Opinion ID: 2160870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Violation of Section 246.513.

Text: Kapell contends that the district court violated Iowa Code section 246.513 by sentencing him to the Department of Corrections for two years and then ordering that he complete the OWI continuum program in a community-based facility. Kapell asserts that section 246.513 gives authority only to the director of the Iowa Department of Corrections to assign offenders to a treatment facility. The State concedes that the director has this authority. The State argues, however, that the trial court's sentencing order did not infringe upon the director's right to choose the treatment facility. We agree. Section 246.513 provides in pertinent part: 1. a. The department of corrections in cooperation with judicial district departments of correctional services shall establish in each judicial district a continuum of programming, including residential facilities and institutions, for the supervision and treatment of offenders convicted of violating chapter 321J who are sentenced to the custody of the director. The department of corrections shall develop standardized assessment criteria for the assignment of offenders to a facility established pursuant to this chapter. ... .... b. [T]he offender shall be assigned to a community-based correctional program. 1991 Iowa Acts ch. 219, § 9, (amending Iowa Code § 246.513 (1991)) (emphasis added). [2] Thus, section 246.513 requires the Department of Corrections to place an OWI offender such as Kapell in a community-based treatment facility. Because the Department of Corrections is assigned the task of developing criteria for the assignment of offenders to a facility, we conclude the department is given the responsibility to choose the appropriate facility. The court's sentencing order reflected the impact of this statute: The Defendant is adjudged guilty of the crime Operating While IntoxicatedSecond Offense, in violation of Section 321J.2 of the Iowa Code. IT IS THE SENTENCE OF THE COURT under that Section and Section 903.1, as follows: .... 2. SENTENCE: Defendant is sentenced to the Department of Corrections for two years and pursuant to Iowa Code Section 246.513 he shall complete the OWI Continuum program in a community-based facility, such as the one in West Union, Iowa. The Defendant shall be held in the Winneshiek County Jail until such time as bed space becomes available. (Emphasis added.) We believe the court did nothing improper in sentencing Kapell to the Department of Corrections and also stating that he shall complete the OWI Continuum program in a community-based facility. The court did not assign Kapell to a particular facility; that decision was left to the director of the Department of Corrections. Rather, the court merely informed Kapell that his sentence to the Department of Corrections would result in assignment to a community-based facility. We believe the court's statement of the statutorily-mandated outcome of a sentence to the Department of Corrections did not contravene section 246.513.