The head of Iowa’s prison system says guards might not be safe if there are any more staff cuts. Department of Corrections director Kip Kautzky says he’s most concerned about cuts planned for education and community-based programs for inmates, things he says help keep prisoners busy, out of trouble, and better-adjusted to return to outside life once their time is served. Kautzky says at least, lawmakers should consider cutting sentences to ease the rising number of prisoners in the system.He says Iowa’s one of the top five states for increasing inmate numbers. Republican Senator Gene Maddox of Clive says he’ll watch to see if things get to the point of endangering state prison workers.Maddox says using the state’s emergency fund might be justified if the situation in the prisons gets dangerous. Maddox hopes to get some sentencing reform passed this session, like cutting minimum sentences for felons whose cases didn’t involve personal injury.
