Washington DC occupies a unique and often confusing position in the US criminal justice system. Because DC is a federal district — not a state — it has no state prison system. People convicted of felony crimes under DC law do not serve their sentences at DC Jail. Instead, they are transferred to facilities operated by the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the same agency that houses federal criminal defendants nationwide.
The DC Revitalization Act and Federal Responsibility
This arrangement is governed by the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (the Revitalization Act), which transferred responsibility for DC felony offenders from the DC Department of Corrections to the BOP. Before 1997, DC operated its own prison system including the now-closed Lorton Correctional Complex in Virginia. The Revitalization Act eliminated DC's responsibility to house felony offenders and shifted that obligation entirely to the federal government.
Who Goes to BOP vs. DC Jail
- DC Jail (Central Detention Facility): Houses pretrial detainees awaiting trial on DC Superior Court charges, misdemeanor convicts serving sentences up to one year, and some short-term felony sentences. Address: 1901 D Street SE, Washington DC 20003. Phone: (202) 698-4932.
- Federal BOP: Houses all DC felony convicts sentenced to more than one year, regardless of the offense. They may be sent to any BOP facility in the country — often far from DC — based on bed availability and classification.
How to Find a DC Felony Offender in BOP
Use the BOP's free inmate locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. Search by first and last name, or by BOP register number. The locator shows the facility name, projected release date, and facility contact information. DC felony offenders appear in this search like any other federal prisoner.
Parole and Supervision for DC Felony Offenders
DC felony offenders paroled from BOP are supervised not by the DC Board of Parole (which was abolished in 2000) but by the US Parole Commission and, after release, by the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) — a federal agency that supervises DC offenders in the community. CSOSA's main office is at 800 North Capitol Street NW; their supervision helpline is (202) 220-5300.