The goal of the Iowa Department of Corrections is to assist individuals as they work to become productive members of their communities when they reenter society.
Vision
An Iowa With No More Victims
Mission
Creating Opportunities for Safer Communities
Values and Beliefs
- People can change.
- Every person should be treated with dignity and respect.
- Our efforts help make people safer.
- We must work as a team if we are to succeed.
The Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) is responsible for nine institutions that house approximately 8,200 individuals. The department oversees the accreditation and funding of eight district correctional services departments. They supervise about 30,800 people in the community on any given day and manage all jail inspections.
The IDOC also manages Iowa Prison Industries. This is a not-for-profit program that teaches valuable job skills to incarcerated individuals.
Following the Risk Need Responsivity Model, the IDOC carries out its mission by managing a coordinated system of services and interventions within custody and community supervision levels.
- Risk. A person’s level of service should reflect their risk of recidivism.
- Need. A person’s criminal tendencies should be assessed and targeted for treatment. Those with higher risks receive the most intensive treatment.
- Responsivity. The type of intervention should correspond with the offender’s strengths and motivations.
Building protective factors that may buffer risk, and ultimately lead to a life free of criminal behavior, is a focus of the IDOC.