Iowa prisons swelter without air conditioning
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Anamosa State Penitentiary. Photo: Courtesy of State of Iowa
More than 2,000 incarcerated Iowans and correctional officers are enduring 90-plus-degree heat without air conditioning this summer, even as the state sits on nearly $8 million that advisers say could fix the problem, Iowa Capital Dispatch (ICD) reports.
Why it matters: Heat isn't just a comfort issue, but a safety one as well. In 2024, a man died at an unairconditioned Illinois prison during a heatwave.
- Research on Mississippi inmates also found violent interactions rose 20% on days averaging 80 degrees.
State of play: Gov. Kim Reynolds, with the support of the Iowa Department of Corrections, requested $8.1 million from the Legislature last year to help install air conditioning at the Anamosa State Penitentiary and the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility.
- Both facilities house over 1,000 men, and the department has requested funding for AC over the last 15 years.
Yes, but: Iowa lawmakers did not approve the funding this session, though the Department of Corrections has additional money that could go toward air conditioning.
- The state has sold more than 1,500 acres of unused prison farmland, following a consultant's advice in 2023. After the state used some of the proceeds for repairs and office renovations, nearly $8 million is left over, ICD reports.
What they're saying: When ICD asked the Department of Corrections if that leftover money could be used for air conditioning, officials didn't say, noting that spending is based on "most imminent needs" that are at the discretion of leadership.
- "I think the most important thing is to make sure the staff and inmates' health is the priority with the air conditioning," Trent Keller, chair of the Iowa Board of Corrections, told ICD.
The other side: Iowa Rep. Jacob Bossman (R-Sioux City) chairs the budget committee that helps decide prison infrastructure projects. He notes that Republican lawmakers have invested in prison projects, such as repairs and adding capacity.
- "So long as Iowa House Republicans remain in the majority, the comfort of convicted criminals will never take priority over the safety of law-abiding Iowans," he said in a statement to ICD.
The intrigue: Iowa's new "three strikes" law is projected to increase Iowa's prison population by 50% and cost $1.9 billion in new capacity, according to the nonprofit Legislative Services Agency.
- The law ends deferred or suspended sentences for habitual offenders, raises the minimum sentence for habitual offenders from three to seven years, and changes the maximum sentence from 15 to 20 years.
What's next: The sale of another 1,300 acres of farmland near Anamosa could bring another $10 million to the department, ICD reports.