Overview
The Department has developed a strategic plan that is designed to take Iowa from having a good correctional agency to a national leader in how a state can do corrections. It will require focusing on 3 core priorities and 5 target areas. Both the core priorities and the target areas will be understandable, actionable, and measurable so that all team members can clearly see how their work is contributing towards the desired goals. By focusing on these priorities and target areas, the department can accomplish its 5-year goal of creating a 10% increase in the Reentry Success Rate. Currently, the RSR is 60.2%. By the end of FY2026, the department’s RSR will be at least 70%. Not only will the department be accomplishing its mission of making Iowa safer, but it will also move Iowa from a RSR of 25th in the nation to the top 10 in the country.
The 3 Core Priorities
These 3 Core Priorities are foundational for the department, but if not specifically measured, can go overlooked or stagnated. Each of these three core priorities have symbiotic relationships with one another.
When improvements are made in one of the core priorities, it leads to improvements in the other two. If we can identify, set goals, measure progress and make improvements in these three priorities, the department’s mission can be accomplished.
The 3 Core Priorities are:
- Security & Safety
- Treatment & Programing
- Reentry
5 Target Areas
While taking specific steps to improve upon the 3 core priorities will be important, the department will also focus on 5 very specific target areas that will individually fuel improvements that will feed into the 3 core priorities. These target areas will be clear, actionable, achievable, and measurable.
The 5 Target Areas:
- Train and Empower
- Reduce Risk & Increase Protective Factors
- Reduce Barriers
- Continuous Quality Improvement
- Reducing racial disparities and increasing a diverse workforce