Iowa Citizens, Esteemed International Guests (immigrants who are legally in Iowa), and Inmates may choose to join one of six Civilian Restoration Corps™ (“CRC”)  teams: Gardens Across Iowa!™, Solar Installers, FarmHire™, Road Repairers, Apartment Improvers, and Trail Trimmers.

Although Citizens and Esteemed Guests may apply to join a team of their choosing via their local County Office or a state’s new online portal, Inmates will be assigned a caseworker who will assess their situation and find which team they would be best suited for. If a prisoner is deemed unfit for CRC due to mental health or danger issues, the inmate will be given the opportunity to appeal to the Governor’s Office. Although generally the Governor’s Office will defer to the expert opinion of the caseworker, the purpose of this is to ensure caseworkers are not being cruel, as that is in fact a possibility we want to be sure we are looking into and working to prevent. We need safeguards at every level! 

Every hour the Inmate works for CRC will reduce the amount of time they are incarcerated, thus they are earning a reduced sentencing with each hour they work. This will greatly reduce the cost of Civilian Restoration Corps instead of putting cost burden on taxpayers.

On-Site Peace Officers and Mental Health Specialists

To ensure safety of the public and mental health support for participating inmates, Peace Officers and Mental Health Specialists will remain on site. By working with the CRC, inmates are preparing themselves to be ready to receive good jobs once they are released. Healthcare will be provided as needed.

Reduce Taxes by >$300 M

In 2021, Democratic lawmakers called for a $34 million increase and 300 new staff positions at the Iowa Department of Corrections (Iowa Capital Dispatch). The “Set the Captives Free!” Act, however, greatly reduces taxes while also providing a #SecondChance for incarcerated Iowans. #MercyAndCompassion instead of #EndlessFascism.

WHEREAS the Iowa Department of Corrections reports an average annual cost per inmate of $34,138 (Iowa Courts), and there are approximately 8,468 inmates incarcerated in Iowa’s state prisons/correctional facilities (Legislative Services Agency), THEREFORE the “Set the Captives Free!” Act has the potential to reduce taxes by $289 M per year ($34,138 x 8468 = $289 M). Due to the fact that this number would naturally increase over time if we don’t shift the course, this Act would in fact eventually reduce taxes by $300 M per year.

#Sondra4Governor #MercyAndCompassion #WildWIllpower

“Some people are locked up because they’re real dangers to society, but it is time we recognize that our system of scarcity sure isn’t perfect. We are quick to blame, but slow to think about the fact that concrete jungles aren’t the healthiest environments to raise human beings. Every year, we destroy more and more nature, with no end in sight. Providing Iowa’s incarcerated – who often commit ‘crimes of desperation’ – a #SecondChance, and allowing them to do work with Civilian Restoration Corpsrestoring nature and revitalizing society, might just be the type of healing they need to turn a new leaf. Let them help lay rock for the fire pits in Gardens Across Iowa!, for example. This is about mercy, compassion, and growing as a society. I ask you to have the faith of a corn kernel and trust: let’s set the captives free.“

— Sondra

Was this a $5 idea?

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References