Mental health advocate says current conditions at JoCo prison are inadequate

By Paul D. Bowker

IOWA CITY

Leslie Carpenter, a University of Iowa adjunct professor specializing in physical therapy and severe brain disorders, appeared before the Johnson County Board of Supervisors last week and offered another reason to fund a new county jail.

“We have a social responsibility to accommodate these people, all of them, humanely,” she said during her presentation on mental health at the August 21 working session. “Unfortunately, we are not doing that at the moment, even though there are really good people working in the prison.”

Carpenter recently took a tour of the Johnson County Sheriff's Department and Jail.

“They're storing equipment in the hallways because there's no other place to keep it,” Carpenter said. “They're doing the best they can, but from my perspective, it's really scary.”

Carpenter worked as a physical therapist for over 30 years and is now a major organizer of the Iowa Mental Health Advocacy and frequently speaks on brain disorders.

The county jail is over 40 years old and is constantly being inspected for structural deficiencies. A recent proposal for an $80 million jail has been met with mixed reactions.

Supervisor Royceann Porter was among the most vocal supporters of a new jail, while Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz opposed a proposal that would have more than 100 beds in a new facility.

“We definitely need a more humane prison,” said Fixmer-Oraiz. “I think we can all agree on that.”

Committee on Criminal Justice

A renewed Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee will include all five Johnson County supervisors, Sheriff Brad Kunkel and District Attorney Rachel Zimmerman Smith and will begin meetings in October.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Rod Sullivan said the committee, which is still being formed, will likely consist of 21 or 22 people. All meetings will be open to the public. Monthly meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Thursday afternoon of each month.

The committee's mandate is to “make specific recommendations regarding policies, procedures and practices relevant to policy makers,” it says in a summary.

Other committee members include Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Leston, Assistant District Judge Brandon Schrock and Michelle Heinz of Inside Out Reentry.

Board actions

The Board has scheduled September 12 at 5:30 p.m. for its monthly formal evening meeting, which will include a series of public hearings related to zoning and subdivision requests and a proposed amendment to the Johnson County Unified Development Ordinance.

The Board appointed Aria Guzulaityte of Iowa City to a three-year term as a member of the Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board.

Next meeting:

The next official meeting of the Board of Directors will be on August 29th at 9:00 a.m.