Wednesday Series V: EBP for Enhancing Correctional Results in Jails & Prisons

Dan Craig's 25 years in the Correction's industry, which started in a role providing direct control and security for offenders, has grown to include direct responsibility for approximately 1,000 offenders and 600 staff. Mr. Craig is recognized as a national leader in evidence-based initiatives and has a reputation for implementing progressive, results-oriented practices.

In Mr. Craig's current role as Warden of the Iowa Medical and Classification Center, he oversees a 22-unit multipurpose facility which encompasses reception and classification, mental health and medical units, and a Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.

Mr. Craig helped lead a transformation initiative within the agency, which included implementing evidence based practices and developing staff leadership abilities, to create the capacity in the system to drive down recidivism and increase the safety of communities. Iowa is recognized as one of the leaders in the country for this work.

Mr. Craig began his career in Community Corrections in 1985. In September 2000, Craig was appointed as Assistant Deputy Director for the Eastern Region. In June 2002, the First Judicial District Board of Directors appointed Craig as Director of Community Corrections. As District Director, Craig's responsibilities included probation, parole, pretrial release, OWI and residential facilities. The First District operated under a $12,000,000 budget with approximately 200 employees and 4,500 offenders under supervision. In January 2004, the American Corrections Association recognized and presented their 2004 Exemplary Offender Program Award to the First District for its outstanding achievement in developing a Dual Diagnosis treatment program. In 2004, Mr. Craig was appointed as the Deputy Director for Iowa DOC's Western Region, which gave him day-to-day responsibility for 4,550 offenders in 5 institutions and 17,500 offenders in 4 judicial districts.

Mr. Craig has an Associate of Applied Arts Degree, from Hawkeye Community College and has Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration, from Upper Iowa University.

Mr. Craig is also the recipient of the 2002 Iowa Corrections Association "Member of the Year" award, the recipient of the 2009 Iowa Corrections Association award for "Outstanding Leadership Development," graduate of the National Institute of Corrections "Executive Excellence" program, and graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University - "Driving Government Performance."

Gary E. Christensen has been employed within the correctional field for the past 32 years. Dr. Christensen earned a Ph. D. in Organizational Psychology from Walden University and as part of that endeavor, began to research extensively the premise of evidence-based or outcome-driven practice within a correctional milieu. Dr. Christensen has initiated several innovative correctional programs, including the Dutchess County Jail Transition Program (DCJTP), which has been recognized nationally for significant recidivism reduction and contribution to the enhancement of general public safety. For his contributions to field of corrections, Dr. Christensen received national acclaim being named the 2007 Jail Administrator of the Year by the American Jail Association.

Until his retirement from public service, Dr. Christensen was immersed in the work of the Dutchess County Criminal Justice Council (CJC), which serves as the expert advisory group on criminal justice matters to the Executive and Legislative branches of Dutchess County Government. As Chair of the CJC (appointed by the County Executive), he authored legislation to counter the effects of police racial profiling, coordinated criminal justice system master planning and the implementation of system-wide, evidence-based criminal justice practice, and developed local strategic criminal justice knowledge management.

As principal of Corrections Partners, Inc., Dr. Christensen continues to work with correctional leaders to enhance the implementation of evidence based practice throughout their systems of criminal justice. He has also developed the Applied Correctional Transition Strategy (ACTS), a comprehensive software suite designed to enhance all aspects of daily jail transition as well as provide policy-makers with essential information to ensure that allocated resources actually lead to the most productive and cost efficient outcomes. Dr. Christensen is a Professor of Management, Leadership, and Organizational Psychology at the University of Phoenix, School of Advanced Studies, an Adjunct Professor at Marist College, and qualified as a Master Police/Peace Instructor by the State of New York.

Cindy McCoy is the Director of Correctional Services for Grant County, Indiana. She has been employed in the field for 32 years, has a master's degree in Management and a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Social Work. Her responsibilities include providing leadership to probation and community corrections, including the implementation of evidence-based practices since 2001. Cindy is certified in the administration of the Correctional Program Assessment Inventory -2000 (CPAI) and is a trainer of Effective Communication and Motivational Strategies.

Max Williams became Director of the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) in January 2004. He was appointed by Governor Ted Kulongoski after a distinguished career in the Oregon Legislative Assembly where he was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, chairman of the Legislative Counsel Committee and a senior member of the House Revenue Committee. He was also a practicing attorney for more than 12 years at the Portland law firm Miller Nash LLP.

As the Director of the DOC, Mr. Williams oversees the operations and policies of a corrections agency with over 14,000 incarcerated persons in 14 different prisons located throughout Oregon. He has ultimate responsibility for the management of a department with a biennial budget of more than $1 billion dollars and over 4,300 employees. Mr. Williams works closely with individual state-funded community corrections agencies throughout the state that manage over 30,000 offenders under supervision in the community. Since becoming the Director of DOC, Mr. Williams has helped launch a number of significant Department initiatives targeted at delivering programs and services that will reduce the re-offense rate among releasing offenders, including additional cognitive education, alcohol and drug treatment and mental health services throughout the Department. The Department has also constructed and opened two new prisons during his tenure.

Director Williams also serves as a member of the Prison Population Forecast Advisory Committee, the State Data Center Governing Board, the Governor's Meth Task Force, the Interagency Council on Hunger and Homelessness, the Oregon Homeland Security Council, the Board of Parole and Post Prison Supervision (ex-officio) and as vice-chair of the Governor's Re-entry Council focusing on successful offender transition between prison and the community.

Mr. Williams is a former member of the Oregon Law Commission and the Oregon Progress Board. In July 2002, he was elected to the executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2002, Mr. Williams was named Tigard's "First Citizen" for his volunteer work and leadership in the community. He remains active in a variety of community volunteer efforts, including the annual Tigard Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration.

Mr. Williams' interest in corrections grew through his legislative responsibilities, where he became very familiar with the policy issues facing the agency and the larger public safety issues facing the state. He has worked closely with the DOC and the public safety community on a number of issues and is a strong advocate of evidence-based programs in corrections.

Born and raised in Bend, Oregon, Mr. Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in information management from Brigham Young University. He worked in the computer industry for both IBM and IBM business partner companies before attending law school at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College. He graduated magna cum laude in 1991.

Mr. Williams is married and has three children. He enjoys studying history, running, biking and sailing.