Best Practices at the Department of Corrections
Colette Peters is the Director at the Oregon Department of Corrections. The Oregon Department of Corrections is responsible for the care and custody of more than 14,000 incarcerated adults in 14 prisons throughout the state. This presentation will focus on understanding who is incarcerated and what works in reducing recidivism and future victimization. She’ll also focus on dispelling certain myths about corrections and crime, and update the audience on the Governor’s Commission on Public Safety.
Ms. Peters was named by Governor John Kitzhaber to lead DOC, in February of 2012, after serving as the Director of the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) for several years. As OYA Director, her achievements included overseeing the development of new, more effective assessment tools to evaluate youth offenders’ risk factors, treatment needs, and likelihood to reoffend. Prior to her role at OYA, Ms. Peters served as DOC’s Inspector General and Assistant Director of Public Services.
Ms. Peters has gained a national reputation as a champion of using research and data to drive decision-making, improve outcomes for youth and adults in custody, and increase agency efficiency and effectiveness. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge that includes experience in adult and juvenile corrections, work on behalf of victims’ rights, and involvement with legislative leaders and law enforcement agencies in Minnesota and Colorado.