The state of Iowa, located in the Midwestern region of the United States, is home to several correctional facilities that house individuals who have been convicted of crimes.
The prison system in Iowa has been the subject of much debate and scrutiny in recent years, with concerns about overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and the treatment of incarcerated individuals.
This article will explore the current state of prisons in Iowa, including their history, current conditions, and efforts to improve the system. Additionally, the article will examine the impact of the prison system on communities in Iowa, as well as the broader implications of the country’s approach to incarceration.
Iowa Prison Map
Use the Iowa prison map below to locate any facility. Click on the map markers to read our detailed guide of that facility.
State Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Level | Gender | Operator/Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anamosa State Penitentiary | Iowa | 950 | Maximum/Medium | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Clarinda Correctional Facility | Iowa | N/A | Medium | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Fort Dodge Correctional Facility | Southern Fort Dodge, Iowa | 1392 | Medium | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Iowa Correctional Institution for Women | Iowa | N/A | Minimum/Medium | Female | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Iowa State Penitentiary | Southeast Iowa | 760 | Maximum | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility | Iowa | N/A | Minimum | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| Newton Correctional Facility | Newton, Iowa | N/A | Minimum and Medium | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
| North Central Correctional Facility | Iowa | N/A | Minimum | Male | Iowa Department of Corrections |
Anamosa State Penitentiary
The Anamosa State Penitentiary (ASP) is a maximum/medium security institution located in Iowa that houses approximately 950 offenders. ASP offers a range of programs to provide opportunities for offenders to acquire academic and vocational skills.
Through a contract with Kirkwood Community College, offenders can pursue educational opportunities, including adult literacy, earning their HiSET, or taking classes leading to an Associate of Arts degree.
Iowa Prison Industries also offers various job skills training, including License Plates, Custom Woodworking, Braille Transcription, Graphic Arts, Metal Furniture, Signage, Cleaning Products, Warehouse, and Farming operations.
ASP offenders can gain apprenticeships in a variety of skills through a program recognized by the US Department of Labor. Furthermore, many offenders receive cognitive-based programming from the counseling staff.
Clarinda Correctional Facility
The Clarinda Correctional Facility (CCF) is a medium-security prison located in Iowa. Established in 1980, it primarily serves general population offenders who have no identified issues, chemically dependent offenders, intellectually disabled offenders, mentally ill offenders, and/or those diagnosed with special needs.
The facility’s mission is to create opportunities for safer communities by providing inmates with education and skills to succeed upon their release. CCF offers educational programs through Iowa Western Community College, including HiSET, Literacy, Life Skills, Digital Literacy, Microsoft Office, and Special Education Classes.
Additionally, CCF has implemented the Achieving Change Through Value-Based Behavior (ACTV) treatment program, which guides participants in behavior change using the principles of ACTV. The facility also offers opportunities through Iowa Prison Industries, where inmates gain work experience in an industrial manufacturing plant producing cargo trailers.
Employed offenders have the opportunity to participate in either the welding or mental fabricating apprenticeship program, which involves on-the-job training and classroom time, leading to certification as a journeyman.
Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility is a medium security prison located in southern Fort Dodge, Iowa. Originally designed to house 762 adult male offenders in a double occupancy celled environment, the facility underwent an expansion in 1999 to accommodate an additional 400 beds and program space.
The current rated capacity of the facility is 1392. FDCF aims to support offender responsibility and progress through participation in targeted evidence-based treatment opportunities.
The facility offers cognitive-based programs that address issues of criminal thinking, domestic abuse, and substance abuse. Educational opportunities are also provided through a partnership with Iowa Central Community College, with daily classes in HiSET, literacy, ELS, special education, and life skills.
Vocational classes and Apprentice Programs are also available to offenders, as well as the National Career Readiness Certificate to assess areas critical for successful employment.
Iowa Correctional Institution for Women
The Iowa Correctional Institution for Women is a minimum/medium security prison that provides dorm-like living units and celled housing for its offenders. In addition to providing basic necessities, ICIW also offers educational and vocational services, such as high school equivalency programs and vocational training courses.
ICIW partners with the Iowa Workforce Development to assist women with assessments and job skills. Iowa Prison Industries provides onsite vocational training. The institution emphasizes responsibility and accountability in preparing women offenders for successful reentry to the community.
