Draft:Special Investigative Service

• Comment: Where is this organisation based? India, Australia, South Africa, South America...?
  Please read WP:REFBEGIN for information on how to cite sources properly. bonadea contributions talk 19:30, 1 December 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: Seems like a potentially notable topic, but the tone could be improved. Please work on the tone of this article to be more encyclopedic before resubmitting. WP:TONE may help. (Comment left by TheTechie, but my signature and the comment being together was breaking the template)

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The Special Investigative Services (SIS) is a division within the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), tasked with maintaining the safety and security of federal correctional facilities in the United States of America. The division is responsible for investigating criminal activities, enforcing institutional policies, managing intelligence on security threats, and ensuring the proper handling of evidence.

FBOP Special Investigative Service Investigator Badge

Responsibilities

SIS conducts investigations and intelligence operations aimed at mitigating security risks within federal prisons. Its primary responsibilities include:

• Criminal Investigations: Addressing incidents such as assaults, unexplained deaths, contraband trafficking, drug use, corruption, sexual assaults and escape attempts.
• Intelligence Management: Gathering, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence on Security Threat Groups (STGs), organized crime, and other potential security threats.
• Contraband Detection: Identifying and intercepting prohibited items, including drugs, weapons, and unauthorized communication devices primarily through inmate mail.
• Incident Response: Managing and investigating significant incidents within the institution such as riots and hostage situations.

PREA Investigations

The Special Investigative Services is responsible for investigating allegations of sexual abuse within federal prisons under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). This includes ensuring victim safety, collecting evidence, conducting interviews, and referring cases for prosecution. SIS also oversees compliance with PREA standards by implementing preventative measures such as staff training, inmate education, and regular audits to maintain a secure environment and uphold the rights of those in custody.

Evidence Recovery Team (ERT)

SIS oversees the Evidence Recovery Team (ERT), which specializes in the collection, preservation, and processing of physical evidence. The ERT ensures strict adherence to chain-of-custody protocols, safeguarding the integrity of evidence for use in legal and administrative proceedings. ERT teams operate at both the local and national level and frequently train and collaborate with the FBI.

|The Evidence Recovery Team (ERT) at the the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (USMCFP) located in Springfield, Missouri]]

Organizational Structure

SIS operates under the leadership of a Special Agent or Lieutenant at each federal facility. This leader reports directly to the facility's Warden or senior administration. Depending on the institution's size, additional personnel, such as investigative technicians or intelligence officers, may support operations.

Collaboration with Law Enforcement

SIS collaborates with various law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Marshals Service. This collaboration allows SIS to share intelligence, coordinate investigations, and address criminal activity both inside and outside the prison system.

In 2017, U.S Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service was invited to work alongside its federal law enforcement counterparts in order to combat MS-13 street crime during operation Raging Bull which resulted in 267 arrests.

Security Threat Groups (STGs)

A significant part of SIS's responsibility is the management and monitoring of Security Threat Groups (STGs), which include prison gangs, organized crime syndicates, and extremist groups. SIS identifies, tracks, and manages information on STG members and their activities to prevent the proliferation of gang influence and criminal behavior within federal prisons. The unit works to intercept communications, monitor recruitment efforts, and dismantle STG-related operations.

|FBOP SIS Technician conducting training in Glynco, Georgia]]

Training

SIS personnel are sworn FBOP Correctional Officers and have statutory powers of arrest under U.S code 18 U.S. Code § 3050 - Bureau of Prisons employees' powers Additionally, officers have the ability to carry firearms (when applicable) on duty and off duty. SIS personnel also receive specialized training in investigative techniques, crime scene processing, and contraband detection. This training builds on the foundational education provided to all federal correctional officers at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC).