Trump's Justice Department reforms reshape Bureau of Prisons leadership.

The director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has resigned, and a Biden-era executive order that aimed to phase out private prisons has been repealed, allowing President Donald Trump to implement drastic reforms to the Justice Department.

William Lothrop has replaced Colette Peters as director of the BOP, who has been leading the agency since August 2022.

In 2022, Merrick Garland, the then-Attorney General, appointed Peters to reform the agency that had been struggling with staff shortages, corruption, misconduct, and abuse for years.

Over 155,000 federal inmates are under the responsibility of the agency, which has almost 36,000 employees.

Lothrop, who has over 30 years of experience in the BOP, made an announcement about a change on Tuesday, the day after President Trump's inauguration. According to Law 360, the BOP director is not required to be confirmed by the Senate.

"On Jan. 20, 2025, Director Peters left the Federal Bureau of Prisons and I will be taking over as the Acting Director. As we confront ongoing challenges such as staffing shortages and operational problems, I am dedicated to working with you to develop practical solutions that enhance our facilities. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and stakeholders to provide comprehensive programming and support services to inmates."

"Our mission is to ensure a safe, secure, and humane environment, maintain public safety, and prepare those in our custody for successful reentry into society," he stated.

After Trump's election, Peters declared the shutdown of six male federal prisons and one female facility, including the infamous Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, according to Forbes.

Almost $116 million was paid to 103 women who claim they were abused at FCI Dublin, earning it the nickname "rape club."

At least seven former employees of the prison, including its former warden, Ray Garcia, are now in prison for sexually abusing inmates.

She spoke about the challenges faced by the BOP before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, but had difficulty achieving results.

In September 2023, Senators Tom Cotton and Mike Lee scolded Peters for making them wait over a year for answers to their follow-up questions, which were crucial to understanding the agency's operations.

Senators were irritated by Peters' inability to answer basic questions about agency operations, including the number of correctional officers on staff, and her reliance on a tablet computer for her responses.

In 2024, President Biden signed the Federal Prison Oversight Law, which granted the Office of Inspector General the authority to conduct more unannounced prison inspections, as reported by Forbes.

Over the years, OIG has discovered significant staff shortages, inadequate medical care for prisoners, spoiled food, and unsanitary living conditions during its inspections. Peters stated that she supported the law but that it had not yet been funded.

The U.S. Marshals Service can now enter into new contracts with private prison corporations, as President Trump has reversed Executive Order 14006, which had abolished Justice Department contracts with private prisons.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.