Derrick Schofield, Board Member

Dr.  Derrick Schofield serves as the Executive Vice President for the GEO Continuum of Care and GEO Reentry Services. The Continuum of Care division overseas the delivery of enhanced in-prison rehabilitation programs.  The Reentry Divisions 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 The GEO Group in 2016, Dr. Schofield had a distinguished career working in state correctional systems in Tennessee and Georgia for the last 26 years. He recently served as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC). As Commissioner, Dr. Schofield managed more than 6,000 employees who supervise more than 108,000 offenders both in prison and on community supervision. Dr. Schofield was instrumental in the successful passage of legislation that created a system of seamless supervision of adult felony offenders. As a result of the passage of this seamless supervision model, Commissioner Schofield was responsible for a $926 million operating budget, 14 prisons, a training academy, and 47 probation/parole offices.  Dr. Schofield’s work 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 overall reentry efforts and increased the use of alternative sentencing and sanctions, which resulted in a reduction of prisons beds for technical violations.

Prior to being appointed Commissioner, Dr. Schofield held numerous positions in the Georgia Department of Corrections that included: Warden, Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff at the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Dr. Schofield served as President of the Southern Region of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA). He has been at the forefront of key correctional 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. Additionally, he serves as a member of the American Correctional Association (ACA) Standards Committee.

Dr. Schofield served as a Presidential Advisor to the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and is a member of the Advisory Boards of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Volunteer State Community College, and Tennessee Voices for Victims. 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’s of Public Administration (MPA) from Columbus State University, and he also graduated from Georgia’s Law Enforcement Command College. Dr. Schofield recently completed a doctoral program in Organizational Leadership at Piedmont International University.