Washington, D.C., April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families and a leading advocate for criminal justice reform, released the following statement after William ‘Billy’ Marshall III was appointed as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

“We are encouraged to see the appointment of William ‘Billy’ Marshall as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons,” said Prison Fellowship President and CEO Heather Rice-Minus. “Director Marshall’s experience as the former commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation will uniquely equip him to lead the BOP with insight, compassion and integrity. We look forward to working with Director Marshall as he lays the foundation to establish safer, more constructive federal prisons, strengthened by the full implementation of the First Step Act and the Federal Prison Oversight Act. We also look forward to sharing how Prison Fellowship can help meet these goals.”   

“As we have noted to Congress, the Bureau of Prisons currently lacks transparency, adequate and accountable staffing, and collaboration with faith and community-based partners to deliver effective programming,” said Kate Trammell, senior vice president of advocacy, legal and research at Prison Fellowship. “We look forward to working with Director Marshall to advance measures that ensure prisons are places of accountability, transformation and productivity that produce safer neighbors.”

Prison Fellowship Advocacy for Prison Reform
Prison Fellowship's federal agenda focuses on key policy areas, including policing reform, proportional punishment, constructive prison culture, and unlocking second chances. The agenda encompasses both enacted legislation and bills awaiting formal introduction in Congress. These include the VICTIM Act; the Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act; implementation of the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Act; the Equal Act; continued implementation of the First Step Act; the Federal Prison Oversight Act; the Safer Supervision Act; the Re-Entry Act of 2025; the Second Chance Reauthorization Act; and April’s Second Chance Month Bi-Cameral Resolution.

Prison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship is the nation's largest Christian nonprofit equipping the Church to serve currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and to advocate for justice and human dignity. Prison Fellowship and its church partners encounter Jesus with those behind bars, breaking cycles of crime and prayerfully anticipating a revival of justice, mercy, and hope in our culture.

Susan Merriman
Prison Fellowship
703-554-8540
susan_merriman@pfm.org