WAR DEPARTMENT
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE
WASHINGTON

In reply refer to: AG 253 (6-30-34) Pris.

July 6, 1934

The Director,
Bureau of Prisons,
Department of Justice.

Dear Sir:

Reference is made to your letter of the 30th ultimo relative to the method of computing the good-conduct time allowance for the 32 military prisoners transferred to your custody at Alcatraz Island, California.

The statement from this office, by telephone, to the effect that the military prisoners transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at Alcatraz Island should be allowed to retain to their credit the good-conduct time earned under army regulations up to the time of their transfer to the penitentiary, and thereafter credited with such good-conduct time as may be earned under regulations governing the penitentiary, was based upon an agreement set forth in letter dated January 30, 1932, from the Director, Bureau of Prisons, to The Adjutant General, as follows:

The Bureau of Prisons has adopted the suggestion contained in your letter of October 15, 1931, with respect to allowance of good time to military prisoners transferred to Federal penitentiaries, namely, that the Warden of the penitentiary retain to the credit of the prisoners the good time earned before the prisoners arrive at the penitentiary and thereafter to credit them with such good conduct time as may be earned under regulations governing the penitentiary, at the rate that would have been allowed if he had served in the penitentiary from the beginning of the sentence, but only for such period as they may be confined in the penitentiary.

In the matter of good-conduct-time allowance, it is not seen that the status of the prisoners turned over to the newly-established penitentiary at Alcatraz Island is any different from that of prisoners transferred to a United States penitentiary in some other manner.

The Commanding General, Ninth Corps Area, has been directed by radiogram to furnish to the Warden of the penitentiary at Alcatraz Island a statement of good-conduct time in the cases of the military prisoners transferred to that penitentiary, if not already done.

Very truly yours,

E.T. Coriley
Brigadier General