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| D.C. Corrections Chief Resigns |
| By Washington Post |
| Published: 02/21/2005 |
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Odie Washington, the embattled director of the D.C. Department of Corrections, said yesterday he has resigned after nearly six years in the job to return to Illinois to be with his family. Washington said his tenure has been "extremely challenging" but said he is proud of his accomplishments. Under Washington's leadership, the city closed seven prisons ahead of schedule at the Lorton Correctional Complex in Fairfax County. In addition, Washington helped to eliminate court oversight of the department and began the implementation of a multimillion-dollar renovation of the D.C. jail. But during his tenure, the jail also experienced a four-day stretch of violence in 2002, during which two pretrial detainees were killed and a third was wounded in a stabbing. Several outbreaks of violence at the jail have been the subject of D.C. Council hearings. "This is just the right time to go back," said Washington, whose family never moved to the District. "We accomplished most of the goals I set when I came in with the mayor." D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) said S. Elwood York Jr., a deputy administrator with the Youth Service Administration, will become the interim corrections director next week. A national search will be conducted to fill Washington's position. The mayor praised Washington for managing the closing of the Lorton complex, eliminating 33 years of court oversight and court orders and completing a nearly $30 million renovation project at the jail. A city-funded study released in June cited a number of violent incidents at the jail and stated that the inmate population there should be reduced. |
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