Exclusive Interview With Bureau Of Prisons Director William Marshall
A New Administration
Newly appointed Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director William Marshall III provided Forbes.com an exclusive interview regarding his first 10 weeks in the position and how he is addressing the many challenges facing the Agency.
Director Marshall, who formerly headed the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, inherited a BOP office in disarray and void of leadership. Director Colette Peters was dismissed in the opening hours of the Trump administration in January and the acting director named as her temporary replacement announced his retirement shortly after his appointment. Marshall told me, 'We are a different administration from the previous one that did little to move some important initiatives that were started under Donald J. Trump. We intend to fully implement the First Step Act (FSA), something that will be part of this president's legacy on criminal justice reform.'
Marshall understands that there have been communication problems within the BOP, which has been a major problem in implementing the FSA. Marshall said that key to the FSA law was returning non-violent offenders back home as soon as possible while focusing on locking those up who pose a threat to society. 'The President and Attorney General Pamela Bondi are committed to Making America Safe Again,' Marshall said.
Full Implementation Of First Step Act
Successfully implementing the First Step Act (FSA) relies on effectively communicating the program to case managers responsible for overseeing the re-entry plans of inmates nearing release. Under the FSA, eligible inmates can earn up to 15 days off their sentence per month, with a maximum reduction of one year. After reaching this limit, they can earn an unlimited number of days toward home confinement.
However, challenges have hindered the program's implementation, primarily due to computer programming issues preventing accurate calculation of sentence reductions under the FSA, as well as a lack of clear guidance for case managers. Marshall stated, "First, our office in Washington is always available, and case managers can call us with any questions. Additionally, we will be soon be hosting a national training event to provide specific guidance on our approach, alongside the directives we've already issued. However, it's important to note that people must be part of the solution to make this Agency great, and I am confident we will achieve that."
In speaking with many inmates and their families over the past few weeks, they tell me of signs on case manager doors stating they have no information on the new FSA directive. 'We have to provide clear communication to the field,' Marshall said of such stories, 'We are looking for people [case managers] who are part of the solution to fully implementing FSA.' Families I have spoken to remain skeptical as the BOP has fallen short in providing clarity on its own policies, leading to lawsuits and some people staying in prison longer than the law allows. Many just want to know when their loved one is coming home.
One remaining uncertainty is how far the BOP will go in utilizing both the FSA and the Second Chance Act, a law that allows up to one year of prerelease custody. By "stacking" the two programs, inmates could spend more time in the community, searching for job opportunities and reconnecting with their families sooner. However, limited capacity at residential reentry centers (halfway houses) has resulted in many inmates staying in prison longer than necessary. "We need to address this," Marshall said, 'we have halfway house space, but we need to be smarter in how we use it. Ultimately, our goal is to return people to the community who pose no threat to public safety.'
Finding The Right People
Marshall said he has met with union leadership and staff at a few facilities during his short time at BOP. While he was impressed with many people he met, Marshall said that the Agency is going to change for the better and there is always reluctance to any change. 'Staff have to ask themselves, 'Is this where I want to be?'' Marshall said, 'but I have seen a few of these facilities with my own eyes and there are people here who buy into our mission of safely incarcerating those who are dangerous and returning others to society sooner.'
The BOP is represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union that represents thousands of BOP employees across the United States. The AFGE advocates for better working conditions, pay, and benefits for federal correctional officers and other BOP staff. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order using authority granted by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to end collective bargaining with federal unions in agencies with national security missions, including the Department of Justice, which oversees the BOP. This order effectively removed BOP employees from the Federal Labor-Management Relations Program, stripping unions of their right to negotiate on behalf of employees.
The executive order was met with strong opposition from unions representing federal workers, including the AFGE. Unions argued that the order violated First Amendment rights and undermined workers' protections. In response, AFGE and other unions filed lawsuits challenging the legality of the executive order. In June 2025, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the executive order, stating that the unions were likely to succeed in proving that the order was illegal and violated constitutional rights .
'My question to AFGE when I spoke with their leadership was whether they were sincere about being part of the BOP's success,' Marshall said, 'and the feedback that I got was that they are. We may have differences but we all know the BOP must make significant changes to meet our complex mission of safety and returning better people to society.'
Infrastructure And Staffing
Two major issues facing the BOP have been its crumbling infrastructure and hiring to fill thousands of open positions. Marshall indicated that Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, which is still being negotiated, provides for billions in infrastructure improvement and for hiring staff. 'I am confident that we will get the support to upgrade our facilities that have been neglected for so long,' Marshall said, 'and we are going to have money for hiring people.'
Former Director Peters and her predecessor Michael Carvajal, both went to Congress asking for up to $3 billion to repair existing prison facilities to bring them up to modern standards. Marshall said that the real number could be closer to $4 billion. Under the previous administration, not only did the BOP get only limited funds to prepare its prison facilities but it also operated under a continuing resolution budget that was over 2 years old.
Asked whether prisons would be closed as the population of inmates have decreased over the past 10 years. 'We are looking at everything,' Marshall said, 'but we have no announcements to close additional facilities at this time.' Just last week, Marshall announced that a federal prison camp in Morgantown, WV would remain open despite it being on a list set for closure last December.
Regarding staffing Marshall indicated that there was going to be an increase in funding for retaining and acquiring new staff. 'Our people are important and we have to be competitive,' Marshall said.
Deputy Director Josh Smith
Marshall also spoke about the leadership of Deputy Director Josh Smith who was appointed just a few weeks ago. Smith is the highest ranking BOP executive who also had a past felony conviction decades ago. Smith was pardoned by Trump at the end of his first term in office. 'People will see Deputy Director Smith as someone who is committed to BOP staff and their safety,' Marshall said, 'he has a passion and commitment to make the BOP successful and we're lucky to have someone like that here with us.'
Some in the BOP, particularly on social media, have been highly critical of Smith, something Marshall said he was aware of. 'Deputy Smith is one of the hardest working people I know and the people in our Agency will see this when they meet him,' Marshall said, 'when I've been with him at facilities there was an eagerness for change and I see in him a confidence to bring about that change.'
Following Through
Director Marshall is aware of past promises from BOP management and how those have fallen short. Under Director Peters, she promised pushing more people into the community as well but her initiatives were plagued by computer problems, missteps in implementation and a shortage of residential reentry centers. 'We have to do better and I promised that I would not just manage from here in Washington,' Marshall said, 'but I am committed to be out in the field at these facilities so I can give our people the resources they need to complete their mission.'
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