After a short stint in the military Rob returned to graduate school where he earned his Ph.D. in public administration and continued working at the research center there. His focus again was criminal justice, and his work brought him in contact with still more agencies. Specifically Rob became interested in and learned more about corrections. Rob further began to establish a network of contacts which were to become important to him as his career in corrections developed. In 1975 Rob completed his Ph.D. and immediately went to work for the Bureau of Prisons.
Corrections offers one of the most unique and challenging management opportunities.
It is never boring. The issues are so diverse, whether it is safety, utilities, infrastructure, or grounds, to name just some. From my point of view, it was a unique career, one which even had a 'mystique' . Rob's first job with the Bureau was actually a transition position from his work in research. For about six months he continued as a researcher studying halfway houses.