More than punishment

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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When thinking of your children and grandchildren and the kind of world you want them to live in, do you want a society that responds quickly if they become a victim of crime, or do you prefer that they not become a victim of crime to begin with?”

The question is as relevant today as it was when 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services Director Gary Hinzman asked it nearly two decades ago. And it neatly captures the philosophy upon which the outgoing community corrections leader built his career.

In 24 years at the helm, Hinzman broadened our understanding of the role of community corrections. He doggedly pursued the financial and community resources to put that philosophy into practice. His work earned him many local and national distinctions. More than that, it changed lives.

When Hinzman joined Correctional Services in 1989, he brought more than a dozen years' experience as a police officer, including time as one of Cedar Rapids' youngest chiefs of police.

He brought with him a broad vision that in order to keep our communities safe, his department should do all it could to interrupt cycles and address root causes of criminal behavior. His work to that end was far-reaching, from development of a comprehensive correctional campus to establishment of restorative justice programs serving crime victims, offenders and the community.

He helped launch Weed & Seed and Partnership for Safe Neighborhood initiatives and created the non-profit Community Corrections Improvement Association, which contributes about $1 million each year in additional program supports, such as transitional housing for offenders and their families and Children of Promise programs targeting at-risk youth.

We all have benefitted from Hinzman's view that criminal offenders should not just be punished, but rehabilitated into productive, law-abiding citizens.

We also hope that Hinzman's work is advanced in the years to come.

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