Chris Epps facts for kids

Christopher B. Epps, born on January 25, 1961, is a former leader in Mississippi's prison system. He served as the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) from 2002 to 2014. He worked under three different governors and was the longest-serving commissioner in the department's history.

Before becoming commissioner, Epps worked his way up through the corrections department for 32 years. He was known for trying to make prisons better. For example, he worked to reduce the use of solitary confinement and helped non-violent offenders get parole earlier. He also helped set up halfway houses for people leaving prison.

In 2010, Epps was chosen to be the president of the American Correctional Association. He resigned from this role on November 5, 2014, during a federal investigation. He also resigned as the state's corrections commissioner. He was later accused of taking money from a businessman and others.

In February 2017, Mississippi's Attorney General, Jim Hood, started legal cases against companies and people who had contracts with the MDOC and Epps. The state wanted these companies to pay back the money from their contracts.

Early Life and School

Christopher Epps was born and grew up in Tchula, Mississippi. This area is in Holmes County, near the Yazoo River and the Mississippi Delta. His family valued education, and many of them had advanced degrees.

Epps went to Mississippi Valley State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education. He thought he would become a teacher, like others in his family.

He started his career teaching science and math at a school in Drew, Mississippi. In 1982, the MDOC contacted him about working in prisons. Epps later earned a master's degree in guidance counseling from Liberty University.

Career in Corrections

In 1982, Epps decided that the criminal justice system might offer more chances for career growth than teaching. He first worked as both a teacher and a correctional officer at the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman). In January 1985, he became a disciplinary hearings officer there. He soon left teaching to work full-time at Parchman as a case manager.

Epps was promoted to higher positions within the corrections department. He became Chief of Security and Corrections Case Management Supervisor. In December 1988, Governor Ray Mabus appointed Epps as the deputy superintendent of Mississippi State Penitentiary. In this role, he was in charge of security and daily prison operations. He also served in other important roles, such as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner.

In July 2002, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) filed a lawsuit against the MDOC. They said that conditions for inmates on Death Row were unfair. On August 30, 2002, Governor Ronnie Musgrove appointed Epps as Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Later, Republican governors Haley Barbour and Phil Bryant reappointed him.

In 2006, Epps worked with the ACLU to improve conditions at Unit 32. He brought in experts to help change how prisoners were classified. This helped create a system where prisoners could earn their way out of solitary confinement through good behavior. Over four years, the number of prisoners in solitary confinement dropped a lot. This also led to a decrease in violence.

In 2010, Epps continued to work with the ACLU to close Unit 32. Prisoners with serious mental health issues were moved to the East Mississippi Correctional Facility. This facility was designed to provide better care for them.

In 2008, Epps supported a new law that changed how long non-violent offenders had to serve in prison. The new law, passed in 2009, allowed them to be eligible for parole after serving 25 percent of their sentences. This was a big change, as the old law required most felons to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. This new policy helped reduce the number of prisoners and saved the state money. More than 3,000 non-violent felons were released on parole.

By 2014, Epps was earning a good salary. He was the only African American leading a state department in Governor Bryant's government.

Epps also served in the Mississippi National Guard starting in 1984. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring in March 2008. He was also an auditor for the American Correctional Association (ACA). In May 2010, he was elected as the ACA's president. He also became president of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) in August 2014. He resigned from his ACA position on November 5, 2014.

Personal Life

Epps is married to Catherlean Sanders, and they have two sons. Before 2015, Epps lived in Flowood, Mississippi, which is part of the Jackson metropolitan area. He was a deacon at the Hanging Moss Road Church of Christ in Jackson.

He also owned a condominium in Pass Christian, Mississippi. In April 2015, his wife hired a lawyer to help with their home in Flowood. In March 2016, a court allowed her to keep some of their assets.