• 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 / Criminals won’t be able to buy way out of community service

Criminals won’t be able to buy way out of community service

February 23, 2011 By O. Kay Henderson

Criminals wouldn’t be able to “buy” their way out of community service under legislation that has cleared the Iowa Senate.

A recently enacted state law gave judges the authority to let those convicted of lesser crimes make a contribution to a charity of their choice in order to skip court-ordered community service. Senator Gene Fraise, a Democrat from Fort Madison, says the state’s judges don’t like it.

“The courts have told us they have no way of tracking whether those people make those contributions or not,” Fraise says.

Fraise sees irony in the current state law. “You make a donation to a charitable organization and you become a real nice person because you committed a crime, and so I just can’t accept that,” Fraise says. “So all this does is just say you will now do your community service instead of making a contribution.” 

Senator Nancy Boettger, a Republican from Harlan, says allowing criminals to write a check so they avoid community service reminds her of the worst side of machine-style politics.

“I grew up in Chicago where there was an opportunity all the time to donate to the policeman’s ball or some other form of a ‘non-profit’ sort of organization,” Boettger says. “And this (bill) really gets to the heart of cleaning that up.” 

The bill passed the Senate on a 48-0 vote and now goes to the House for consideration.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Democratic Party, Legislature, Republican Party

Featured Stories

Iowa State Patrol tactical team leader killed in Grundy Center stand-off

Finalists chosen for the state’s top burger

Paintings by Clinton woman gain a following in Europe

Iowa deadline for individual income taxpayers moved to June 1

Dialing rules changing for two area codes in Iowa

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State adds Minnesota transfer

Cedar Rapids preparing for big return of sports events

Iowa Games returning with full slate of sports

Iowa’s Garza sweeps national awards

Iowa’s Garza claims three national awards

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC