Virginia Department of Corrections director Chadwick Dotson to leave as Spanberger’s administration takes office

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Chadwick Dotson will no longer serve as the director of the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) as of this Friday, as the Commonwealth transitions to the incoming administration of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D).

Dotson was appointed to the role in 2023 by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R).

In a post to his Facebook page on Tuesday, Jan. 13, Dotson announced that he will be leaving his position at the end of the week, as part of the standard transition process. Incoming governors have the authority to appoint their own agency heads.

"During my time at VADOC, we put The Virginia Model into motion: safety first, dignity always, evidence over habit, and continuity from custody to community," Dotson said in the post. "We identified "What's Next," and began the process of creating the best and safest corrections system on the planet over the next decade. We confronted fentanyl on two fronts, blocking what harms and treating what can heal, and we saw overdoses fall and lives saved. And we did the hard work to change lives, creating public safety in every community across the Commonwealth. I'll always be proud of that work."

8News reached out to VADOC for a statement on the announcement.

The VADOC can confirm that Director Chad Dotson’s last day with the agency will be Friday, Jan. 16.

The VADOC would like to thank Director Dotson for his more than two years of service as Director of the agency and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

During his tenure, Director Dotson positioned the agency to effectively fight modern challenges facing corrections systems across the U.S., including sophisticated attempts to smuggle drugs (including deadly fentanyl), weapons, and other contraband into facilities.

In May 2025, Director Dotson announced that Virginia’s latest recidivism rate (17.6%) is the lowest in the United States. Virginia has now had the lowest or second-lowest recidivism rate in the nation for 12 consecutive years.

"Additionally, Director Dotson created the VADOC’s innovative Virginia Model in 2024 at Lawrenceville Correctional Center. In September 2025, the Virginia Model expanded to Buckingham Correctional Center, Dillwyn Correctional Center, and Cluster S1 at Greensville Correctional Center. The Virginia Model is a first-of-its-kind approach to corrections in the Commonwealth, created to improve safety and security for the VADOC’s corrections team and inmate population by fostering a culture of inmate accountability, personal investment, and community by aligning meaningful benefits and incentives with consistent, effective sanctions.

The VADOC will continue to serve as a national and international leader in the corrections field as Virginia moves into its next administration. Our agency will always work as hard as it possibly can to ensure public safety for the Commonwealth and its people."

This announcement comes after several VADOC facilities have experienced issues throughout 2025 -- including a state investigation launched into Red Onion State Prison on allegations of inmates burning themselves, and a corrections officer being killed by an inmate at River North Correctional Facility.

A full statement on his resignation can be viewed by clicking here.