PRISON SOLUTION: COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES

I take issue with several remarks made by Corrections Director W. L. "Kip"
Kautzky ("Prison Director Warns of Overuse," April 6). Kautzky, once again,
beats the drum for construction of a new prison. Building a new prison is
not the only option Iowa has to address prison crowding.

Waiting lists at community-based correction facilities cause a backlog of
offenders in prison awaiting release. If the waiting lists at our
community-based corrections were eliminated and 200 more community beds
were constructed, approximately 625 inmates could move out of prison. This
would cost a fraction of the general funds needed for operations as
compared with a new prison, and it would tap the infrastructure fund for
construction costs.

Sentencing policy should be based on public safety and not driven by
"inventory" reduction, as Kautzky suggests. Sentencing policy based
strictly on reducing the number of prisoners in order to save money is not
a goal worth achieving. Protecting the public is the ultimate goal of
criminal sentencing and a basic responsibility of government.

A key part of the "reform" Kautzky supports is to reduce the prison
sentences for the 85 percent crimes, that, following the Class A felonies,
are the "worst of the worst." These crimes include murder II, attempted
murder, sexual abuse II, kidnapping II and robbery I and II.

The 85 percent offenders represent a very small fraction of the inmates in
prisons. Inmates serving life sentences represent another very small
fraction. Beyond those two groups are the vast majority of offenders who
could be paroled today if the Iowa Board of Parole felt their risk
assessment warranted early release. The Board of Parole cannot release
inmates with a high-risk assessment, especially in the current situation
where we have fewer probation and parole officers maintaining higher
caseloads of offenders.

Adequate funding for Iowa's community-based corrections is the best way to
enhance fair and cost-effective criminal sentencing policy in Iowa. A
comprehensive list of sentencing alternatives and the statewide
availability of treatment programs, such as drug courts, are the keys to
meaningful reform.

The Legislature should continue to strengthen Iowa's community-based
corrections rather than provide for early release of our most violent
offenders.

Pamela K. Dettmann Sac County attorney, president, Iowa County Attorneys
Association, Sac City.