Daniel Junior - Director

Daniel Junior is a Miami native and the father of three beautiful daughters. He has been a committed Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR) employee, where he has risen through the ranks.

During his career, he has successfully spearheaded many initiatives for Miami-Dade County including opening a new central intake facility, transitioning hundreds of acute mentally ill inmates to a new Mental Health Treatment Center, Offender Management System, Staff Scheduling System, implementing the Conducted Electrical Weapons (Tasers) Program, implementing body worn cameras, and spearheading a replacement jail just to name a few. Prior to his appointment of Department Director, he served as the Assistant Director of Custody Services responsible for the oversight of four detention facilities (Pre-Trial Detention Center, Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, Metro West Detention Center, and Training and Treatment Center), three bureaus (Court Services, Intake and Release, and Transportation and Special Services) responsible for the intake, classification, housing, and release of approximately 60,000 persons annually.

Mr. Junior received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Thomas University in 2009, a Jail Manager Certification from the American Jail Association in 2010, as well as a graduate certification from the 2008 National Jail Leadership Command Academy Inaugural Class. He graduated from the prestigious National Academy Session 263 of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Jail Executive Development Program, a collaboration of the American Jail Association and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University. He also completed Florida International University’s Chapmanville Leadership Development Program. He is a member of the American Jail Association, American Correctional Association, International Chiefs of Police, National Institute of Correction’s Large Jail Network, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, Florida Sheriffs Association, Police Officers Assistance Trust, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He is the first member of MDCR to be appointed to the Executive Board of the Miami Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police where he served as its President from 2019 – 2020. He is currently serving as the Chairperson of the Dade Miami Criminal Justice Council. In 2017, he was honored by the Progressive Officers Club with the 2017 Man of the Year Award, by the Legacy South Florida Magazine as one of Miami-Dade County’s Most Powerful and Influential Leaders and by the American Jail Association as the prestigious Ray Coleman Correctional Administrator of the Year for his contributions to the corrections profession. Committed to giving back to the community, Mr. Junior also volunteers as a role model for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project and as a big brother for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Miami. He is a proud member of the Sigma Alpha Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Through his leadership, the Department has significantly increased its community involvement by participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami's "School to Work Program" to mentor senior high students, by supporting the United Way and American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" and "the Real Men Wear Pink" Campaigns to raise awareness and support additional fundraising efforts, and by assisting needy families through annual holiday food, toy, and school supply drives such as "Shop with a Correctional Officer."

After serving as Interim Director, Mr. Junior was appointed by Mayor Carlos Gimenez to serve as Department Director of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department on February 12, 2018. As the Director, he is responsible for one of the largest jail systems in the United States. Director Junior strongly supports enhanced safety initiatives, such as the deployment of conducted electrical weapons (Tasers), video visitation program and full body scanning initiative, to ensure the safety of staff as well as inmates housed in MDCR detention facilities. He also has pursued technological advancements, such as Jail Management System and Staff Scheduling System, to enhance operational efficiencies. He also advocates leadership development for his command staff as is evidenced by MDCR enrolling more leaders in the National Jail Leadership Command Academy than any other agency. He also supports professional development and encourages staff to become Certified Jail Managers in an effort to incorporate the critical review of internal operations and continual improvement of MDCR jail operations. Throughout his career, Director Daniel Junior has been committed to MDCR’s mission to serve the community by providing safe, secure and humane detention for individuals in our custody while preparing them for a successful return to the community.