(Atlanta, GA) – Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Commissioner Avery D. Niles is pleased to announce the appointment of Pamela Johnson as Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Secure Detention, with oversight of DJJ’s 19 Regional Youth Detention Centers (RYDCs). With more than 20 years of state government experience, Johnson is being promoted from Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Secure Detention.

 

Commissioner Niles congratulated Johnson on her new responsibilities. “Having someone like Pamela Johnson on the DJJ Executive Team is important for the future of the agency,” said Commissioner Niles. “She represents the viewpoints and experiences of those who have spent a career helping the youth in our care.”

 

Deputy Commissioner Johnson has risen through the ranks of DJJ, starting as a Juvenile Correctional Officer, Director of the Metro RYDC, Administrator for the division’s Northeast Region and as a Program Coordinator for the Division of Secure Campuses.

 

Johnson earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University and her Master of Public Administration from Troy University. She serves on the American Correctional Association’s Juvenile Justice and Secure Operations Committee and is Vice President of the Georgia Juvenile Services Association.

 

 

 

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About DJJ

 

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is a multi-faceted agency that serves the needs of the state’s young offenders up to the age of 21. The Department employs more than 4,000 men and women at 26 secure facilities (19 Regional Youth Detention Centers and 7 Youth Development Campuses) and 96 Community Services Offices throughout the state to effect justice and redirect the young lives in the agency’s care.

 

Including those placed on probation, thousands of youths are diverted each year to evidence-based community programs, sentenced to short-term incarceration and/or committed to long-term custody by Juvenile Courts. DJJ’s professional corrections and law enforcement staff preserve public safety and safeguard the citizens of Georgia, as well as protect the victims of crimes so that they can rebuild their lives. DJJ holds juvenile offenders accountable for their delinquent conduct through probation, supervision and/or secure detention so that they take responsibility for their actions.

 

While under DJJ supervision, youth are provided with educational opportunities by some of Georgia’s best teachers and administrators, as well as medical, dental and mental health treatment from qualified professionals who provide a range of services and support. DJJ also offers programs designed to equip the youth in its care with the social, intellectual and emotional tools needed to achieve their successful reentry and reintegration into community, workplace and neighborhood settings as more productive and law-abiding citizens.