Latest news with #WestVirginiaDivisionofCorrectionsandRehabilitation
Boston Globe
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Meet Trump's new bureau of prisons director
'Billy is a Strong Advocate for LAW AND ORDER,' Trump wrote. 'He understands the struggles of our prisons better than anyone, and will help fix our broken Criminal Justice System.' Marshall inherits an agency that has been understaffed and plagued by scandal for years. The bureau has recently faced congressional scrutiny, and its union leaders are unhappy about Advertisement In a written statement to The Marshall Project and Los Angeles Times, Marshall thanked Trump for 'this tremendous opportunity.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's been an honor and a privilege to serve the state of West Virginia,' he said, adding that he's 'excited to take that West Virginia pride to the next level.' After decades in law enforcement, Marshall took the helm in January 2023 of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which includes all of the state's prisons, jails, and juvenile lockups. Prior to that, he was assistant commissioner for the division and the head of the juvenile corrections division. He also spent 25 years in the state police and worked as a criminal investigation director for what is now called the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement It's unclear whether that experience will translate well to a system as large as the federal Bureau of Prisons. The West Virginia corrections department incarcerates just about 10,000 people on a typical day, while the federal system houses more than 150,000. U.S. Sen. Jim Justice — who, as West Virginia's governor, appointed Marshall to lead the state's prison system — praised Marshall's selection in a Facebook post. 'I was proud to put Billy in charge of our Department of Corrections in West Virginia and we were able to turn it around after decades of decay. I have full confidence in him & know he will do a great job,' Justice wrote. West Virginia's prisons and jails have a fraught history. When Marshall took over, the state's prisons were in the midst of a staffing crisis so severe that the governor had declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard to act as correctional officers. Marshall worked with the legislature on a package to increase starting salaries, and to raise pay and offer one-time bonuses for current correctional officers. Related : The state's regional jails have come under scrutiny for squalid conditions, excessive use of force and In response to such allegations, Marshall said 'inmates made up claims of inhumane treatment and told relatives to spread them,' a local television A judge sanctioned state corrections officials for Advertisement Lydia Milnes, an attorney who has sued West Virginia's corrections department several times, expressed worries about Marshall's appointment. 'I'm concerned that he comes from a past where the culture is to use force to gain control as opposed to considering less violent alternatives,' she said. 'He has continued to foster a culture of using excessive force.' A separate suit, which the corrections department settled in 2022, Much like its smaller counterpart in West Virginia, the Bureau of Prisons has dealt with severe problems, including staffing shortages, An investigation by The Marshall Project in 2022 disclosed Another facility, FCI Dublin in California, was dubbed the 'rape club' because of numerous sexual abuse scandals. The facility, roughly 20 miles east of Oakland, Advertisement The bureau also faces massive infrastructure challenges. A report from the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General The bureau has also struggled to hire staff, and labor leaders say that problem is likely to get worse because of Related : Adding to the pressure, as of February, the Bureau of Prisons was The agency has been largely rudderless since Trump fired the prior director, Colette Peters, in January. Shortly after, at least Brandy Moore White, president of the national union for federal prison workers, said she's 'cautiously optimistic' about Marshall's appointment, though she wasn't familiar with him. 'Somebody leading the ship is better than everybody pointing fingers,' she said. To some federal prison workers, news of Marshall's appointment came as a shock, and they describe it as confirmation that the White House appears to have little interest in working with federal employees. Advertisement 'We were beyond surprised and a little bit disappointed that the announcement came through a social media post,' said John Kostelnik, the California-based Western regional vice president for the correctional workers union. 'Our agency officials, the high-ups — they had no clue.' Kostelnik said he and other union leaders have learned few details about Marshall, beyond the basics of his resume. Still, Kostelnik said he's optimistic it will be a fruitful relationship, and that the union is ready to 'work hand-in-hand' with the new director. Josh Lepird, the union's South Central regional vice president, echoed that hope, but added a hint of caution: 'I'm hopeful he's here to work with us, but I don't know,' he said. 'With the current administration's actions, it could be that he's here to privatize us.' On Friday morning, typically outspoken advocacy organizations offered measured responses to Marshall's appointment. Shanna Rifkin, deputy general counsel of FAMM — a nonprofit that works to improve the justice system and prison conditions — said Marshall's lack of federal experience didn't necessarily pose a problem and that the organization looked forward to working with him. 'I think it's good he has experience running a prison system and hope that he'll be open to learning about the federal system from people in the advocacy community and impacted populations and their loved ones,' Rifkin said. David Fathi, director of the ACLU's National Prisons Project, called the federal prison system a 'deeply troubled agency in urgent need of reform,' and said he hoped the new director would tackle the 'many systemic problems that have been identified by courts, the Inspector General, and Bureau staff.' Advertisement
