Governor Announces New Director

John R. Baldwin to lead Illinois Department of Corrections

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner has nominated John R. Baldwin to become the next Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. Baldwin is the former Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections and brings more than 35 years of overall experience to the position.

Baldwin led the Iowa Department of Corrections from January 2007 until his retirement in January of this year. As the director he oversaw a staff of nearly 4,000 officers who supervised 38,000 offenders. During his tenure, he worked with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative to build a state-specific cost-benefit analysis on the state's corrections department. The data was used to make more informed policy and budget decisions in an effort to reduce recidivism.

Baldwin began working for the Iowa Department of Corrections in 1983. In addition to his leadership as Director, Baldwin was the Deputy Director of Administration where he oversaw a number of areas including the budget, personnel and evidence-based practices. Prior to that, he supervised the business office for a forensic psychiatric hospital that was under the control of the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Baldwin holds a master's degree in political science from Iowa State University and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Iowa.