Office of the Director

Anne L. Precythe, Director

Missouri Governor Eric R. Greitens nominated Anne L. Precythe to the Director of the Department of Corrections on Dec. 23, 2016. The nomination was confirmed on Feb. 9, 2017. Precythe became the seventh director to lead the department since Corrections became its own cabinet-level state agency in 1981.

Precythe brings nearly 30 years of service as a corrections professional into her role as director. Before becoming the second woman director for the Missouri Department of Corrections, Precythe served as the Director of Community Corrections in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. She was employed with the Division of Community Corrections in North Carolina since 1988 as a Probation/Parole Officer in Duplin County. In 1999, Anne transitioned into a Quality Assurance role where she assisted managers in using data to manage operations, and in 2003, was promoted to Lead Community Corrections Analyst supervising all quality assurance personnel and leading the agency in effective case management strategies. In January 2006, Precythe was promoted to the position of Interstate Compact Administrator and named Deputy Commissioner to the Interstate Compact. In 2007, she became a national trainer with the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision office out of Kentucky. In 2008, she was presented with the National Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision Executive Director’s Award. She was active with the National Commission, serving as the Chair of the Training Committee and sat on the Executive Committee as well. In January 2010, she assumed the responsibility of EBP Project Implementation Manager for the Division of Community Corrections, and in August 2011, became the Supervision Services Administrator, which also includes oversight of the sex offender management program, technology services, in-service training and all DCC programs (TECS, Transitional Housing, Community Intervention Centers, DART, Black Mountain, Drug Screening and labs, etc) and services. In 2015, Anne was appointed by United States Attorney, Eric Holder to the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board, representing all of Community Corrections across the country.

As Director of Corrections, Precythe is responsible for the 21 adult correctional facilities, six community supervision centers, a community release center, and more than 40 probation and parole offices across the State of Missouri. This includes more than 11,000 staff, 59,000 probationers and parolees, and more than 30,000 inmates.

Budget and Research

The Budget Unit is responsible for developing, preparing and presenting the department's annual budget request. Budget staff members coordinate with the department's operating divisions to determine the resources required to implement agency programs and strategies. The unit develops funding requests that accurately reflect the department's strategic planning goals and objectives.

Through analysis of research data on program outcomes and population trends, the unit provides guidance on ways to use department resources more effectively and efficiently. The Budget Unit presents the budget request to the Governor's Office and then works closely with the general assembly to provide information during the appropriations process. This unit also coordinates fiscal note responses for the department.

The Federal Grants Unit is responsible for obtaining, monitoring, managing, and disbursing all federal funds obtained through grants to the department. This section pays all bills and salaries for Federal programs in which the department participates. The federal grants section prepares financial and progress reports for all department grants.

The Research and Evaluation Unit is responsible for providing research data and analysis to support the entire Department of Corrections. The unit tracks population growth of all offenders and maintains statistical data required for the evaluation of department programs and trends. The unit provides research information required to support the strategic planning process and all departmental decision-making. They analyze data and develop scenarios to respond to requests for fiscal note information. The unit also provides research and survey data to agencies within and outside state government and reviews outside research requests.
Research Agreement and Data Request

Emergency Preparedness/Workplace Violence

This section is responsible for writing, reviewing and revising departmental policies and procedures related to emergency preparedness, disaster planning and response. This includes the oversight of department emergency preparedness with mitigation planning, monitoring training programs and evaluating emergency exercises at worksites to prepare all staff to respond to emergencies efficiently and effectively.

This section also serves as the liaison to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), which includes responding to SEMA when an emergency dictates activation. Participation in SEMA sponsored committees and training sessions representing the department and participation in statewide emergency exercises is expected as well.

Coordinating the Department Workplace Violence Program, including development and review of department procedures for program management and Peer Action Care Teams (PACT), is also handled by this section. Additional responsibilities include: developing, revising and coordinating training for PACT members (peer responders); mobilizing PACT when appropriate; receiving and responding to calls regarding workplace violence and critical incidents; assisting with Employee Assistance Program (EAP) referrals; and critical incident stress debriefing at worksites.

Legislative and Constituent Services

The Constituent Services Office processes inquiries from offender families, legislative offices, and the public. Through a customer-focused approach, the office provides consistent, accurate, and timely information and direction about offenders and the department's policies, procedures, and practices. The office provides regular feedback to department administrators and others so they may remain informed about issues that generate contact from constituents.

For family and friend inquiries, please call 573-751-2389 and ask for the department’s Constituent Services section or email the section at constituentservices@doc.mo.gov.

Office of the General Counsel

The attorneys in the general counsel's office provide a broad range of legal services to employees in all four divisions. Other duties by the office includes: providing general legal counsel and legal services to the department's executive staff; providing legal advice concerning the administration of prisons and the supervision of probationers and parolees; providing legal advice in all areas of employee relations, including discipline of employees; reviewing contracts and interagency agreements; reviewing and drafting legislative proposals; responding to subpoenas (for employees and/or records) and other requests for records; advising records officers and parole analysts regarding criminal sentences; responding to court orders relating to the transportation or release of prisoners; representing department officials at various administrative hearings; providing litigation assistance to attorneys with the Attorney General's Office; and reviewing department policies and procedures.

