Mr. Dickens began his correctional career as a corrections officer at the Oregon State Penitentiary. After attending law school, he served as the General Counsel for the Washington County Sheriff's Office where he was involved in jail operations, writing jail policies, and defending correctional litigation for over twenty years.

He taught criminal justice at the University of Phoenix for several years. Mr. Dickens also taught at the Oregon Department of Public Safety and Standards basic corrections and basic police academies for a number of years. He served as a faculty member for Americans for Effective Law Enforcement for many years, presenting at the annual Jail and Prisoner Legal Issues seminar in Law Vegas. He is also a faculty member for the Institute for the Prevention of In Custody Death.

He serves as the General Counsel for the Oregon State Sheriff's Association, and is the primary author of the Oregon Jail Standards, which is used by all county jails in Oregon. Mr. Dickens is the President of ELSI Legal LLC, and he provides correctional training in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Montana and Colorado. He also provides expert witness services and corrections consulting for both plaintiffs and defense through ELSI Legal LLC. Expert witness services are available for various correctional issues including use of force, jail and prison operations, housing, segregation, deliberate indifference, failure to protect, and religious accommodations.