State of New Jersey "Protecting Public Safety by Changing Offender Behavior" |
Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq. |
Mission Statement
Advancing public safety and promoting successful reintegration in a dignified, safe, secure, rehabilitative, and gender-informed environment, supported by a professional, trained, and diverse workforce, enhanced by community engagement.
Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq.
About the Commissioner
Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq. is the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Corrections with more than 24 years of experience as an attorney with the State of New Jersey, including criminal justice, corrections, anti-discrimination, labor law, and public policy. Her career started as an Assistant Prosecutor, before transitioning to the Office of the Attorney General – Division of Law, where she addressed law enforcement and corrections matters, including federal and state court litigation, excessive force, Megan’s Law, conditions of confinement and assisted in the development of the protocol regarding the sexually violent predator and CSL/PSL laws.
Before she was appointed Commissioner for the NJDOC, Kuhn served as the Department’s Chief of Staff, and previously as the Deputy Chief of Staff, spearheading a number of initiatives. Prior to those roles, Kuhn led the Department's Equal Employment Division, which is charged with ensuring a discrimination and harassment-free work environment. She also oversaw the Office of Employee Relations, responsible for union labor relations, hearing employee grievances, reviewing misconduct, and imposing related discipline.
As Commissioner of the State's second-largest Department, Kuhn is responsible for a budget of $1 billion, approximately 6,600 employees, and the oversight of approximately 14,000 state-sentenced people housed across 9 correctional facilities, county jails, and Residential Community Reintegration Programs. Ensuring the Department realizes its mission of operating safe and humane correctional facilities is the Department's core focus, along with the holistic rehabilitation of people who are incarcerated through behavioral therapy, addiction treatment, vocational and educational training, and staff well-being through training and issuance of holistic health resources.
Executive Staff:
The individuals below comprise of the New Jersey Department of Corrections executive staff.
Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq.
Kristina E. Chubenko, Esq.
Erin Nardelli
Dr. Darcella Sessomes
Kelly Daniels, Esq.
David Scott
Rosalind Preston
Donna Gies
Melinda Haley, Esq.
Christopher Holmes
Helena Tomé
Elizabeth Whitlock