Dr. Stephens has extensive experience in correctional behavioral health. He has been the Director or Chief of Mental/Behavioral Health for the US state Departments of Correction. In those roles he has been responsible for all aspects of behavioral health, including overseeing the psychiatric, psychological, mental health, substance abuse, and sexual offending treatment services for systems ranging from 2000 to 30,000 inmates. Although these roles have been primarily administrative, he has provided clinical services to inmates at all custody levels, thus giving him a clear understanding of the issues and challenges presented in providing treatment in correctional facilities of all security or custody levels.

Dr. Stephens has a strong academic background in correctional mental health. He has been the academic Dean of a graduate school of psychology, where he developed the first correctional psychology concentration in a clinical psychology doctoral program in the US. He is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Correctional Healthcare, and developed the curriculum, "Planning and Implementing Effective Mental Health Services in Jails" for the US National Institute of Corrections.

Dr. Stephens has been a correctional mental health consultant for the US National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. In this role he assessed and recommended improvements for large US jail systems and the Illinois Department of Corrections. The study of the Illinois Department of Corrections was commissioned by the state of Illinois Governor.

Dr. Stephens was a member of the Governor's Task Force on Traumatic Brain Injury in Colorado in 2009. His neuroscience in corrections experience includes serving on this task force, as well as presenting to multiple conference on the neuroscience of justice architecture.