Robert (Bob) Gibson

Robert (Bob) Gibson has been working on whole justice systems reform and corrections reform for more than 35 years. He has worked in international development projects, often in conflict zones, since 2005. Currently, Bob is a board member on a Nigerian justice project focused on decreasing the prison remand population with New-Rule/Partners Global.  Previously, he spent eight years with the U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) – four years as INL Director/Coordinator at U.S. Embassy Belize. INL provides foreign assistance (equip, train, advisory, etc.) to increase the capacity of governments like Belize to improve citizen security and rule of law – this includes corrections, police, counter narcotics, courts, customs, borders, etc. Immediately prior, Bob was with DOS INL  and concurrently with DOS’ Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO). He was assigned to Washington D.C., Lebanon (INL Deputy Director), twice assigned to Afghanistan (Embassy Kabul’s Director of Corrections with IROL – Interagency Rule of Law). He also served in Helmand as Chief of Staff to Senior Civilian in Southwest Region. In addition, he conducted TDY operations in the DRC, Burundi, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey. Bob designed, implemented and managed other INL projects prior to 2010, to include initiator and Chief of Party (COP) of the nationwide Corrections System Support Program (CSSP) Afghanistan, 2005-8, and initiator and Acting COP for the nationwide Justice Sector Support Program (JSSP) Afghanistan, 2005. He was DCOP of another INL program, the Justice And Law Enforcement Assistance Program (JALEA), in Iraq, 2008-2009. Prior to 2005 Gibson owned a Justice consulting firm (Preston Corp. – Local Justice Systems Around the World) for seven years, conducting jail crowding analytical services, other justice system assessments and reform efforts, justice IT design-advisory services, pretrial services and – often at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice. Bob was CEO/principal of a small justice software development company, and he was Technical Director in an experimental program with the Vera Institute of Justice. He worked in three jurisdictions managing local government justice programs; Fairfax Virginia (Pretrial Services Division of the District Court), Adams County Colorado Sheriff’s Department (Court Services Supervisor – pretrial and community corrections) and Alachua County Florida, corrections officer, counselor and pretrial services supervisor. Bob earned a BA in political science from the University of Florida.