OUR VIEW: Knapp’s sentence is too harsh
Bob Knapp paid a state record $500,000 fine for his recklessness in the Equitable Building renovation. It was proper to hit him hard for ignoring the rules about asbestos removal, especially in the heart of a busy downtown.
Certainly it would have been appropriate to also slap all kinds of requirements and restrictions on any future development projects he might undertake. Sentencing him to prison, however, makes one stop and consider what imprisonment is for.
Society gains some safety when cold-blooded killers are locked away, but one reason Iowa’s prisons are filled beyond their maximum ratings is that we’re also using incarceration to express our annoyance.
It’s only natural that Central Iowans would be angered by Knapp’s thoughtless approach to safety. The huge fine was meant to get Knapp’s attention, punish him financially and ensure that he gives his future decisions more thought.
But what will imprisonment accomplish? It’s a serious step, depriving any individual of freedom for a substantial length of time; in the end, personal liberty counts for more than any payday, any job title or honor. So when we take that step, we should be confident that it serves a purpose.
For three years, Knapp won’t be any risk to society. But in this situation, that just means that he won’t be breaking any regulations related to development or renovation.
If prison changes Knapp’s outlook and he realizes the importance of safety rules, wonderful. But if a half-million-dollar fine and plenty of public shaming wouldn’t do the trick, prison might not either.
Or look at it from a business angle. It would be less expensive to have inspectors double- and triple-checking his every professional move than to hold him in confinement.
Iowa’s prisons are well over capacity, and it’s only getting worse. We could spend millions to build more, or we could take a fresh look at the standards for imprisonment.