Comprehensive Guide to RDAP - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RDAP! - UPDATED 8/18/24

This RDAP discussion was assembled using 4 RDAP participants from 3 different FEDERAL PRISON camps.  

(If you want more details I would encourage you to read my Newsletters, where RDAP is featured extensively). 

Every camp is different & each RDAP is run by its own DAPC (RDAP clinical psychologist). So there will be subtle differences, but this guide should prepare you much more than anything else will.  If you like to find out as much information about a subject as you can, this should do it 

If you let it, RDAP can help change your life.  

I’m not guaranteeing the DTS (drug treatment specialists) or the DAPC (head of the program) will be any good.  But I will say this: when in your life will you ever get 9 months to work on your addiction?  If you look at it like that, it can be a tremendous experience,  

Let’s Begin:

The BASICS

The Residential Drug & Alcohol Program (RDAP) is a 500-hour residential program. You need all of the 500 hours to graduate and get the 6, 9, or 12 months off your sentence (the amount of time off depends on your sentence length).

In RDAP, you are housed separately from the general population and participate in 9-11 months of intensive rehabilitation, self-help and peer groups, drug-abuse education classes, and professional counseling.

The question most people ask is, "How do I get into RDAP?" I HOPE YOUR ATTORNEY GAVE YOU SOME INSIGHT.  if not, that’s OK.  There are more than a few ways to be considered for RDAP.  

However, the one thing everyone needs is to have a verifiable substance use disorder within 12 months before arrest or indictment (it can’t be substance abuse from 10 years prior to crime). Most likely, your substance abuse problem was a part (or contributed to) your crime, and the judge will note this and recommend you participate in the program (although it’s just a recommendation, the BOP often takes direction from the court).   The most important qualifier is that SOMEWHERE in your PSR (pre-sentencing report), this addiction is mentioned (this is the single most important criterion that can help you qualify for RDAP).  This is not a guarantee you get in.  The DAPC (Dr. who runs the RDAP program at your camp) will interview and determine that.  However, if you have your alcohol or substance abuse problem mentioned in your report, you have a solid chance of getting in (if you're worried if you qualify and you want to discuss it further, feel free to email me; I will try to help you - scottycarper@gmail.com) 

People advising you will tell you to take RDAP to get time off your sentence. 

What people fail to realize is that RDAP is a big obligation (time-wise and personal toll). In addition to plenty of work, it is also a time commitment after you are released. You will spend at least 4 months in the aftercare program (it will start in the halfway house and continue through either home confinement or release). My view on RDAP is that it is worth it, period. The time off and the commitment you make to your recovery are something people eligible should consider (what else are you going to do while in prison?). But I think it’s important to know it is a commitment worth reviewing objectively (can you do 9 months of programming?).  It’s not as easy as you think.  

The program is a 24/7 operation (which, actually, it is). There is no RDAP staff around on the weekends, but if something goes down and the DTS hears about it, expect consequences.  

Programming is for 3 hours a day (some places 3:30)

Monday - Friday:

Monday 7:30 - 10:30 am

Tuesday 7:30 - 10:30 am

Wednesday 7:30 - 10:30 am

Thursday 7:30 - 10:30 am

Friday 7:30 - 10:30 am

Every morning (or at a designated time), you are in the gym by 7:15 (or at a set time) to sit with your committee (you are assigned to your committees...more on that later). For 15 minutes, you discuss your committee's agenda with the chair (head) of the committee and its other members.

Morning meetings begin at 7:30 am and consist of the following:

1. Roll call

2. Greeting one another

3. Saying the creed

4. News, sports, and weather

5. Announcements

6. Help-ups

7. Word of the day

8. Positive praise

9. Upbeat ritual

10. Close (creed)

The meeting usually lasts about 45 minutes (it better take 45 minutes, or you will sit in your chairs quietly or face some other uncreative but annoying punishment).

You interact with drug treatment staff daily (DTS Staff) and a DAPC who is the head of the program (he/she is a doctor).

You are assigned your own DTS. (I was lucky I was assigned a fantastic DTS)

Your first piece of homework is writing a detailed biography (this and your PSR will determine your treatment plan). This is my sample treatment plan. It outlines the issues they feel you need to work on (addiction, criminal behavior, health, anger, etc.). FROM THIS, YOU WILL GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL PGIs (Problem, Goal, and Intervention).

Here is my very first PGI. It is brutal but accurate in many ways (not in all ways; a lot of it is boilerplate). But taking a hard look at yourself is essential to the program.

