Derrick Schofield joined The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO) in 2016 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President for GEO Continuum of Care and GEO Reentry Services. GEO’s Continuum of Care division oversees the delivery of enhanced in-prison rehabilitation programs. The Reentry Division supports correctional agencies nationwide with flexible options such as residential housing and treatment, day reporting programs, and in-custody treatment and training. The Continuum of Care Division coupled with Reentry Services provides meaningful programming to over 30,000 participants.
Prior to joining GEO, Dr. Schofield had a distinguished career working in state correctional systems in Tennessee and Georgia for 26 years. He served as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and provided leadership for the more than 6,000 employees charged with overseeing more than 108,000 offenders both in prison and on community supervision. His vision resulted in the successful passage of legislation creating a system of seamless supervision of adult felony offenders. As a direct result of this seamless supervision model, Dr. Schofield was responsible for a $926 million operating budget, 14 prisons, a training academy and 47 probation/parole offices. His focus led to his appointment as co-chair of the Governor’s Taskforce on Sentencing and Recidivism. His work helped to shape public policy through the enactment of the Public Safety Act of 2016 for Tennessee. The act enhanced reentry efforts and the use of alternative sentencing and sanctions in reducing the use of prisons beds for technical violations.
Prior to being Commissioner, Dr. Schofield held numerous positions in the Georgia Department of Corrections including Warden, Director of Investigations & Compliance, Director of Prison Operations Assistant Commissioner, and Chief of Staff.
As an active member of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) Dr. Schofield previously served as President of the Southern Region. He has been at the forefront of several key issues and sat on the ASCA Racial Disparity Committee, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee, Performance Measures Committee, and was a member of the ASCA Executive Committee. Dr. Schofield served as a Presidential Advisor to the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and was a member of the Advisory Boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Volunteer State Community College, and Tennessee Voices for Victims. He is an active member of the American Correctional Association where he is currently serving as a Board of Governors Representative to the Executive Committee.
After earning his Bachelor’s in Political Science, Dr. Schofield’s commitment to public service took him to the United States Army, where he rose to the rank of Captain. He earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Columbus State University, and he also graduated from Georgia’s Law Enforcement Command College. He earned his doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Piedmont International University.
