The safety of correctional officers and inmates at Iowa State Penitentiary has come under scrutiny after a recent violent assault on two staff members. These assaults are symptomatic of an ongoing crisis in Iowa’s prison system, which many argue is being exacerbated by the lack of leadership from Gov. Kim Reynolds.

On Sept. 23, two correctional officers were attacked by an inmate during a routine procedure, leaving one officer with serious injuries. These assaults are not isolated but represent a growing trend of violence in the state’s correctional facilities.

“These two assaults are just the latest examples of how unsafe conditions in our prisons have become in this state,” said Todd Copley, president of AFSCME Council 61. “Our correctional officers across the state of Iowa are being asked to work under dangerous, understaffed, and under-resourced conditions, and we’re not seeing the leadership we need from the governor’s office to address these issues.”

Council 61 and state employees have long called for immediate action, citing a lack of proper staffing, inadequate safety protocols and insufficient resources as key factors contributing to the rising violence in state prisons. These pleas, they argue, have been met with silence or insufficient responses from state leadership.

“Gov. Reynolds has failed to provide a plan or take meaningful action to ensure the safety of both the staff and inmates in our correctional facilities,” Copley said. “The governor's inaction is putting lives at risk every single day, and we cannot afford to wait any longer for a solution. Boasting about having saved the state $4 billion shouldn’t come at the cost of its employees’ safety.”

Council 61 is demanding urgent measures, including the hiring of more correctional staff, getting updated safety equipment and implementing comprehensive training programs to address the escalating violence.

They also want a thorough investigation into the conditions at every state-run prison and community-based correction facility to prevent future assaults.

“These brave men and women put their lives on the line every day to keep our prisons and communities secure, but they’re not being given the resources they deserve,” said Copley. “It’s time for Gov. Reynolds to step up and fix this dangerous situation before more lives are put at risk.”