Union Says Prison Attack at Anamosa Could Have Been Avoided

The Anamosa State Penitentiary in Anamosa.

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By KCRG Intern

Story Created: Jul 14, 2012 at 3:58 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 14, 2012 at 3:58 PM CDT

ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) — A top Iowa union official says better prison staffing could have prevented an assault by an inmate that sent a corrections officer to the hospital.

The Des Moines Register reports that the officer was attacked Friday at the Anamosa State Penitentiary in eastern Iowa.

Danny Homan, a representative for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, says the number of staff working in Iowa prisons has reached a dangerous low.

A state prison official called the attack an isolated incident. Iowa Department of Corrections spokeswoman Lettie Prell says no weapon was used in the assault. The officer was treated at a local hospital and released.

Prell says nearly 1,100 inmates were at the facility on Saturday. The space is designed for 911.