The community meeting starts at 7:30 am. You are required to be energetic, motivated, and prepared.

Every day, the staff judges your energy and participation (I’m not kidding). This is the one thing that people don’t tell you about. They tell you to take RDAP because you get the time off. What they don’t tell you is that RDAP is intense (I won’t say hard, but it’s a lot). Nobody cares about your education or comprehension...they care about effort and participation. However, everything is dependent upon your DAPC and/or DTS. The program is not a testing program (on either front...ha...they don’t drug test either). However, some staff insist on testing your RDAP knowledge. If that’s what they decide, who’s going to stop them? So you need to know the material.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE and be prepared. You need to memorize the creed, 8 attitudes of change, and thinking errors (normal and criminal).

Process group is twice a week. It’s basically a small therapy group. IT'S CONFIDENTIAL (and inmates take it seriously).

Phase group is twice a week also. Phase group is where you go over the material (the journals). There are 9 journals in total.

Here are some sample journal covers.

RDAP is broken down into three phases, the orientation phase (the beginning), the core phase (middle), then finally the transition phase (graduation)  

You are required to be part of a community service group. 

These groups are made up of the following (each group has a chair chosen as the leader):

- Core group or Mentor (these are the leaders of RDAP)

- Cultural Diversity

- Community meeting

- Personal Wellness

- Reentry

- Tutoring

There are 3 areas that are the backbone of RDAP:

(I) The eight (8) attitudes of change:

They are honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, humility, caring, responsibility, objectivity, and gratitude.

(You can use the acronym HCROWHOG)

(II) The eight common thinking errors:

They are absolutes, I can’t, rhetorical questions, demands, statement of fact, loaded words, blaming, and awfulizing (which is a made-up word).

(You can use the acronym BADLIARS)

(III) The eight criminal thinking errors:

They are mollification, entitlement, cut-off, sentimentality, super optimism, cognitive indolence, discontinuity, and power orientation.

THERE IS A HOST OF OTHER THINGS TO LEARN, BUT these are the basics.

RULES

RDAP has rules that DON'T apply to other units:

- Inmates need to be out of their bunks by 7 AM.

- No laying down in the unit during the day.

- All bunks must be perfectly made.

- No cups, books, or anything on your lockers or under your bed.

- You cannot have two pillows.

- Lights on at all times (except bedtime).

Unit purity, that’s basically the nice way of them saying that nobody’s allowed in the unit unless they’re in RDAP.  

This pic was attached to our bunk

Drug testing: The program states that they can drug test (so they can)...however, I have never heard of any RDAPs actually testing. Normal staff may test you, but the DTS staff doesn’t.  It’s actually a big deal to the normal camp staff...how can a drug program not drug test?  They’re not wrong.  

Most of the normal staff are not fans of RDAP participants. In our conversations, the responses were due to the lack of drug testing (accountability) and the belief that we shouldn’t receive time off our sentences.

RDAP is a voluntary program; however, if they try to make you sign out, discuss that with your attorney or don’t. Signing out of any program in prison puts you in a refusal status and will disqualify you from earning FSA. So be careful if you decide RDAP is not for you or you are kicked out (nothing is that simple….not signing something sounds macho and sometimes you don’t have a choice I’m just advising caution).

You make $40 a quarter for being a participant in RDAP. They can subtract money at any time for any infraction. This is at the DTS discretion.

There are incentives given other than money. Hats are hard to get in prison, so the RDAP hat was something people wanted. Incentives can include things like not having to wear your uniform to morning meetings, being allowed to lie in bed during programming hours, or normal incentive items such as snacks, sunglasses, binders, sunscreen, or book lights (for reading at night).

Note is LVN RDAP on the side (only RDAP participants can wear RDAP gear)

Every week, the DTS/Dr. get together and discuss the inmates/participants. It was called “TEAM” at Leavenworth. This is where the DTS staff decide whether or not you get in trouble (or praised). But “team” stresses the inmates out because usually participants getting teamed get in trouble.

Common instances of getting in trouble:

- Set back (being held back from moving up phases, so you’re in the program longer).

- Kicked out.

- Given additional work.

- Formal warning (a formal write-up of what you did wrong).

Here is a copy of my formal warning (for 2 pillows that I had approval for)

In my opinion, getting in trouble is part of the program (I think they want to see how you react). You can get in trouble for some of the most trivial reasons...see other RDAP posts of mine where I show my formal warning and go into detail). Your response is what is important. You will not win an argument with the staff (that doesn't happen in prison). If you did, what would you win?

