• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Corrections Department has not discussed furloughs

Corrections Department has not discussed furloughs

October 22, 2009 By Matt Kelley

Just over 3,900 people are currently employed by the Iowa Department of Corrections. That number would be slashed to nearly 3,400 under the department’s plan to comply with the governor’s 10% across-the-board budget cut.

Brad Hier is the Deputy Director of Administration for the Department of Corrections. “This is a very trying and challenging time, to say the least,” Hier said. “We know that the plans laid out there right now…are preliminary. We know we’ll get through it, we’ll protect the public and safety for the staff and offender population. The vision and mission of the department does not change.”

The Corrections Department is financed almost entirely by state money. Hier says corrections officials, up to this point, have not discussed implementing furloughs to reduce the layoffs. “I believe there are other departments that have furlough considerations in their plans. The Department of Corrections does not,” Hier said. The job cutting plan also includes a proposal to close four towers overlooking the prison yard at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. Hier says several other towers would remain open at various times.

“We would have many towers still open…at critical spots of that facility,” Hier said. In 2005, corrections officials blamed budget cuts for the escape of two inmates from the Fort Madison prison. The convicts climbed a prison wall near a security tower that was unstaffed. The two men, both serving life sentences, split up after the escape. One was was captured three days later in Illinois. The other convict was captured four days after the escape in Missouri.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, Politics / Govt

Featured Stories

Governor signs Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard into law

Jury returns guilty verdict in shooting death of State Trooper

Summit has easements for 20% of carbon pipeline route through Iowa

Morel mushroom hunters on hold without warmer conditions

Trinity Health aquiring all MercyOne health properties

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa Special Olympics Summer games set to open in Ames

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 5/16/22

Iowa assistant coach Kirk Speraw to retire

Northern Iowa prepares for Missouri Valley Conference softball tournament

T.J. Otzelberger announces staff changes at Iowa State

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC