Beverly Young has announced that she is leaving District government. This is big news for reporters on the crime beat. For years, Young served as the spokesperson for the Department of Corrections which meant the D.C. Jail. This was not exactly a happy job filled with good news. During her tenure, inmates escaped, there were several suicides, corrections officers reacted tragically to an inmate having a heart attack, and the over-detention issue continued to cause problems.  I hardly knew her. She preferred e-mail to phone requests. So we never really got to chit chat. But she did her job well.

Young sent out this farewell e-mail to her co-workers:

“It is with mixed emotions that I inform you that I will be leaving District government after 24 years of service with the Department of Corrections to pursue a new career opportunity. It has been an amazing journey and I thank each of you for the support, encouragement, and assistance that you have given me in carrying out my duties. I wish each of you well as you continue to experience the trials and triumphs associated with being a public servant. You truly make a difference in changing lives for the better. Thank you again and Godspeed.”