BOP Program Statement 5580.10 § 5

(a) Contraband is defined in § 500.1(h) of this chapter. Items possessed by an inmate ordinarily

are not considered to be contraband if the inmate was authorized to retain the item upon

admission to the institution, the item was issued by authorized staff, purchased by the inmate

from the commissary, or purchased or received through approved channels (to include

approved for receipt by an authorized staff member or authorized by institution guidelines).

Contraband includes material prohibited by law, or by regulation, or material which can

reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or adversely affect the security, safety, or good

order of the institution.

(b) For the purposes of this subpart, there are two types of contraband.

(1) Staff shall consider as hard contraband any item which threatens the safety, security, or

good order of the facility or protection of the public and which ordinarily is not approved for

possession by an inmate or for admission into the institution. Examples of hard contraband

include weapons, intoxicants, and currency (where prohibited).

Other examples of hard contraband include:

■ Tools which may be used to aid in an escape (e.g., rope).

■ Ammunition or explosives.

■ Combustible or flammable liquids.

■ Knives or tools not provided in accordance with the Program Statement Correctional

Services Manual.

■ Hazardous or poisonous chemicals and gases.

■ Narcotics or other controlled substances not dispensed or approved by the institution HSU

are also hard contraband.

■ Medication in the possession of an inmate for whom it is not prescribed.

Medication the inmate carries into the institution at the time of commitment (e.g., voluntary

commitment) will be forwarded to the institution’s Health Services staff for disposition. If

appropriate, this medicine will be returned to the inmate.

5580.10 5/7/2026 Federal Regulations from 28 CFR: this type. Implementing instructions: this type. 11

(2) Staff shall consider as nuisance contraband any item other than hard contraband, which

has never been authorized, or which may be, or which previously has been authorized for

possession by an inmate, but whose possession is prohibited when it presents a threat to

safety, security, or good order of the facility or protection of the public, or its condition or

excessive quantities of it present a health, fire, or housekeeping hazard. Examples of

nuisance contraband include: personal property no longer permitted for admission to the

institution or permitted for sale in the commissary; altered personal property; excessive

accumulation of commissary, newspapers, letters, or magazines which cannot be stored

neatly and safely in the designated area; food items which are spoiled or retained beyond the

point of safe consumption; government-issued items which have been altered, or other items

made from government property without staff authorization.

Items which cannot be searched without destruction or items which appear to be altered are not

permitted in the institution.