Agency Leadership

In April 2023, Governor Jim Pillen appointed Rob Jeffreys director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS). Director Jeffreys brings more than 28 years of correctional experience to his role at NDCS, where he oversees an agency with approximately 5,500 incarcerated individuals, leads a workforce of 2,300 team members, and serves as a member of Governor Pillen’s cabinet.

Prior to becoming director of NDCS, Mr. Jeffreys led transformational criminal justice reform as the director of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) from 2019-2023. At IDOC, he created a dedicated reentry division, reduced the department’s restrictive housing population by 40 percent, and restructured and streamlined population reduction mechanisms that resulted in the state 's lowest population level since 1991. He also held several executive level positions with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC), including chief of staff, regional director, bureau chief of classification, and warden.

Mr. Jeffreys is a nationally recognized criminal justice expert with a wealth of experience in national and international corrections incentives recognized by federal, state, and local correction agencies and criminal justice entities. As a consultant and trainer for the U.S. Department of Justice, the Crime and Justice Institute, and The Moss Group, he has provided policy, program development, and specialized training to aid agencies in meeting their targeted goals and advancing their mission. Mr. Jeffreys is a champion of using research and data to drive decision-making, improve outcomes, and increase efficiency and effectiveness.

He was elected to serve as the President of the Correctional Leaders Association and is chairman of its Racial Disparity Committee. He also serves on the Department of Justice (DOJ) steering committees, including the National Institute of Corrections’ Restrictive Housing and the Bureau of Justice Assistance/The Moss Group’s Improving Institutional Corrections Academy Training committees.

Mr. Jeffreys holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in Correctional Administration from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.