Radio Iowa
FORT MADISON, Iowa — Governor Branstad will be in Fort Madison Wednesday for a ribbon cutting at the new Iowa State Penitentiary. Reporters were given a tour of the $130 million facility today.
John Baldwin is the Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections. “This new prison will really give the staff and the offenders much more opportunity to improve their lives,” Baldwin said. “It’s much brighter, with much better sight lines and cameras everywhere.” Inmates will begin moving into the new 800-bed prison early next year.
The facility is replacing a maximum security prison that was built in 1839, the oldest prison west of the Mississippi River. “The old place is just wonderfully historic, but after 175 years of being a prison, it’s probably time to have a brand new prison,” Baldwin said.
Full story: Corrections officials highlight features of new $130 million prison