U.S. Prison System Timeline
Chronology of Major Events
1891 — Federal Prison System is Established. Congress passes the “Three Prisons Act,” establishing the Federal Prison System (FPS). The first three prisons — United States Penitentiary (USP) Leavenworth, USP Atlanta, and USP McNeil Island — are operated with limited oversight by the Department of Justice. 1930 — Federal Bureau of Prisons is Established. Several things contributed to the establishment of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). During the 1920s, Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt was responsible for creating institutions for younger offenders and for women. Recognizing the need for centralized administration and standardized regulations, she pushes for the…
