The Shadow
RICHMOND – Governor Glenn Youngkin has appointed Chadwick Dotson as the 10th Director of the Virginia Department of Corrections.
As a retired judge who most recently served as Chair of the Virginia Parole Board, Dotson brings more than 20-years of success in the private and public sectors to the role.
“I am excited to welcome Director Dotson into this new role,” said Terrance C. Cole, Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. “Director Dotson has a long track record of effective leadership in the Commonwealth and a strong reputation that demonstrates his commitment to both public safety and the law.”
“As VADOC Director, I will strive to support Department personnel, continue the fight against contraband entering our facilities, especially fentanyl, and uphold the VADOC’s mission of creating long-term public safety for the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Dotson said. “I also am laser-focused on providing the highest quality Re-Entry services for inmates and probationers, in order to continue the effort of reducing Virginia’s 20.6 % recidivism rate, which is currently the second lowest in the United States.”
Dotson previously served as Chief Judge of the 30th Judicial Circuit and presided over the Circuit’s Recovery Court program for the entirety of his tenure. Dotson also served on Virginia’s General District Court bench, as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise County and the City of Norton.
Prior to joining the Parole Board, Dotson served as Dean of Students and Distinguished Professor of Law at Appalachian School of Law, where he taught Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. Dotson also had a short stint in private practice as an attorney, following his graduation from law school.
Dotson received his B.A. from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
