BOP Program Statement 5370.12 § 11

The art and hobbycraft program enables inmates to make constructive use of their leisure hours,

use their skills and creative abilities constructively, and gain a sense of accomplishment. Use of

hobbycraft facilities is a privilege the Warden or designee may grant or deny.

Written local procedures will be established for operating the hobbycraft program in recreation.

Procedures will include hobbycraft guidelines for:

■ enrollments;

■ types of programs and training offered;

■ limits on the number of items produced per inmate;

■ membership, organization, and procedures for the Hobbycraft Price Committee (if one

exists);

■ the disposition of finished inmate products (i.e., mailout, disposal); and

■ any requirements for protective equipment and clothing for inmates involved in recreation

hobbycraft programs.

Guidelines addressing mail related disposition of inmate products must be in accordance with

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procedures in the Program Statements Mail Management Manual and Correspondence.

Obtaining Materials.

(a) An inmate engaged in art or hobbycraft activities may obtain materials through:

(1) The institution art program (if one exists);

(2) The commissary sales unit;

(3) Special purchase commissary orders, if the sales unit is unable to stock a sufficient

amount of the needed materials; or

(4) Other sources approved by the Warden.

(b) Each inmate shall identify completed art or hobbycraft products by showing the inmate's

name and register number on the reverse side of the item.

(c) Completed or abandoned art or hobbycraft articles must be disposed of in one of the

following ways:

(1) Upon approval of the Warden, by giving the item to an authorized visitor. The quantity of

items will be determined by the Warden.

(2) By mailing the item to a verified relative or approved visitor at the inmate's expense.

(3) By selling, through an institution art and hobbycraft sales program, if one exists, after the

institution price committee has determined the sale price.

Completed art and hobbycraft items may only be mailed through the general correspondence

procedures described in Program Statement Correspondence.

In the event an inmate is transferred, recreation staff must follow guidance in Program Statement

Inmate Personal Property. It is the responsibility of Recreation staff to contact an inmate’s

assigned Unit Management team to obtain a disposition address for unauthorized items if

applicable.

(4) Other methods established by the Warden.

To reduce fire hazards and to conserve space, art and hobbycraft items that are not disposed of in

any of the listed ways are contraband.

(d) Restrictions. Art and hobbycraft programs are intended for the personal enjoyment of an

inmate and as an opportunity to learn a new leisure skill. They are not for the mass production of

art and hobbycraft items by artists or to provide a means of supplementing an inmate's income.

The SOR is responsible for developing a record-keeping system to control ongoing and

completed projects. Limitations on the quantity of items produced per inmate will be established

and listed in the local hobbycraft procedures.

(1) The Warden may restrict, for reasons of security and housekeeping, the size and quantity of

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all products made in the art and hobbycraft program. Paintings mailed out of the institution must

conform to both institution guidelines and postal regulations. If an inmate's art work or

hobbycraft is on public display, the Warden may restrict the content of the work in accordance

with community standards of decency.

The Warden is to consult with Regional Counsel prior to restricting the public display of inmate

artwork or hobbycraft, to ensure that appropriate legal standards are met. If an inmate’s artwork

is approved for community display, the SOR will notify the REA and ESB of the details prior to

the display occurring.

(2) The Warden may set limits, in compliance with commissary guidelines, on the amount of

money an inmate may spend on art or hobbycraft items or materials.

The total amount an inmate may spend on art or hobbycraft materials, through commissary

and/or special purchase order, is not to exceed $450 quarterly. Institutions may set a lower limit

based on operational needs.

(3) The Warden may restrict for reasons of security, fire safety, and housekeeping, the use or

possession of art and hobbycraft items or materials.

(4) Appropriate hobbycraft activities shall be encouraged in the inmate living areas. However,

the Warden may limit hobbycraft projects in the cell/living areas to those which can be

contained/stored in provided personal property containers. Exceptions may be made for such

items as a painting where the size would prohibit placement in a locker. Hobbycraft items must

be removed from the living area when completed unless they are approved as personal property.