Programs offered focus on interpersonal relationships, domestic violence, self-esteem, parenting, decision-making skills, victim impact, thinking patterns, and health education. The facility also has a substance abuse prevention, assessment, and referral program, as well as an in-patient substance abuse treatment program.
Iowa State Penitentiary
The Iowa State Penitentiary is a maximum security institution located in Southeast Iowa, with a capacity of up to 760 incarcerated individuals. The facility comprises two general population units, a medical unit, and one restricted housing unit.
The prison offers educational programs through Southeastern Community College and the US Department of Labor, which provide academic and vocational enrichment opportunities. The SCC offers courses in adult education such as HiSET, English as a Second Language, and basic literacy.
The Department of Labor provides apprenticeships in cabinetry, housekeeping, and food service. The prison also offers treatment programming such as Thinking for a Change, ACTIV, and LTRH for individuals in restrictive housing.
Incarcerated individuals have access to a wide range of recreational activities and work opportunities, including Iowa Prison Industries, which is located on-site. IPI provides individuals with the opportunity to learn various skills in the woodworking and cabinetry fields.
Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility
The Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility in Iowa was originally established in 1976 as a temporary unit to hold 144 offenders. However, in 2016, it was reclassified as a minimum secured facility with a focus on preparing offenders for reentry into the community.
The core programming includes Substance Abuse and Cognitive/Batters Education. The facility is located on 152 acres of grounds which are maintained by minimum out offenders under the supervision of maintenance staff.
The gardens produce close to 100,000 lbs. of food that is used to feed the offenders, which results in a $53,000 savings in food costs. The offenders also work for the local law enforcement agency, mowing lawns and waxing floors, building houses for Habitat for Humanity, and participating in a roadside clean-up crew.
The facility offers an apprenticeship program with 14 job skills training, such as welding, cabinetry, painting, etc. Iowa Prison Industries has a building on the grounds and employs an average of 33 offenders, who work 8 to 10 hours a day, with a main focus on building dorm furniture for the 3 universities in Iowa.
Through a contract with Southeastern Community College, offenders can receive their HiSET degree, literacy certificates, vocational education, and special education.
Newton Correctional Facility
The Newton Correctional Facility is a 1,476-acre tract of land located five miles south of Newton, Iowa. It is a multi-facility prison that includes both a minimum-security and medium-security facility.
The Sexual Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) at the Newton Correctional Facility provides programming to help men who have committed sexual offenses learn how to deal with their deviant thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Treatment intervention is provided through group therapy and individual counseling, with a focus on assisting individuals to accept responsibility, increase recognition, institute change, and manage sexually deviant thoughts, attitudes, and behavior.
The Correctional Release Center is charged with preparing offenders for parole, work release, or discharge. Programs emphasize the need for individuals to take responsibility for their own actions and include release preparation and cognitive behavioral programming.
Offenders may also participate in community service work programs at state agencies or private sector employment.
North Central Correctional Facility
The North Central Correctional Facility in Iowa is a minimum custody facility that houses low-risk offenders, including misdemeanants and felons. The institution focuses on individual accountability and responsibility and offers a variety of programming options to assist offenders with a successful return to the community.
The education program, which is contracted through the local area community college, offers classes such as HiSET, literacy, special education, and life skills.
Cognitive programs like Thinking for a Change and Achieving Change Through Value-Based Behavior (ACTV) are also available, as well as self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and religious support groups.
The facility offers vocational education in fields such as culinary arts, welding, forklift training, and warehouse management, as well as apprenticeship opportunities in welding, building maintenance, plumbing, baking, cooking, and carpentry.
Work opportunities for offenders include janitorial work, maintenance, landscaping, recreation, dietary, and gardening, with the gardening program producing over 30,000 pounds of vegetables annually.
Source:
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/anamosa-state-penitentiary
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/clarinda-correctional-facility
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/fort-dodge-correctional-facility
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/iowa-correctional-institution-women
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/iowa-state-penitentiary
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/mt-pleasant-correctional-facility
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/newton-correctional-facility
https://doc.iowa.gov/about-us/about-institutions/north-central-correctional-facility