It’s been a week since Doug Burris’ short-term contract ended as commissioner of corrections over the St. Louis City Justice Center, and he says he wishes he could have done more for the troubled jail.
Burris was first hired by the city as a consultant in December 2024 to assess and recommend fixes to the facility where 20 people have died in custody since 2020.
Since stepping into the interim position in January, two detainees died under Burris’ leadership — 31-year-old Samuel Hayes Jr. died in July after he was placed in a restraint chair, and Derek Dean, 48, died in March. The St. Louis City Justice Center has been riddled with internal problems and controversy for years, and although he entered with ambitious goals to increase staffing and improve morale, Burris says he didn’t reach the mark.
Burris is credited with turning things around at the St. Louis County jail, where at the height of the facility’s troubles, five people in custody died in 2019. During his short time running the city jail, he hired around 25 people, leaving behind a staff of nearly 100 correctional officers. Tammy Ross, previously the deputy commissioner, is currently at the helm. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer on Thursday announced that Nate Hayward, the deputy director of security at St. Louis County Justice Services, will take over as commissioner of the city jail on Sept. 16.
Burris sat down with STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley and reflected on conflict within the jail and things he’d do differently.
This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.
Lacretia Wimbley: At least 20 detainees have died in custody at the city jail since 2020. And two of those deaths were under your leadership this year — Derek Dean, 48, died in March, and Samuel Hayes Jr., 31, died in July. What can you share about what happened in each of those cases?
Doug Burris: I have to say that the deaths were tragic and the worst thing that I've experienced in my 40-year career. And in no way am I saying that my feelings are stronger than what the families have to be feeling. I would like to talk more about it, but I've been given strict instructions that, as long as the investigation is ongoing, that I'm not to say anything additional.
Wimbley: So in January, when you first started in the interim role as commissioner, you provided a list of 35 improvement recommendations and a 21-page assessment of the city jail. You recommended hiring older correctional officers, and you suggested that they be assigned to the more troubled areas. You also successfully brought some job programming back during your time here. Did you accomplish all that you set out to do?
Burris: Yeah, I absolutely did not accomplish everything that I would have liked to have done when I came in. I thought we would be off and running within six months. There are several accomplishments that took much longer to take place than I thought they would, and the most important one is getting additional staff in.
Wimbley: You haven't been at the CJC long, but from your experience there, can you describe the culture within the jail?
Burris: The honest answer to that is there's still some conflicting culture. We have some people who are there for all the right reasons and really understand that we are in a place where we can make a significant impact on public safety. We still have some employees that are old school, and occasionally we have to fight people who believe in mass punishment, and that just does not work.
Wimbley: What have you done to eliminate internal issues?
Burris: I've been involved in discipline issues more than I thought I would, but I followed the policy on those. I think, though, that we have others, including leadership, such as Deputy Commissioner Tammy Ross, that lead by example.
Wimbley: What do you make of the matter of Ross being previously demoted by (Jennifer) Clemons-Abdullah for reasons, allegedly, that she broke state and federal laws by housing juveniles next to adults, and a deceased detainee was left lying dead for hours under her watch. What can you say to that?
Burris: I think that some of the allegations that have been reported have been greatly exaggerated. Her situation was fully investigated, and she is in good standing, doing an outstanding job.
Wimbley: Is there anything that you feel you could have done differently or would have done differently?
Burris: The partnerships that we established — I wish I would have connected with them sooner. I wish there are ways I could have showed staff more of my appreciation for the work, because could you have Imagine having a job where you go in wondering if you're going to have feces thrown at you one day, and they go in there with great attitudes, the majority of them, knowing that they're going to try to make a difference in someone's life that day.
Wimbley: What advice do you have for your successor?
Burris: Expand your partnerships. One of the areas that we were not able to complete is (that) there are approximately 200 people in the jail that have been in there for two years or more. This is a facility that does not have access to (the) outside; most of the entire areas have no windows. So, could you imagine not feeling the sun on your face for two years and not being guilty? The people that work in that facility have hard, tough jobs, and they work with some really challenging people. There are more than 100 people in that facility charged with murder, yet many of them come in with a great attitude, and they want to make a difference in the community. I have been incredibly proud to have served them and work for them.