(5) The Warden shall require the inmate to mail completed hobbycraft articles out of the

institution at the inmate's expense, or to give them to an authorized visitor within 30 days of

completion, or to dispose of them through approved sales. However, articles offered for sale

must be sold within 90 days of completion, or must be given to an authorized visitor or mailed

out of the institution at the inmate's expense.

Inmates may sell hobbycraft articles to community members ONLY during ESB approved art

shows. Institutions will submit art show proposals to ESB who will consult with the Office of

General Counsel regarding the appropriateness of the show. The proposal will at a minimum

include: the place the items will be shown, the anticipated beginning and end dates of the show, a

list of inmates submitting items for sale, prices of the pieces for sale, and documentation of

review and approval from the Hobbycraft Price Committee. Community members may only buy

such articles as prescribed in this program statement below. In accordance with the Program

Statement Standards of Employee Conduct, Bureau staff are not permitted to

purchase inmate hobbycraft items.

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Articles for Sale. The inmate must submit finished articles to be offered for sale to the

Recreation staff member responsible for the hobbycraft program and attach a price tag reflecting

their valuation of the item.

The Recreation staff member must assign a serial number to the item and enter the item and

serial number on the register of the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form. The SOR is

to retain these records for at least three years.

Hobbycraft Price Committee (HPC). The Warden designates members to the institution HPC.

These members typically include the Recreation staff member responsible for the hobby shop, a

member of the Education department, and one other staff member.

Prior to making an article available for sale, the HPC approves the register of items on the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form.

(1) Authority. The HPC may return to the inmate any item considered to be poorly constructed

or not in good taste. The HPC may consider articles in sets as one piece, with only one serial

number assigned.

(2) Sales Approval. Articles may not be sold for more than the amount the HPC approves.

Should the HPC’s price differ from the one the inmate provides, the inmate's approval will be

obtained on the BP-A0196, Hobby Shop Articles for Sale form prior to display. If the inmate

disagrees with the HPC’s price, and refuses to sign the form indicating approval, the item must

be withdrawn from sale. The sale price will not exceed the amount spent on the materials to

create the item. An inmate may list no more than three separate articles at any given time and no

more than six articles may be listed for sale annually.

(3) Sales Display. After the HPC's approval, the article and original BP-A0196, Hobby Shop

Articles for Sale form, will be delivered to the staff member with oversight responsibility.

Recreation staff will retain a copy of the form.

Each article on display will indicate the name and serial number of the item and the price

designated by the HPC, but the inmate's name, register number or other personally identifiable

information shall not appear on the item. An inmate may withdraw an article displayed at any

time prior to a sale.

Articles not sold during the approved art show will be returned to the Hobbycraft Coordinator for

further disposition in accordance with section 11 of this program statement.

(4) Posting. Funds received, either cash or postal money order, for articles sold will be recorded

on a BP197, Temporary Receipt form. The funds, along with the yellow copy of the Temporary

Receipt, will be delivered to the appropriate department for inclusion in the daily collections.

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Proceeds received will first be applied to any financial responsibility the inmate has such as

felony assessments or restitution. If no financial responsibility exists, 50% of the proceeds will

be deposited into the inmate’s Pre-Release Savings Account and the remaining 50% into their

regular commissary account.

The only permitted methods of disposal of hobbycraft items are outlined in this program

statement. Hobbycraft items cannot be donated by the institution to unauthorized outside

entities/persons, nor can hobbycraft sales programs require any portion of the sale of hobbycraft

items be donated to any outside charity.

(6) Where space and equipment are limited and demand is high, the Warden may set limits on

the amount of time an inmate may use a hobbycraft facility, e.g., the Warden may limit an

inmate's use of any workshop or classroom to six months to make room for new students.

Hobbycraft participants may be rotated to allow for maximum utilization of the resources.

(7) Disciplinary action may be taken against inmates found with unauthorized hobbycraft

materials in their possession. This action may include the removal of the inmate from the

hobbycraft program.