Federal Bureau of Prisons

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Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273
tlaino@famm.org

FAMM releases statement on new Bureau of Prisons Director

WASHINGTON – FAMM President Kevin Ring released the following statement after Colette S. Peters was appointed as the new head of the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

“Colette Peters is walking into a dumpster fire,” Ring said. “From sexual violence and medical neglect to understaffing and years-long lockdowns, the BOP’s leadership has allowed a humanitarian crisis to develop on its watch. Families with incarcerated loved ones have been begging for change.”

Peters will replace outgoing BOP Head Michael Caravajal, who announced his retirement in January.

“During Caravajal’s tenure, the BOP has been a black box,” Ring said. “When COVID began spreading in federal prisons and families’ fears were at their greatest, Carvajal and the BOP somehow became less transparent. The BOP’s opaqueness felt like cruelty. We hope the incoming secretary is prepared to make significant changes to a system badly in need of them.”

For more than three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM has led the fight to reform extreme mandatory sentencing laws and to promote rehabilitation and dignity for all people in prison, 94 percent of whom will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together. Founded in 1991, FAMM has secured bold sentencing and prison reform across the country while elevating the voices of directly impacted individuals and families.