(1) The department is a statutorily created agency of the state of Washington. The executive head of the department is the secretary who is appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate, and serves at the pleasure of the governor. The secretary manages the department and is responsible for the administration of adult correctional programs including, but not limited to, the operation of all state correctional institutions or facilities used for the confinement of convicted felons and the supervision of certain offenders in the community. The secretary may create a succession plan to identify individuals to act as the secretary's designee.

(2) Current organizational and contact information can be found on department's public web site at http://www.doc.wa.gov/about/agency/leadership.htm.