1. The general assembly finds that a small but extremely dangerous group of sexually
violent predators exists which is made up of persons who do not have a mental disease or
defect that renders them appropriate for involuntary treatment pursuant to the treatment
provisions for mentally ill persons under chapter 229, since that chapter is intended to
provide short-term treatment to persons with serious mental disorders and then return
them to the community. In contrast to persons appropriate for civil commitment under
chapter 229, sexually violent predators generally have antisocial personality features that
are unamenable to existing mental illness treatment modalities and that render them likely
to engage in sexually violent behavior.
2. The general assembly finds that sexually violent predators’ likelihood of engaging in
repeat acts of predatory sexual violence is high and that the existing involuntary commitment
procedure under chapter 229 is inadequate to address the risk these sexually violent predators
pose to society.
3. The general assembly further finds that the prognosis for rehabilitating sexually
violent predators in a prison setting is poor, because the treatment needs of this population
are very long-term, and the treatment modalities for this population are very different from
the traditional treatment modalities available in a prison setting or for persons appropriate
for commitment under chapter 229.
4. Therefore, the general assembly finds that a civil commitment procedure for the
long-term care and treatment of the sexually violent predator is necessary. The procedures
regarding sexually violent predators should reflect legitimate public safety concerns, while
providing treatment services designed to benefit sexually violent predators who are civilly
\n
Tue Dec 09 22:21:24 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 229A (30, 1)
§229A.1, COMMITMENT OF SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATORS 2\n\ncommitted. The procedures should also reflect the need to protect the public, to respect
the needs of the victims of sexually violent offenses, and to encourage full, meaningful
participation of sexually violent predators in treatment programs.
98 Acts, ch 1171, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1139, §1, 27; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §19
\n
Notes of Decisions
In Re the Det. of Betsworth, 711 N.W.2d 280 (Iowa 2006).
· cites it 16× “” Iowa Code § 229A.1, para. 2. The statute defines a “sexually violent predator” as a person who has been convicted of or charged with a sexually violent offense and who suffers from a mental abnormality which makes the person likely to engage in predatory acts constituting…”
In re the Det. of Nicholas Wygle, 910 N.W.2d 599 (Iowa 2018).
· cites it 16× “Iowa Code § 229A.1. The legislative findings emphasize the limitations of services provided “in a prison setting” and that the modalities of treatment available in a prison setting 16 are different from those needed for rehabilitating sexually violent predators.”
Atwood v. Vilsack, 725 N.W.2d 641 (Iowa 2006).
· cites it 8× “See Iowa Code § 229A.1; In re Det. of Williams, 628 N.”
In Re the Det. of Calvin Matlock, Calvin Matlock, 860 N.W.2d 898 (Iowa 2015).
· cites it 8× “Iowa Code § 229A.1. The Code defines a “sexually violent predator” as a person who has been convicted of or charged with a sexually violent offense and who suffers from a mental abnormality which makes the person likely to engage in predatory acts constituting sexually violent…”
In RE the Det. of Anthony Geltz Anthony Geltz, 840 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 2013).
· cites it 6× “Therefore, the general assembly finds that a civil commitment procedure for the long-term care and treatment of the sexually violent predator is necessary.... The procedures should ...”
In Re Det. of Williams, 628 N.W.2d 447 (Iowa 2001).
· cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 229A.1. Contrasting those committed under chapter 229, the legislation states that sexually violent predators “have antisocial personality features that are unamenable to existing mental illness treatment modalities and that render them likely to engage in sexually…”
David Taft v. Iowa Dist. Court for Linn Cnty., 828 N.W.2d 309 (Iowa 2013).
· cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 229A.1. We have acknowledged that Iowa Code chapter 229A allows for the commitment of SVPs in order “ ‘to protect the public, to respect the needs of the victims of sexually violent offenses, and to encourage full, meaningful participation of sexually violent…”
In Re the Treatment & Care of Luckabaugh, 568 S.E.2d 338 (S.C. 2002).
· cites it 2× “2d at 453 (quoting Iowa Code § 229A.1). Contrasted with sexually violent predators, other involuntarily committed individuals simply “ ‘lack[ ] sufficient judgment to make responsible decisions’ and are likely to physically injure themselves or others without treatment .”
In Re the Det. of Garren, 620 N.W.2d 275 (Iowa 2000).
· cites it 3× “The preamble to the statute also suggests that the purpose of the commitment is public safety and treatment of the committed individual rather than punishment. See id.”
In Re Det. of Swanson, 668 N.W.2d 570 (Iowa 2003).
· cites it 3× “He believes that each of these factors undercut any finding of actual apprehensiveness on Eiselstein’s part, making the evidence in the case insufficient to support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt that he is a sexually violent predator. In sorting through these arguments, we…”
— Iowa Code § 229A.1(1) — 2 cases
— Iowa Code § 229A.1(11) — 1 case
In Re the Det. of Betsworth, 711 N.W.2d 280 (Iowa 2006).
“” Iowa Code § 229A.1, para. 2. The statute defines a “sexually violent predator” as a person who has been convicted of or charged with a sexually violent offense and who suffers from a mental abnormality which makes the person likely to engage in predatory acts constituting…”
— Iowa Code § 229A.1(4) — 2 cases
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.