. Workers like you are responsible for securing our communities. You deserve a fair retirement with no pointless penalties on your savings. Thank you for your continued hard work on behalf of your coworkers and communities.
