John W. Roberts was born in North Carolina and has lived in Virginia since moving here from Chicago, Illinois in 1957.  He has worked in the field of corrections since 1972 where he began as the Program Director for Juvenile Detention.  He later served as the Finance Director for the Tidewater Regional Group Home Commission from 1974 to 1986.  He then worked for the Virginia Department of Corrections from 1981 until 1996 as the Regional Manager for Community Corrections.  He was hired as the Jail Administrator for the Newport News Department of Adult Corrections in June of 1996, and was promoted to the Department Director's position in December of 2003.

Mr. Roberts is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications.  He is also a graduate of Norfolk State University where he received a Master of Arts Degree in Human Resources Planning and Administration.

Mr. Roberts is a member of the American Correctional Association, American Jail Association, Virginia Correctional Association, and International Halfway House Association.  He also serves as an auditor for the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections.

As Director of Adult Corrections, Mr. Roberts' primary goal is to provide the community with a secure and professionally managed corrections agency; one which provides opportunities for inmates to become productive members of the community upon release, and provide them with additional skills to assist them in this endeavor, while at the same time keeping the community safe for those who live in the City of Newport News.