Forbes
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Trump Announces New Director Of The Bureau Of Prisons
After nearly two months with no director, Donald Trump announced that William 'Billy' Marshall III would become the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Trump took to Truth Social to announce: "I am pleased to announce that William "Billy" Marshall III, of the Great State of West Virginia, a State I love and won SIX times, as the next Director of the Bureau of Prisons. Billy has a distinguished Law Enforcement career, rising from the ranks of the West Virginia State Police to serving as the current Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Billy is a Strong Advocate for LAW AND ORDER. He understands the struggles of our prisons better than anyone, and will help fix our broken Criminal Justice System. Congratulations Billy, you will inspire us all!" Trump won West Virginia with over 70% of the vote and the state has six federal prisons. Since January of 2023 Marshall has been serving as the Commissioner of West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. According to a press release at the time that appointment: he is a graduate of Wahama High School, Marshall University and the West Virginia State Police Academy (WVSP). He served 25 years with WVSP before retiring in 2017 when he was appointed as the Criminal Investigation Director for the former West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, now Department of Homeland Security. He was appointed by a very popular, then-Governor Jim Justice, now Senator (D-WV). Marshall's law enforcement background followed by corrections points to someone who is going to be tough on crime. However, he is going to head an organization that is substantially larger than the approximately 6,000 state prisoners in West Virginia. The BOP has 155,000 prisoners, 36,000 staff and 121 institutions located across the United States. There are federal prison compounds that hold more inmates than all of the state of West Virginia and in the state there are nearly 9,000 federal prisons in federal facilities. The BOP has a history of advancing candidates to the top of the Agency from the inside. Those who have come from the outside have not faired well in recent times. Army Major General Mark Inch was Trump's pick during his first term but he lasted in the job just 8 months before suddenly resigning. After a few interim directors, Trump approved Michael Carvajal as Director, a career BOP employee who moved all the way up the Agency from a corrections officer. Carvajal successfully navigated the BOP through COVID-19 but had a contentious relationship with Congress who pushed for more transparency about the problems the BOP was facing. The Biden administration looked for a more reform-minded director and appointed Colette Peters. Prior to the BOP, Peters served as director of the Oregon Department of Corrections where she gained a national reputation for using data to improve outcomes for people in custody, increase agency efficiency and effectiveness, and promote staff wellness. Peters was largely credited for advancing the First Step Act during her leadership and following through on the successful placement of inmates in home confinement during COVID-19. However, Trump clearly wanted new leadership and Peters was released from her position on inauguration day. Peters has since taken legal action for what she believes was a wrongful termination. On social media, the Facebook page entitled 'Bureau of Prisons staff and retirees' BOP employees are weighing in saying: 'It's gonna be a train wreck! Wait for the jobs cutting to come.' 'Did they learn nothing from the last loser.' 'I hope they give him a chance.' Marshall participated in an Podcast 'The Prison Officer Podcast" last year that provides great information on his background, accomplishments and vision for corrections. Marshall realizes that real change is only going to occur if he has buy-in from the staff and that may be a challenge. Peters, also an outsider to the BOP, found change difficult though she did manage to improve hiring and made a number of strides in implementing the First Step Act. However, there is little patience with the Trump administration seemingly determined to make changes at a pace never before seen in transforming government. Hiring freezes, firings, and funding cuts will mean that Marshall is going to be charged with sweeping changes on his first day with only remnants of existing leadership in place. Morale at the BOP was at an all time low in 2024 and it will likely be in the dumps for much of 2025 as it grapples with the prospect of a smaller agency that will have to do business differently. There are over 155,000 prisoners, over half are minimum and low security prisoners scattered in 121 prison complexes across the U.S. The tough language from the Trump administration on the budget and cutting waste will put Marshall in a difficult position as he must lead an organization that understands it needs reform but has not had the will to change. Past Directors have fallen short or just did not get the momentum they needed to make change. Congress has had a contentious relationship with the BOP as it was highly critical of the shortcomings with the sexual assaults of women at FCI Dublin and the lack of security due to missing cameras at the facility. Office of Inspector General Reports have often been critical of the agency and its leadership is a challenge listed by the Government Accountability Office who put the BOP on its high risk list. The BOP is an agency worth saving. It is also worthy of being operated more efficiently and humanely.
