« Myths have a way of hiding what we don't want to see | Main | AL: Land sold to fund state's prisons »
May 30, 2007
IA: New director focuses on future of state’s prisons
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
New director focuses on future of state’s prisons
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DES MOINES — Iowa’s new director of corrections says he will use his skills as a consensus builder in the debate over the future of the state’s prisons.
John Baldwin, 57, was named the state’s top prison official in April, succeeding Gary Maynard who left to take a job in Maryland.
Baldwin, a Fort Dodge native, said he will try to help the state’s political leaders find common ground on the issues, which include a growing population of women inmates and outdated prisons.
‘‘I think I have a very open style. I try for consensus where at all possible,’’ Baldwin said in an interview with The Des Moines Register.
He said one of his priorities will be to emphasize fundamental skills for correctional workers to ensure their safety and to help inmates be successful once they are released.
Baldwin, who has served as interim director on three different occasions, said he will be seeking input from the state’s wardens, directors of community corrections and the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union that represents correctional officers.
‘‘Within the next year and a half, we are going to craft programs that are tailored for each one of those’’ prisons and community corrections districts, Baldwin said.
‘‘They are going to be different in Fort Madison than Rockwell City, and they are going to be different in the 5th District than they are in the 3rd District.’’
A report submitted to the Legislature by the Durrant Group, an Iowa-based consultant, called for a $200 million program to upgrade the state’s prisons.
Baldwin said he agrees that the antiquated maximum-security prison at Fort Madison must be replaced and that programs for female inmates should be consolidated at the Mitchellville prison — a project that would require more construction.
He also wants to build more community corrections centers because nearly 400 inmates are on waiting lists to enter the residential centers.
‘‘If we concentrate on those two prisons — at Fort Madison and Mitchellville — and on the community corrections side, we would go a long way toward solving some of those overcrowding issues,’’ he said.
He said the state also must address the growing number of women in prison — a group that is growing at a faster than men.
Baldwin wants to develop a gender-specific system to classify inmates, updating a system developed 25 years ago.
He also wants to focus on a treatment program for women that deals with substance abuse and family issues.
‘‘Women have different needs, and I think we can address some of them in the community,’’ he said. ‘‘Women, on average, come into prison with less violent crimes than men, and they stay fewer months in prison, and they recidivate at a lower rate. We should be able to craft some programs to expand upon that and keep the women in the community.’’
http://www.timesrepublican.com/Central%20Iowa/articles.asp?articleID=9924
Posted by lois at May 30, 2007 10:14 AM