US · guidance
BOP Program Statement 5521.06 Change Notice 1
Change Notice 1
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons
CHANGE NOTICE
OPI CPD/CSB
NUMBER 5521.06, CN-1
DATE March 6, 2025
Searches of Housing Units, Inmates, and Inmate Work
Areas
/s/
Approved: Kathleen Toomey
Associate Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons
This Change Notice (CN) implements the following changes to Program Statement 5521.06,
Searches of Housing Units, Inmates, and Inmate Work Areas, dated June 4, 2015. This CN
removes language to ensure consistency with Executive Orders issued by the Executive Office of
the President of the United States. Additions are marked with a highlight and deleted text is
marked with a strikethrough.
Throughout this CN the term “gender” has been replaced with “sex” and the term “cross-gender”
has been replaced with “opposite sex.”
1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
a. Summary of Changes.
■ Added language concerning pat searches of transgender inmates.
2. SEARCHES OF INMATES
b. Pat search.
(2) Transgender Inmates. For purposes of pat searching, inmates will be pat-searched in
accordance with the gender of the institution, or housing assignment, in which they are assigned.
Transgender inmates may request an exception. The exception must be pre-authorized by the
Warden, after consultation with staff from Health Services, Psychology Services, Unit
Management, and Correctional Services. Exceptions must be specifically described (e.g., “pat
search only by female staff”), clearly communicated to relevant staff through a memorandum,
and reflected in SENTRY (or other Bureau database; e.g., posted picture file). Inmates should be
provided a personal identifier (e.g., notation on commissary card, etc.) that indicates their
individual exception, to be carried at all times and presented to staff prior to pat searches.
(2) Inmates. For purposes of pat searching, inmates will be pat searched according to the sex of
the institution or housing assignment, where they are assigned.
5521.06, CN-1 3/6/2025 Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this type. Implementing information: this type. 2
History
Change Notice 1 dated 2025-03-06
Provenance
- Source
- bop.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-20
- Edition
- bop-ps-2026-09-20
- Content hash
5f116c2890dd0e6ca1d1073fcb9efa5269b1e924328f26fc98531a60ab08ac52
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