Hi everyone! Thanks again for including me in your studies.
[Narrating now in third-person.]
Patrick Irving: 43-years old. 11.5 years spent incarcerated, 7 years on supervision.
Currently residing at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, a roughly 535-bed facility that opened in 1989 to confine Idaho’s most disruptive prisoners.
Involved with the criminal justice system off and on since childhood, now serving a 15-to-40 year sentence for 2 counts of arson. (Previously convicted as an adult for trafficking marijuana.)
Has been incarcerated in a range of facilities, including a short-term juvenile facility, privately operated and state-operated mental health facilities, municipal and private jails (short-term), multiple prisons — some of which were operated for a profit by private corporations.
Has also experienced community supervision as a juvenile and adult.
Patrick has his struggles, some of which he has managed to creatively capture and share through bookofirving82431.com.
See: Hey ChatGPT, Am I A Bad Influence?
See: Book of Irving Oddcast, No. 2
During his arrest and presentence investigation:
He maintained that he was a homeless schizophrenic because he felt it the least consequential explanation that he could offer for his behavior. The truth involved a substantial inventory of illicit chemicals and some very questionable online activities.
Pre-sentence investigations and pre-parole hearing investigations:
Per the Violent Risk Assessment Guide that Idaho uses to assess criminal offenders, admission of childhood/sexual abuse, drug use or mental health issues are considered against criminal offenders, adding to their risk level.
Representation: Tucker Vs. Idaho is an ongoing case concerning Idaho’s ability to provide adequate public representation to individuals defending themselves in criminal courts
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Idaho became a state in 1890.
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- The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is an agency of the State of Idaho.
- 14 facilities throughout the state of Idaho–9 prisons, five community reentry centers — contracts one out-of-state prison in Arizona
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Idaho prisons hold approximately 8,000 individuals. Due to overflow, we also frequently house prisoners out-of-state.
A total of 98% of Idaho prisoners are expected to return to their respective communities.
Other interesting facts:
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- Territorial legislature designated Idaho City and Lewiston jails as territorial prisons in 1864
- During the 8 years the jails served the territory, they housed approximately 100 inmates
- Old State Pen opened 1872-1973
- Closed after riot over conditions, several structures burned
- ISCI opened 1972 in the desert south of Idaho’s capital, Boise
- Radar station and mental health hospital were later converted into prison
- More facilities followed
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Patrick forgot to mention that Karl J. Friston kindly responded to his letters, including in his response several academic papers related to Friston’s Free Energy Principle.
Patrick applied his understanding of Friston’s work to his own situation. He and Karl have since exchanged a few letters.
See: Battle for Dish Soap at Eagle Pass Correctional Facility
See: Violations of Texas Minimum Jail Standards
See: Book of Irving 82431 (Sections 1-4)
See: Patrick Published In the New York Times
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IDOC Citizen Centric Report Fiscal Year (FY) 2020/ Community Population Report ’21
People supervised on probation or parole:
As of June 6, 2020 — 17,403 people (4,791 female/ 12,612 male. No reference of “other”.)
In FY21 — IDOC began rolling out Connection and Intervention Stations (CIS), ran by the same for-profit entity through which the IDOC contracted the two private prisons Patrick experienced in Texas.
CIS are intended to serve to two populations: 1) people who are higher risk and newly sentenced to probation, and 2) people who are on supervision and struggling to comply with the conditions of supervision.
CIS clients receive additional case management, programming and resource referrals.
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In regards to general relations between staff and residents: Patrick was informed by fellow residents upon arriving to his current facility that it is best to consider the staff through the same lens one does a referee.
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Idaho is experiencing a general shift in correctional culture:
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- Now applying more dynamic approaches to reducing redivism
- Public-facing databases, pre-prosecution diversion programs, trauma intervention services, vocational and educational opportunities
- Enlisting the help of community volunteers and organizations
- Current director and deputy director bring unique experience
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But–
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- We are left to work with old buildings, policies based on old understandings, high rate of employee turnover, prison understaffing
- Lack of resources forces DOC to prioritize the treatment of some over others
- Budget constraints require creativity –> creates opportunities for prison profiteers
- Prison profiteers place stress on prisoners and their support systems
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Concerning realtime factors:
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- Medicaid changes — Tens of thousands of people recently dropped from their health care assistance.
- Fentanyl
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Patrick understands it as his responsibility to, as summed up in “How to Do Good After Prison” by Michael Jackson:
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- Understand and not depreciate the seriousness of his crimes
- Make efforts to observe the rules of the institution
- Commit to leaving prison a better, more capable person
- Independently accomplish real and meaningful progression
- Learn to exercise common sense, good decision-making and self-motivation, intelligence, toughness, determination
- Contribute to the rehabilitation and the well being of others
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Factors expected to affect his release:
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- Cost of supervision
- Restitution
- Hurdles with housing, employment, transportation, health care
- Access to resources
- Level of peer support and perceived personal value
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Patrick believes that we should approach public safety and harm reduction by:
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- Targeting supportive services at high-risk demographics
- Providing prisoners with betterment opportunities and treatment options from the time they enter prisons, don’t wait until months prior to their release
- Considering a variety of methods–not just those that are scientifically backed
- Better utilizing our justice-impacted population as a resource
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And reconsider:
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- Sentencing structures
- Mandatory minimums
- Life sentences, fixed sentences
- Fees that target families and support networks
- Representation (Tucker vs. Idaho)
- indeterminate sentences stress support networks
- Sentencing structures
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RESOURCES
1) Journalism–Incarcerated contributors collect, interpret and distribute helpful data:
In an interview with Charlotte West of College Inside, Napoleon Wells, a clinical Psychologist that specializes in anxiety and trauma disorders for the Department of Veterans Affairs, discussed the “The ‘Unavoidable’ Trauma of Prison.”
2) Leadership training
Just Leadership USA:
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- The only national nonprofit organization founded and ran by formerly incarcerated individuals
- Provides leadership training to the formerly incarcerated
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3) Reentry
National Reentry Resource Center.
FairShake Reentry Resource Center
St. Vincent de Paul of Idaho
4) National Activist Directory
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- Prison Activist Resource Center
— provides a wide range of resources and informational sources to incarcerated people and their advocates
- Prison Activist Resource Center
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5) Idaho
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Questions that Patrick wanted to ask but rambled for too long to get to:
Do they have private prisons in Germany?
Are German corporations permitted to capitalize off of German prisoners?
Does Germany have nonprofit corporations similar to those found in the U.S.?
What part do community organizations play in the reentry process?
Follow-up information:
Patrick Irving 82431
IMSI
PO BOX 51
Boise, ID 83707
bookofirving82431.com
patrick@bookofirving82431.com
Direct messaging via JPay.com