It’s been a week since Doug Burris’ short-term contract ended as commissioner of corrections over the St. Louis City Justice Center, and he says he wishes he could have done more for the troubled jail.

Burris was first hired by the city as a consultant in December 2024 to assess and recommend fixes to the facility where 20 people have died in custody since 2020.

Since stepping into the interim position in January, two detainees died under Burris’ leadership — 31-year-old Samuel Hayes Jr. died in July after he was placed in a restraint chair, and Derek Dean, 48, died in March. The St. Louis City Justice Center has been riddled with internal problems and controversy for years, and although he entered with ambitious goals to increase staffing and improve morale, Burris says he didn’

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