July
2, 2018
W.Va.
announces leadership for consolidated corrections
Ribbon-cutting
ceremony scheduled for noon today
CHARLESTON,
W.Va. – West Virginia has assembled a top-notch team steeped in
public service to lead the state’s unified prison, regional jail and juvenile
justice systems, Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary Jeff Sandy
announced Monday.
The Division
of Corrections and Rehabilitation results from the consolidation legislation
(House Bill 4338) that became law on July 1. This sweeping modernization and
streamlining of corrections in the Mountain State also created the companion Division of Administrative Services.
Corrections and Rehabilitation includes
separate bureaus of Prisons and Jails, Community Corrections, and Juvenile
Services. It replaces the Division of Corrections, Regional Jail and
Correctional Facility Authority, and Division of Juvenile Services.
Administrative Services now handles an
array of functions common to all these entities including human resources,
payroll, recruiting, contracts and procurement, and vehicle and property
management.
Administrative Services is led by Director
Denny Rhodes, who served for nearly
a quarter-century in the Legislative Auditor’s office and most recently as
director of its Post Audits Division. Both Director Rhodes and Secretary Sandy,
who chose Rhodes for the post, envision Administrative Services performing its tasks
for other DMAPS agencies as a further streamlining of state government.
“My goal is to make the Division of
Administrative Services a model for state government, and working together we
can make it happen,” Rhodes told staff in a letter last week, adding that “we
all have knowledge and skills that, by working together, can and will make this
a great success.”
Governor Justice appointed Corrections
Commissioner Betsy Jividen to serve
as commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Jividen was a career federal
prosecutor in the U.S. Northern District of West Virginia before Governor
Justice selected her to oversee Corrections in January. During her four decades
of federal service, Jividen represented the Federal Bureau of Prisons and also focused
on rehabilitation and reentry programs aimed at reducing recidivism and
ensuring public safety.
“Commissioner Jividen has just been
outstanding,” Governor Justice said. “With her rock-solid credentials, she is
the ideal choice to ensure the success of this consolidation.”
As for Jividen’s team at Corrections and
Rehabilitation:
·
Deputy
Commissioner, Field Services, Paul Simmons started at Corrections
more than 30 years ago as a correctional officer. He has held numerous
leadership posts since, including most recently as acting deputy corrections
commissioner. Simmons helps Commissioner Jividen oversee the bureaus that
consolidate the three correctional agencies as well as their health care,
classification and security services.
·
Deputy
Commissioner, Executive Services, Mike Coleman traces
his career in corrections back more than 30 years to his post as a correctional
officer at the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville. A veteran
leader at Corrections, his leadership positions have included deputy director
of correctional operations for Secretary Sandy and deputy corrections
commissioner. Coleman’s duties include guiding the implementation of House Bill
4338, which has a deadline of July 1, 2019.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Bureau of Prisons and Jails, Marvin Plumley is
another Corrections veteran. Plumley most recently has been senior director of
compliance and audits. He previously served as warden of the Huttonsville
Correctional Center and deputy warden of the Mount Olive Correctional Complex.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Bureau of Community Corrections, Anne Thomas was
most recently acting chief of staff at Corrections. She began her career at
Corrections in 1999, and her rise through the ranks included tenure as warden
of the Lakin Correctional Center.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Bureau of Juvenile Services, William Marshall had
been director of the Division of Juvenile Services since October 2017. He previous
headed the DMAPS Investigations office, and joined Secretary Sandy’s leadership
team following a distinguished career with the State Police.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Training and Staff Development, Scott Patterson
began his career with Corrections as an intern at the training academy in 1992.
In July 2007, he took a two-year assignment from the U.S. Department of Justice
in Iraq to help rebuild its corrections system in accordance with international
standards. He returned to West Virginia in 2010 and to DMAPS the following
year. He most recently was acting assistant corrections commissioner for
operations.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Intergovernmental Affairs, David Farmer had
been executive director of the Regional Jail Authority. He had served at RJA
since February 2002 and had headed that agency since June 2015. Farmer’s
oversight includes victim services and carrying out the provisions of West
Virginia’s landmark Justice Reinvestment Initiative reforms.
·
Assistant
Commissioner, Inspector General, Gary Johnson joins DMAPS after
serving as administrative director for the W.Va. Supreme Court of Appeals since
January 2017. He was previously a Nicholas County Circuit judge for nearly a
quarter-century.
His duties include internal
investigations and audits as well as ensuring compliance with all state and
federal standards. Secretary Sandy has also enlisted him to help carry out
inmate drug rehabilitation initiatives that could yield substantial savings
from reduced incarcerations.
“As Cabinet secretary I
have pledged to make DMAPS more efficient, and I can think of no better person
to help me achieve my goals and the goals of our governor and legislators than
him,” Secretary Sandy said.
To herald the
correctional consolidation bill becoming law, Secretary Sandy is holding a
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Division of Administrative Services offices
at 1201 Greenbrier St. in Charleston today,
Monday, July 2, at noon. Governor
Justice Chief of Staff Mike Hall is to take part in the ceremony along with
legislative leaders who supported the passage of House Bill 4338.
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