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Jerome K. Williams, PREA expert, retires


AUSTIN, Texas – Jerome K. Williams, director of TJJD’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) compliance program, has retired after 18 years with TJJD/TYC.

His going away party on Feb. 16 drew a crowd. Naturally, there was cake, but also vegetables and fruit. Williams, in addition to being a nationally known expert on the PREA law and unfailing resource in this area for those at TJJD, is an advocate for good nutrition and was known to keep carrot sticks close at hand.

Williams also plays golf, something he says he’ll be doing more of now. Several of his co-workers said they look forward to continuing to play with him and noted that he could use his newfound leisure time to work on his game. The retirement commemoration was partly a roast, as well as a fond farewell to a beloved colleague. Several friends thanked Williams for having mentored them, and longtime buddy Bill Parks, superintendent of the Mart facility, confirmed with deadpan humor that Williams could indeed stand to focus on his golf execution. Parks presented Williams with the latest technology to help with that, a new GX-7 driver.

Jerome Williams signed off by telling everyone to carry on, and urged the many colleagues gathered to keep on changing the lives of youth. Never stop, he exhorted, “when your good is better, until your better is best!”
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