UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson’s nominee for Director of the Department of Corrections, Mary Lou McDonough, was officially sworn in this morning.

“Mary Lou McDonough brings expertise in the management and administration of local government and is an excellent choice to serve as Director,” Johnson said.

McDonough, a life-long resident of Prince George’s County, currently resides in Mitchellville.  She has over 30 years with Prince George’s County government where she has gained valuable experience in the Department of Corrections, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Family Services. 

Since 2008, she has been Acting Director of Corrections.  In this role she has shown the determination, leadership, and hard work necessary required to have a safe, compliant and effective Department.  McDonough’s management approach involved reorganization of staffing levels to provide more supervision of the cells and working units, additional emphasis on training and holding employees and supervisors accountable and terminating those that consistently violate policy.

Her actions have resulted in the efficient operation of the facility and a dramatic decrease in incidents within the facility.  Additionally, for the first time in ten years, the Department has maintained its fiscal year 2009 budget and did not require any supplemental funding. 

In 2008, the American Correctional Association re-certified the Department; Prince George’s County is only one of two jails in Maryland to hold this designation.  The Department is also certified by the State of Maryland.

She is responsible for a budget of $69 million, a staff of 646 employees, including 493 sworn officers and 153 civilians and an average daily population of 1260 detainees housed in county facilities.  Additionally, she oversees a non-detainee population of approximately 800-900 that participate in community corrections programs which includes pre-trial individuals released to the community, home detention, electronic monitoring, and day reporting offenders.