Victim: Repeat offenders need stiffer penalties

Tiffany Allison was the fifth victim of the man who beat her with a wrought iron cross, urinated on her, bit her and held her against her will overnight five years ago.

She wasn't Scotty Wayne Parks' last victim, however.

Within a year of Parks' release from prison, he bit another woman's face so hard that she is now permanently disfigured.

Allison, 34, of Des Moines is working with Iowa Sen. Matt McCoy to get a bill passed in the next Iowa legislative session that would classify a person as a habitual offender the third time they are convicted of a domestic abuse charge. The designation would require offenders to serve at least 80 percent of their sentences. They would not be allowed early release for good behavior.

"In light of what we know about domestic abuse and violence, there needs to be a re-examination of good time and how we, in essence, coddled some of these violent offenders," McCoy said. "We are putting violent offenders back on the streets too soon."

According to court documents, Parks served 10 months of a 2 1/2-year sentence for felony domestic assault for his attack of Allison.

After Parks' most recent offense, he was found guilty of burglary in the second degree and willful injury and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Under Iowa's good behavior policy, Parks could be released after serving one to three years of his sentence, Allison said.

The proposed law, if it were in effect now, would affect 86 of Iowa's approximately 8,000 prisoners, McCoy said. "If this keeps offenders off the streets longer, then I think this law would be a good thing," he said.

Allison said she is pushing for passage of the bill for several reasons. She wants to hold offenders accountable for their actions, allow offenders enough time to get meaningful treatment, eliminate light sentences in cases of violent behavior and shield the community from violent offenders.

"I hope people realize how serious this is," Allison said. "It's accepted in our society. It's more of an epidemic than people think it is."