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Butcher named acting commissioner of W.Va. prison system

3/31/2017

March 31, 2017

Butcher named acting commissioner of W.Va. prison system

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice has named Loita Butcher as acting commissioner of the W.Va. Division of Corrections, the first woman to oversee the state’s prison system.

 Butcher is a veteran of the agency, having most recently served as assistant commissioner and prior to that as chief of staff. She first joined the Division of Corrections in March 1994, and her career in law enforcement and public safety spans more than three decades.

 “Loita Butcher has been a valued leader within the Division of Corrections, and is dedicated to carrying out its vital mission,” Cabinet Secretary Jeff Sandy said. “She is committed to eliminating drugs and other contraband to ensure a secure and safe correctional system.”

 Butcher succeeds Jim Rubenstein, who earlier announced his retirement effective April 1, 2017.

 “I am honored to accept the appointment as Acting Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Corrections,” Butcher said. “I want to thank Governor Justice and Secretary Sandy for their confidence in my abilities to undertake this challenge. I am confident that with the support and hard work of the dedicated employees of our agency, we can move the Division of Corrections to higher levels of excellence.”

 The Division of Corrections is the largest agency within the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, with nearly 2,400 full-time employees and a $255 million budget. It operates 16 facilities around the state, including the maximum-security Mount Olive Correctional Complex as well as several work-release centers.

 More than 6,900 adult offenders are currently sentenced to the Division of Corrections, which also supervises the state’s parolees. The division also oversees Correctional Industries, which supplies goods and services to state agencies, county school systems, and county and local governments.

 

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LAWRENCE MESSINA (304) 558-2930 Lawrence.C.Messina@wv.gov