Real Progress? A New Task Force Offers Hope for First Step Act Reform

For those of us who have lived through incarceration and now work every day to support others transitioning back into society, the First Step Act (FSA) represented more than a new law—it symbolized hope. Passed in 2018, the FSA promised to shrink the federal prison population, reward rehabilitation, and give people a real shot at redemption. But in the years since, we’ve seen that promise fall short—time and time again.

Like many of you, I’ve seen the toll delays and mismanagement have taken. People have been stuck inside past their release dates because the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) couldn’t—or wouldn’t—get the time credit calculations right. Lawsuits followed. Frustration mounted.

Families waited. And for reentry organizations like mine, A Better Tomorrow, that delay meant fewer people reaching us in time to get the support they needed to succeed on the outside.

But now, there may be a shift underway.

The BOP's New First Step Act Task Force

This week, the BOP announced the creation of a First Step Act Task Force. It’s being framed as a solution to longstanding problems—manual interventions, better coordination with halfway houses, and direct support for frontline case managers. According to BOP Director William Marshall III, the Task Force is a response to outdated data systems and a lack of staff support that have led to people being held in custody longer than the law allows.

This hits close to home. When I was incarcerated, and even now as someone helping individuals with reentry, I’ve seen firsthand how a case manager’s ability—or inability—to do their job can change the course of someone’s life. Director Marshall acknowledged that many staff “wanted to do the right thing” but simply lacked the tools. I applaud that transparency. We need more of it.

And the plan sounds promising: identify inmates eligible for earlier release, calculate dates manually until systems catch up, and work hand-in-hand with Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) to open up bed space. It’s the kind of boots-on-the-ground approach that’s long overdue.

Why This Matters to Us

At A Better Tomorrow, we help people coming home with the basics—clothing, resume help, job referrals, mentorship. But our reach only begins once the system lets people go. So when release dates are mishandled, our ability to intervene early and help people stay out—for good—is compromised.

The creation of this task force feels different. Maybe it’s the urgency in the language, or the fact that Deputy Director Josh Smith—someone who was once incarcerated himself—is part of the leadership team. That matters. Representation matters. When people who've walked the same yard as us are helping shape policy, there’s a greater chance that dignity and humanity are part of the conversation.

A Cautious Optimism

Of course, words are easy. We’ve heard a lot of promises over the years. The 2022 Final Rule was supposed to finally codify the FSA and get everything moving. Yet here we are in 2025, still talking about delays and still fighting to get people the time credits they’ve already earned.

But as someone who has rebuilt after incarceration—and now works every day to help others do the same—I know change doesn’t happen overnight. If this new Task Force really supports staff, clears out the backlog, and finally gets people into community placement faster, then it’s a win for everyone: families, communities, taxpayers, and especially the individuals working hard to transform their lives.

Holding the System Accountable

Director Marshall has said he’ll hold staff accountable if they block progress. That’s important. But we also need to hold the system accountable—ensuring that this Task Force doesn’t become another well-intentioned initiative that gets buried under bureaucracy.

We’ll be watching. We’ll be tracking. And we’ll keep fighting.

Because justice doesn’t end at sentencing. It includes release, reentry, and every step toward rebuilding a life worth living.