Republicans in the state Senate want an independent review of last month’s prison escapes. Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows says a recent internal review by the Department of Corrections raised more questions than it answered.
Iverson says the Governor wants to work with the National Institute of Corrections, and that’s an “excellent idea” according to Iverson. Iverson says more people need to review the security measures at the state’s nine prisons. Two inmates escaped from the state’s maximum security prison last month, split up and then were caught a couple of days later.
Iverson says third party needs to be brought in to conduct a thorough, comprehensive and “nonpartisan” investigation to tell the public what went wrong and how to fix it. “I just think it never hurts to have someone…outside the system taking a look at the system,” Iverson says.
Iverson says the safety of Iowans is a top concern of legislators, and should be the governor’s top concern. Congressman Jim Nussle, a Republican candidate for governor, has also called for an independent review of the break-out.