Josh Smith, the former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), is pulling back the curtain on what it takes to reform America’s massive federal prison system. In a revealing account of his 15-month tenure under the Trump administration, Smith details five critical lessons learned from visiting 65 facilities and spearheading a sweeping leadership overhaul.
1. Leadership Means Leaving the Desk Behind
Smith, who made history as the first former federal inmate to rise to BOP’s top ranks, emphasized the importance of firsthand observation. He bypassed official briefings to conduct unannounced weekend visits, like one at a Colorado facility where he encountered exhausted officers working consecutive double shifts. These experiences drove his push to address chronic staffing shortages through aggressive recruitment campaigns.
2. No Tenure Without Performance
The former deputy director didn’t hesitate to clean house, replacing 70% of BOP’s executive team and nearly 50 wardens. When a veteran warden resisted reform efforts, Smith transferred him out – prompting the official’s retirement. Meanwhile, he fast-tracked a promising young warden from a low-security facility to oversee one of BOP’s largest complexes.
3. Invest in Leaders to Transform Culture
Smith launched intensive leadership development programs, convening wardens for three-day training sessions with top corrections and business experts. “When you invest in leaders,” he noted, “the impact reaches far beyond the individuals in the room” – a philosophy he says is sorely lacking in government corrections systems.
4. Partner Beyond Prison Walls
The BOP under Smith actively collaborated with outside groups like God Behind Bars, a faith-based nonprofit that expanded rehabilitation programs. At one emotional event, Smith and Alice Marie Johnson – the Trump-pardoned advocate – witnessed 60 incarcerated women choose baptism. These partnerships brought millions in donated services without taxpayer burden.
5. Stretch Every Dollar, Build Every Skill
Facing $4 billion in deferred maintenance with only $2 billion allocated, Smith created Facilities Management Strike Teams pairing staff with incarcerated workers. The approach slashed infrastructure costs while teaching inmates marketable construction skills – preparing them for release while saving public funds.
Smith, who spent last Christmas visiting prisons to thank staff, remains adamant that effective corrections requires constant engagement: “Great correctional leaders show up, listen, invest in their people, embrace partnerships, and demand accountability.” His unconventional perspective – shaped by his own past incarceration and subsequent business success – offers a roadmap for a system where 95% of inmates eventually rejoin society.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/five-lessons-for-the-future-of-federal-prisons