Oregon’s prison chief in lead for top federal prisons job

By MICHAEL BALSAMO and MICHAEL R. SISAK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Colette Peters, who runs Oregon’s prison system, has emerged as the leading contender to run the federal prison system. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Peters has run Oregon’s corrections department since 2012. She’s now at the top of the list of candidates to replace Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal, who submitted his resignation in January but said he would stay on until a successor was named. The leadership change comes in the wake of AP reporting that has uncovered widespread problems at the agency, including sexual abuse by correctional officers and critically low staffing levels that have hampered responses to emergencies.