Inmate Classification in Iowa

Iowa Inmate Classification

The classification system used for prison inmates is primarily designed to stratify prison populations by their tendency to commit violent acts, either in public or in the prison system (reviewed by Gaes and Camp, 2009). This approach is believed to increase the efficiency of a correctional system by housing nonviolent offenders in less costly facilities and to minimize the negative influence of the worst offenders on the relatively well-behaved, non-violent offenders. The Iowa Department of Corrections recently reviewed its inmate classification system and made significant changes. This essay will examine the classification system in use within the Iowa correctional system and how it affects the inmate distribution.

Iowa Inmate Classification System

Classification of inmates in U.S. prisons can be divided into external and internal (Austin and Hardyman, 2004). External classification determines the custody classification and facility assignment. In Iowa, prisoners are primarily classified...
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