Peters is a member of CCJ’s Board of Trustees and served as a member of the Council’s National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice.
Colette S. Peters was sworn in as the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons by Attorney General Merrick Garland on August 2, 2022. Serving until February 2025, Peters assumed responsibility for the operation of 122 Bureau of Prisons facilities, six regional offices, two training centers, and 22 residential reentry management offices. She was also responsible for the oversight and management of approximately 35,000 employees and 160,000 adults in federal custody.
Peters has over 30 years of public safety experience. Before joining the Federal Bureau of Prisons, she served as director of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Appointed in 2012, she was the first woman to lead the department. Peters has a national reputation for using data to improve outcomes for people in custody, increase agency efficiency and effectiveness, and promote staff wellness. Prior to her appointment in 2012, Peters ran the Oregon Youth Authority and served as a prison inspector general and victims’ advocate.
