Meeting Public Comments

Patrick Purtill [Faith & Freedom Coalition]

On behalf of the over 2.5 million members and supporters of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, I write in support of HSB 6 which would make improvements to Iowas probation system designed to reduce recidivism and thereby improve public safety and reduce costs to taxpayers. There are three elements to HSB 6 that we are especially supportive of. First, the creation of discharge and educational credits will incentivize probationers to comply with the terms of their probation and facilitate their safe reentry into our communities. The creation of educational credits is especially beneficial because it not only incentivizes compliance with the terms of probation but also incentivizes tangible steps to permanently improve the probationers employment prospect through education. Creating a mechanism to reward and increase prosocial behavior will reduce crime and victimization as well as the high costs of supervision and incarceration. Second, the creation of a graduated sanctions regime for technical violations of probation has proven extremely effective. Graduated sanctions give the probation officer a tool to address technical violations immediately and holds the probationer accountable rather than ignoring the violation until the only recourse for the probation officer is revocation and reincarceration. Graduated sanctions promote successful supervision and public safety while reducing the high costs of incarceration borne by the Iowa taxpayer. Third, reducing the number of Iowans under supervision will enable the probation system to better focus its resources on those individuals with the highest likelihood of recidivating. By providing a path to early termination for those individuals who demonstrate a commitment to lawabiding and productive behavior, public safety resources can be focused on those individuals that pose a greater threat to their communities. HSB 6 will make Iowa safer, save significant tax dollars, and encourage the kind of prosocial behavior that makes our communities and families stronger and healthier. Thank you for considering our views as you work on this issue.