Your attitude needs to be calm & collective when you face a stressful situation in RDAP. I have seen people with normal responses (meaning they were upset over getting in trouble and showed it...not out of control....were visibly angry but not disrespectful) get set back a phase. 

Over 9 months of programming, you will, at some point, get upset or angry. You need always to remember this is about getting home not winning an argument (always ask yourself what your loved ones would want you to do.  That includes biting your tongue and not giving back - even if it’s justified - again…What do you win? 

Each participant is required to speak in front of the group (on a microphone usually), memorize important concepts, and do weekly homework (things called RSA's, attitude checks, and journals)

Also PGI’s (Problem, Goal, & Intervention) are given that you complete then present in front of the class.

There is so much more to RDAP…but some of it can’t be explained, its needs to be experienced.  

To me RDAP was fantastic.  Killing time is the hardest thing to do in prison.  RDAP takes care of your morning every day (5 days a week).  Also, when are you going to get time to work on yourself for nine months?  Whether you want to or not, you will get better at skills that are super essential in life. Things like public, speaking, leadership, running committees & problem-solving. Most of all if you have addiction problems you will never get a better chance to address them.  

Lots of people quit RDAP or get kicked out.   I won’t say it’s hard (work wise), but I will absolutely say it’s intense and draining.  The staff tests you & like ALL BOP staff they can do whatever they want without any accountability. So I believe part of RDAP is STAFF testing you and purposely pushing your buttons (I mean really trying to get under your skin).  You need to remember this is about getting home. 

Here is our Handbook if you want to read it all its attached at the BOTTOM of this page.

If you want as much info as possible, I have included these study guides (which were given to us to review in anticipation of a test).  The entire class above me was tested ....maybe 20 people total from my class and the class below me were tested....BUT you cannot imagine the fear this gives some people. If you failed the test you could be held back a phase (some PEOPLE WERE HELD BACK). It may sound silly to you, but this affected people's time, stressing them out. Some people are bad at tests and wouldn't perform well under the microscope in a PASS/FAIL test situation (where 5 DTS staff ask you questions in a room where you are by yourself). I kid you not, but this was a huge deal to us. 

Luckily, the program head interceded and shut down testing (because, again, RDAP is not a testing program). But mark my words: I bet testing is still going on at some institutions, and I bet it will make its way back to Leavenworth in some fashion. 

SO we studied this. I know every word of this thing. Its is 16 pages long and it goes by journal (Journals 1 through 9). This is the written material RDAP covers

TDAP - (RDAP after program) -

MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy)

As I mentioned above most people forget about the after program portion of RDAP. Its more than you might think. It is AT LEAST A 90 minute meeting with a DTS/Counselor & a 90 minute group session once a week. There will be homework and assignments (possibly speaking in front of groups).

The program will be at least 4 months.

This is the workbook you are given.

In the MRT book you are NOT allowed to WRITE....ONLY DRAW. So you draw your thoughts, feelings, and actions (example below)

Presentations for each step are required. So you stand up in class and "GIVE A COMPLETELY HONEST ASSESSMENT," of yourself and your problem.

SO there is a test/presentation for each STEP.

There are 12 steps you are to complete in the MRT program. They are as follows:

1. Honesty

2. Trust

3. acceptance

4. Raising Awareness

5. Healing Damaged Relationships

6. Helping Others

7. Long Term Goals & Identity

8. Short Term Goals & Consistency

9. Commitment to Change

10. Maintain Positive Change

11. Keeping Moral Commitments

12. Choosing Moral Goals

Here is an example of a Home work assignment IN STAGE ONE (1)

STAGE one is on HONESTY. At the end of stage one we to cover ten (10) issues (all questions based on HONESTY). You give a presentation between 5-15 minutes.

Your group decides if you pass (2/3 VOTE)

YOU discuss the following:

1. Lack of honesty in our life

2. betrayal of others

3. Effects of your behavior on family

4. Effects of your behavior on friends

5. Effects of your behavior on others (work, teachers, etc)

6. Effects of your crimes on others and yourself

7. Effects of your behavior on your health

8. Whether you lack control over alcohol / drugs

9. The role of seeking pleasure or avoiding pain in your past failures

10. That you are now being honest and sincere. SPECIFY YOUR COMMITMENT TO CHANGE

You have 3 chances to pass a 2/3 YES vote from your group. The 4th time you may present just in front of RDAP COUNSELORS with them making the final decision.

RDAP Handbook

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