Corrections Director Ashbel T. Wall has announced the appointment of John (Jack) Ward of Pawtucket, R.I., as the Department’s new Intake Services Coordinator. A 20-year veteran of the Department, Mr. Ward has proven his merits during his long tenure in that role in an acting capacity. Prior to becoming Intake Services Coordinator on the 11-day rule in July of 2007, he served as an Adult Counselor. He began his career with the Department in Maximum Security and worked in just about every facility during his years as a Counselor. From 1994-95, he served as Acting Deputy Warden of the Donald Price Medium Security Facility.
The Intake Services Coordinator is responsible for movement and orientation of inmates at Intake. Mr. Ward chairs numerous classification boards and oversees the transfer of inmates, once they are classified, from Intake to the other facilities. He was instrumental in creating the new orientation video which, per policy, is shown to all inmates upon commitment, along with the PREA video (shown to all incoming inmates per statute). Jack has also been a key member of the Reentry Committee.
Roberta Richman, Assistant Director of Rehabilitative Services and Mr. Ward’s supervisor notes, “Jack Ward has been capably filling the role of Intake Services Coordinator since Bob Holland’s departure in 2007. His quiet but effective and collegial style has made him a real asset to the Department, and I am pleased that he agreed to accept the position on a permanent basis. He knows the job and does it well and was the most logical and the strongest candidate.”
In addition to his busy professional life, Mr. Ward is also Chair of the Juvenile Hearing Board in his home city of Pawtucket, an adjunct of the Family Court. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College.