• 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 / News / Partisan debate develops over budget for Iowa prisons

Partisan debate develops over budget for Iowa prisons

April 16, 2019 By O. Kay Henderson

Rob Hogg

Democrats are urging Republicans in the legislature who control the budgeting process to boost spending for the state’s prisons. Over the past two years, spending for the Iowa Department of Corrections has been reduced significantly.

“There’s a real price that Iowans are paying because of that failure to fund corrections,” said Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids.

According to Hogg, the number of inmates who commit another crime three years after they’ve been released from prison has jumped to 37 percent.

“What’s the consequence of that?” Hogg asks. “At 37 percent recidivism, at the higher rate of release from our prisons, that’s more than 440 additional crimes being committed where there are more victims.”

Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola is the Republican co-chair of the panel that drafted next year’s plan for prison spending.

“I don’t remember a time when our friends on the other side didn’t argue that we weren’t spending enough. That’s just the pattern,” Garrett said. “And I predict we’re going to see that on every single budget bill we’re going to bring up this year.”

Shortly after Garrett’s remarks, the spending plan for corrections passed on a party-line vote — Republicans voting yes and Democrats in the Senate voting no.

House Republicans say the budget for prisons has not been cut dramatically and is getting a small increase this next year.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

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

Featured Stories

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

‘Brain-eating amoeba’ discovered in Taylor County lake

Cedar Rapids therapist’s relationship with student leads to years in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Hutchinson calls Iowa State a perfect fit

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

First minor league game gets things started tonight at Field of Dreams site

Knoxville set to host sprint car racing’s biggest event

Iowa State basketball builds on its identity

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC