The embattled director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons abruptly announced his resignation Friday, the Justice Department confirmed.
No reason was given for the departure of Mark Inch, who had been named to the position in September.
Hugh J. Hurwitz, assistant director of the Bureau of Prisons’ Reentry Services Division, will serve as acting director, according to a department statement. The bureau runs the nation’s largest federal dentition system, overseeing 122 facilities, 39,000 workers and 186,000 inmates across the country.
“Hugh has honorably served the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the American people throughout his distinguished career of federal service,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. “I would also like to thank Mark Inch for proudly serving the Department of Justice as the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and wish him luck in his future endeavors.”
The announcement came as the White House held a Friday summit on prison reform.
The bureau has been the target of a probe by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. For the past year, the bureau has been dogged by sexual harassment staffing shortages. An April USA Today article alleged the bureau had used hundreds of staffers to fill guard posts because of shortages and overtime rules.
It is not clear if the allegations are related to Mr. Inch’s resignation.
Mr. Hurwitz began his career at the bureau as a law clerk in 1988. He has also held positions at the FDA, Department of Education and NASA before returning to the bureau in 2015.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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