IOWA PRISON SYSTEM LOOKS FOR WAYS TO TURN BACK THE TIDE OF INMATES

The prison population in Iowa has increased 112 percent in the last 10
1/2 years, according to figures from January 1990 to last Friday, an
Iowa prison official said.

In 1990 the Iowa Department of Corrections had 3,800 inmates
incarcerated in its facilities, said public information officer Ted
Nelson. Currently, the Iowa Department of Corrections has 8,065
inmates in the system - a 4,265 increase.

"The prison population in Iowa has gone up," Nelson said. "One thing
we're trying to do is take a look at the sentencing laws to divert
non-violent offenders - property offenders, drug offenders and other
low risk offenders - not the type of people that would normally be put
into high security prisons. They would be better treated in the community."

He categorized crimes like forgery and other white collar crimes as
examples of low risk offenses.

Nelson said that although treatment opportunities may not be abundant
"out there," the cost of supervising and treating people in the
community would be cheaper than providing inmates with bed and board
in prison.

Drug crimes represent the highest percent of inmates in Iowa prisons,
with 22 percent of the total population incarcerated for drug
offenses, he added. In 1995 only 13 percent of the inmates were in for
drug offenses.

"The increase is due to the tougher stance by lawmakers on drug
offenses and drunk driving," Nelson said. "The court system got tired
of seeing the same people come in over and over again, so they send
them to prison."

The next highest category of inmates is the 13.3 percent incarcerated
for sex crimes, followed by 12.3 percent incarcerated for burglary-
related crimes.

"Those in for sex crimes would remain in prison," Nelson said. "Those
are offenses against people."

Lee County houses a substantial number of Iowa's inmates.

In Lee County there are 903 inmates, with 557 in the maximum security
prison in Fort Madison; 11 inmates from all over the state in the
penitentiary's medical care unit; 168 in the John Bennett Correctional
Facility (a medium security facility within the penitentiary); and 79
and 88 inmates in the two prison farms.

When the special needs facility is completed at the Fort Madison
Penitentiary, the inmate count will increase, with special needs
inmates from prisons in Iowa served by that facility.

"We also have halfway houses and residential facilities," Nelson said.
"They are also full."

Nelson said the correctional system is not suggesting the prisons
reduce their population of drug offenders.

"We aren't going to dump them out on the community. They will go
through residential facilities and halfway houses," he added. tests
have been developed in the inmate screening process to see who
qualifies for a community program, he said.

"We're suggesting spending the money on them and supervising and
treating them in the community - have them out there working," Nelson
said. "We believe our chances of treating them are good."

However, treatment resources in the community would have to be
increased, including out-patient resources.

"As you know, all agencies in Iowa took a hefty funding hit this year,
and next year it may not change - it may be worse," Nelson said. "We
have many drug offenders and they need treatment. And we can reduce
prison population by treating them in the community while having them
under stringent supervision.

"It's not only drug offenses, but offenses that can be treated out in
the community as well as in here."

Nelson characterized the tactics as a shift of funds - not enough
funds in corrections shifted to not enough funds for treatment in the
community.

Bill Bauer, an assistant director for the administration with Alcohol
and Drug Dependency Services (ADDS), said Southeast Iowa's ADDS had an
across-the-board 15 percent cut in funding this year.

The agency, which would provide drug treatment for inmates released
into the community for outpatient services, is funded by a federal
block grant that is funneled through the state to ADDS, by state
funds, local funds from the United Way and funds from counties, cities
and gifts.

"Theoretically, we are directly in line to absorb the treatment of
inmates, but our budget was rolled back somewhat," Bauer said. "Part
of that reduction came when Lee County (the board of supervisors)
"defunded' us. We found it necessary to close the Fort Madison Office,
so naturally Lee County does not have the level of service it had."

The Keokuk ADDS office on Main Street is open.

Bauer said an increase in community treatment also would necessitate
additions built onto existing residential and halfway house
facilities.