Updated, April 10, 2025: This post has been adjusted to correct Jim Justice’s party affiliation. He switched from Democrat to Republican in 2017.
Trump Late Night Post
After nearly two months with no director, President Donald Trump announced that William “Billy” Marshall III would become the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Trump took to Truth Social to announce:
“I am pleased to announce that William “Billy” Marshall III, of the Great State of West Virginia, a State I love and won SIX times, as the next Director of the Bureau of Prisons. Billy has a distinguished Law Enforcement career, rising from the ranks of the West Virginia State Police to serving as the current Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Billy is a Strong Advocate for LAW AND ORDER. He understands the struggles of our prisons better than anyone, and will help fix our broken Criminal Justice System. Congratulations Billy, you will inspire us all!”
Trump won West Virginia with over 70% of the vote and the state has six federal prisons.
Marshall’s Background
Since January 2023, Marshall has been serving as the commissioner of West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. According to a press release at the time that appointment: he is a graduate of Wahama High School, Marshall University and the West Virginia State Police Academy.
He served 25 years with WVSP before retiring in 2017 when he was appointed as the Criminal Investigation Director for the former West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, now Department of Homeland Security. He was appointed by a very popular, then-Governor Jim Justice, now Senator.
Marshall’s law enforcement background followed by corrections points to someone who is going to be tough on crime. However, he is going to head an organization that is substantially larger than the approximately 6,000 state prisoners in West Virginia. The BOP has 155,000 prisoners, 36,000 staff and 121 institutions located across the United States. There are federal prison compounds that hold more inmates than all of the state of West Virginia and in the state there are nearly 9,000 federal prisons in federal facilities.
BOP Outsider At The Helm — Again
The BOP has a history of advancing candidates to the top of the agency from the inside. Those who have come from the outside have not faired well in recent times. Army Major General Mark Inch was Trump’s pick during his first term but he lasted in the job just eight months before suddenly resigning. After a few interim directors, Trump approved Michael Carvajal as director, a career BOP employee who moved all the way up the agency from a corrections officer. Carvajal successfully navigated the BOP through COVID-19 but had a contentious relationship with Congress who pushed for more transparency about the problems the BOP was facing.
The Biden administration looked for a more reform-minded director and appointed Colette Peters. Prior to the BOP, Peters served as director of the Oregon Department of Corrections where she gained a national reputation for using data to improve outcomes for people in custody, increase agency efficiency and effectiveness, and promote staff wellness. Peters was largely credited for advancing the First Step Act during her leadership and following through on the successful placement of inmates in home confinement during COVID-19. However, Trump clearly wanted new leadership and Peters was released from her position on inauguration day. Peters has since taken legal action for what she believes was a wrongful termination.
On social media, the Facebook page titled “Bureau of Prisons staff and retirees,” BOP employees are weighing in saying:
“It’s gonna be a train wreck! Wait for the jobs cutting to come.”
“I hope they give him a chance.”
Marshall participated in a podcast, “The Prison Officer Podcast” last year that provides great information on his background, accomplishments and vision for corrections.
Challenges Facing Marshall On Day One
Marshall realizes that real change is only going to occur if he has buy-in from the staff and that may be a challenge. Peters, also an outsider to the BOP, found change difficult though she did manage to improve hiring and made a number of strides in implementing the First Step Act.
However, there is little patience with the Trump administration seemingly determined to make changes at a pace never before seen in transforming government. Hiring freezes, firings, and funding cuts will mean that Marshall is going to be charged with sweeping changes on his first day with only remnants of existing leadership in place.
Morale at the BOP was at an all time low in 2024 and it will likely be in the dumps for much of 2025 as it grapples with the prospect of a smaller agency that will have to do business differently. There are over 155,000 prisoners, over half are minimum and low security prisoners scattered in 121 prison complexes across the U.S. The tough language from the Trump administration on the budget and cutting waste will put Marshall in a difficult position as he must lead an organization that understands it needs reform but has not had the will to change.
Past directors have fallen short or just did not get the momentum they needed to make change. Congress has had a contentious relationship with the BOP as it was highly critical of the shortcomings with the sexual assaults of women at FCI Dublin and the lack of security due to missing cameras at the facility. Office of Inspector General reports have often been critical of the agency and its leadership is a challenge listed by the Government Accountability Office who put the BOP on its high risk list.
The BOP is an agency worth saving. It is also worthy of being operated more efficiently and humanely.