Table of Contents
Expect to explain why you want treatment now. Some coordinators assume people want RDAP for the time off. Get an assessment and start treatment before you surrender, so your record shows you didn't start now.
How ironic
You told the probation officer about your drinking. It's in your presentence report. So you figure the Residential Drug Abuse Program is a formality.
Then you sit across from the drug treatment coordinator.
"How ironic. You were home fighting your case for three years. You never needed treatment then. Now you get to prison and run to my office asking for it. You don't have a problem. You want the time off."
Coordinators at Leavenworth, Yankton, and Montgomery have said some version of that to people we know. They're friends. They talk. Most assume you want RDAP for the year off your sentence.
Some go further. They deny you on purpose to see how you respond.
The answer starts before you surrender. See a counselor or a physician. Get an assessment. If it identifies a problem, start treatment and keep the records. When the coordinator asks why now, you hand over a record showing you didn't start now.
I can't promise anyone a seat in RDAP. Some people get in on the PSR alone. I'd still build the record.
If you want help building a record before you walk in, let's talk.
Schedule a free call with our team.
Questions people ask
Is RDAP guaranteed if my drinking is in my presentence report?
No. The report helps, but Bureau of Prisons staff decide. Treatment records from before you surrender strengthen your case.
Where can I learn more about RDAP?
Read our RDAP guide at whitecollaradvice.com/tools/prisons/rdap-guide.
Read next: Part 11: What Should You Write in a Letter to Your Probation Officer?
Written by
Justin Paperny
Founder White Collar Advice
