DES MOINES — Iowa’s prison recidivism rate — the percentage of inmates who re-offend and are returned to correctional facilities — continues to decline, according to state corrections officials.
On the heels of five consecutive years of that rate increasing, Iowa’s recidivism rate has fallen for the last three consecutive years.
The latest data was published recently by the Iowa Department of Corrections. According to the department, the state’s three-year recidivism rate in the 2023 state budget year was 34.3 percent; that was 2.7 percentage points lower than the 2022 rate, and the third consecutive year in which the rate fell.
The decline in recidivism began after the 2022 state budget year, when the rate was 39.6 percent. The rate measures individuals who are released from prison and then re-offend within three years and are imprisoned again.
In comparison, 62 percent of prisoners across 34 states who were released in 2012 were back in prison by 2015, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report in 2021. A smaller study of 21 states found data more on par with Iowa’s ratio — showing that 39 percent of inmates released in 2012 were back in prison three years later.
“Our state’s recidivism rate is a key indicator in determining if what we’re doing is having the intended impact,” Beth Skinner, director of the Iowa Department of Corrections, said in a statement when the latest data was announced. “Not only have we lowered our recidivism rate for three consecutive years, in (the most recent state budget year) we saw our biggest reduction yet.
“This is a department-wide effort and these efforts are producing outcomes that positively impact public safety. I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication of our staff in keeping Iowa communities safe.”
In an interview, Skinner said a multitude of efforts, programs and factors have gone into reducing Iowa’s recidivism rate over the past three years.
She especially praised corrections workers across the state. Skinner said while there are some corrections staff who are specifically dedicated to helping ensure that incarcerated individuals do not re-offend upon release, that effort more generally applies to all corrections workers.
She said corrections workers are schooled in evidence-based practices to help give incarcerated individuals the best chance to be successful upon their release.
“Staff are key in these efforts. They’re committed to the mission,” Skinner said. “It’s everyone’s job in the department to reduce recidivism and help rehabilitate individual that are under our supervision.”
Skinner also credits some programs that are designed to help prepare incarcerated individuals for their return to life after release.
One such program, the nonprofit Homes for Iowa, puts released individuals in jobs building homes. Under the program, homes are constructed near the Newton Correctional Release Facility. The homes are built by the correction department’s job-training program Iowa Prison Industries, which also trains the crew. Homes for Iowa then sells the homes and coordinates moving them.
Incarcerated crew members participate in the program voluntarily, typically through a recruitment and interview process, according to Homes for Iowa. Crew members are trained in all aspects of homebuilding, and can earn construction certificates and start apprenticeships in electrical, plumbing and carpentry.
“Our Mission is to provide state of the art building trades training and re-entry employment assistance to reduce recidivism while constructing quality homes for sale to Iowans across the state,” Homes for Iowa says on its website.
Since the program launched in 2019, the recidivism rate of participants is just 6.1 percent, according to Homes for Iowa. Through the program, 78 crew members have earned certificates and Homes for Iowa has built, sold or moved 76 homes in 36 Iowa counties. The program is funded in part by an Iowa Finance Authority grant plus from federal pandemic relief funds.
In addition to apprenticeship programs like Homes for Iowa, Skinner said another key element to helping reduce recidivism is ensuring inmates who have not are able to earn their high school diploma.
Skinner said all department programs are evaluated to ensure they accomplish their objectives.
Skinner and Gov. Kim Reynolds said they believe the recent reorganization of the executive branch of state government will help a newly streamlined corrections department drive down the state’s recidivism rate even more.
“Three consecutive years of reducing Iowa’s recidivism rate is a clear indicator that what we’re doing in our correctional system is working,” Reynolds said in a statement. “And now that community-based corrections have been placed under the purview of the (corrections department), I’m confident our alignment efforts will produce even greater results.”
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