Office of Professional Standards

The Office of Professional Standards, which reports directly to the department’s director, is charged with examining department operations as it relates to employee conduct and professionalism and the department’s compliance to the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). This is accomplished through three units within the Office of Professional Standards known as the Civil Rights Unit, Employee Conduct Unit and PREA Unit.

The Civil Rights Unit conducts all investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and unprofessional conduct. The unit also is responsible for conducting statewide training for all employees, recruitment efforts and any outreach to employees who feel they have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, retaliation or unprofessional conduct.

The Employee Conduct Unit conducts all investigations into employee violations of policy and procedure, which may include but are not limited to, unexpected offender deaths, suicides, potential homicides, theft, over-familiarity between an employee and an offender, contraband and accessing of confidential records. Law enforcement may assist in certain investigations and cases.

The PREA Unit is responsible for developing, implementing, investigating and overseeing the agency's efforts to comply with the PREA standards in all of its facilities. For more information, visit the PREA website.

If you wish to contact the Office of Professional Standards, please call 573-522-4654 or email the office at professional.standards@doc.mo.gov.

Public Information

The Public Information Office addresses inquiries from the news media, the general public, and other interested parties. This office also generates department publications, videos and promotes department activities.

You may contact the Public Information Office at 573-522-1118 or by email at doc.media@doc.mo.gov.

If you are inquiring about family and friends who are incarcerated or on supervision with the department, please call 573-751-2389 and ask for Constituent Services or email the section at constituentservices@doc.mo.gov.

Reentry Services

The department has more than 30,000 incarcerated offenders in its correctional centers throughout Missouri, and more than 95 percent of those offenders will be released back to their community. The Office of Reentry Services works to ensure those who are released from prison will be prepared to re-enter their community, reducing the chance of those offenders from re-offending.

The Office of Reentry Services works with state and community partners to help incarcerated offenders prepare for successful transition back into the community by using the Missouri Reentry Process. By using this process, positive outcomes, such as reducing recidivism and circumventing the cycle of intergenerational crime, can be achieved. Every stride that is made in this effort makes Missouri communities safer and helps to stop victimization.

Restorative Justice, which is a section in the Office of Reentry Services, is a victim-focused approach to criminal justice. The emphasis is on restoration of victims, restoration of the communities and restoration of the offenders. The department's restorative justice initiatives encourage offenders to reflect on the harm caused by their criminal activity and make restoration to victims, the community and their families. Two core practices within the Restorative Justice program that help offenders reflect on their criminal activity and the harm they have caused are Impact of Crime on Victims Class (ICVC) and reparative activities. Both of these practices are offered at all 21 institutions and in probation and parole offices across the state of Missouri.

The Office of Reentry Services is committed to providing gender-responsive environments to women offenders confined in the Division of Adult Institutions and under supervision of the Board of Probation and Parole. Women’s Programs were established to ensure accountability, reliability, and continuous improvement in meeting this commitment. The goal of these programs is to ensure gender responsive programs are available to female offenders that provide health, mental health, self esteem, parenting, academic education, vocational education, substance abuse and life skills assistance to enhance their opportunities for successful transition back into society. Inter-divisional collaborations, interagency collaboration and bonds with community organizations are utilized in pursuit of this goal. The rapidly growing women offender population is challenging the corrections professional as society has emphasized the male offender population regarding programming, behavior patterns and management issues. When rehabilitating women, corrections historically used a “one size fits all” concept. Recent research, in addition to the growing realization that women have many different needs than men, has challenged the correctional focus on how we rehabilitate offenders.

The Missouri Department of Corrections is committed to a proactive role in providing gender-responsive services to the female offender population, those incarcerated as well as those under community supervision. As a result of legislation passed in 2001, a Women's Program Manager position was established within the department to ensure accountability, reliability and continuous improvement in this area.

A Women's Issues Committee was established to assist the Women's Program Manager in accomplishing goals set for this population. Each division of the Department of Corrections is represented to encompass all women under the umbrella of the Missouri Department of Corrections. In an effort to guide the Women's Program Manager and the Women's Issues Committee in a strategic direction, an agency plan for female offenders has been developed. Each year a status report will be completed to show data and statistics regarding the women in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Victim Services

In 1993, the department's Office of Victim Services (OVS) was established to ensure these core services and accurate information are provided on a timely basis to Missouri crime victims.The office of victim services is designed to provide timely, accurate information, advocacy, and referral services to victims of crimes, family members and witnesses of crime. The office coordinates victim notification and promotes victim accessibility to departmental proceedings to ensure compliance with state statute. This includes promoting victim participation in the hearing process, reasonable protection from offenders, and notification of offender release from confinement.