Tony Godinez, Sun-Times photo, reproduced here under Fair Use Act
ILLINOIS—Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) Director Salvador A. “Tony” Godinez will retire from public service, effective December 31st of this year. Director Godinez informed Governor Quinn and IDOC’s Executive Staff of his decision yesterday afternoon.
Governor Quinn appointed Director Godinez to his position effective May 2, 2011. He was unanimously confirmed by the Illinois Senate on May 5, 2011 and reappointed and confirmed March 17, 2014. Prior to his appointment, the Director served as Executive Director of the Cook County Department of Corrections (CCDC) for five years. He has spent 27 years of his 42-year career in corrections in the State of Illinois.
Under Director Godinez’ leadership, IDOC took major efficiency measures which dramatically reduced facility-related costs while not compromising safety and security. Taxpayer savings from these changes total tens of millions of dollars per year in every full fiscal year. Still, the Department continued to reduce gang activity and increased its protection of staff and inmates, producing a dramatic drop of 47% in all serious incidents over the past two fiscal years.
Since the Director’s arrival, IDOC was sent 6.8% more inmates by the courts while its budget remained essentially flat and employee retirements greatly increased. The Department’s strong performance in safety and security continued a trend that began in 2000–despite a 12 percent increase in inmate population since then.
“I have always appreciated Governor Quinn’s confidence in me and his support of our efforts. During my 42 years in the field of corrections, I have never worked with a more outstanding team of capable and dedicated men and women.” said Director Godinez.
He added, “I am deeply indebted to them, as are the people of the State of Illinois. This Department’s accomplishments are many. I leave this job knowing we did great work in a time of many challenges and this is a very safe, secure and efficient prison system.”
Godinez also oversaw the continued provision of complete medical and mental health care to an average daily inmate population of 47,594 over the past four fiscal years. IDOC kept its inmate death rate among the very lowest for prison systems in the United States: 1.61 per 1,000. The general U.S death rate is 8.01 per 1,000.
IDOC’s commitment to equal opportunity increased under Director Godinez. Five women currently serve as wardens in Illinois prisons, including at the all-male, maximum-security Menard Correctional Center. 17 women are assistant wardens in the Department and many others serve at levels from Chief to supervisors of work camps and adult transition centers.
Godinez began his correctional career as a reentry counselor with IDOC in 1973 and rose through the ranks in the agency’s Juvenile Division as a parole counselor, assessment counselor and assessment unit administrator.
In 1981, he was appointed Assistant Warden of Programs at Stateville Correctional Center and later became Assistant Warden of Operations there until 1989, when he left to serve as warden of the newly opened super-maximum prison in Ely, Nevada. Godinez returned to Illinois in September 1991 as warden at Stateville.
In February 1995, he joined Michigan Department of Corrections as deputy director of administration and programs where he served until August 1997. Director Godinez later accepted the appointment as facility administrator with Wackenhut Corrections Corporation, with assignments in various locations including Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania.
The Director later became administrator of Juvenile Field Services for IDOC in 1998, but rejoined Wackenhut Corrections Corporation a year later with assignments in Louisiana and Florida.
Returning to Illinois in 2001, Director Godinez served Cook County as Deputy Chief of Juvenile Probation for the western suburbs and Supervisor of the County’s Community Alternatives Units, which included electronic monitoring and home detention.
In November 2003, he was appointed Chief of Operations for IDOC and given additional responsibilities as Chief of Staff in 2005. Director Godinez served in those positions before becoming Executive Director of CCDC in June of the next year.
In addition to his more than four decades of corrections experience, he has participated in professional associations related to anti-violence and corrections policy nationwide.
Director Godinez received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1973 and a master’s degree in corrections from Chicago State University in 1978.
