This proposal was initially submitted February 29 and, in the absence of response, again with minor revisions April 10 using the channels of communication made available to me at the Idaho State Correctional Institution.
Proposal 82431-002 — Idaho Foodbank Fundraiser
The Idaho Foodbank recently collaborated with a local news station to raise funds for food-insecure Idaho families. It was announced during a televised broadcast that the organization is capable of providing 15 meals for every five dollars that is donated.
Having previously benefitted from donations made to the Idaho Foodbank, I, along with a small group of residents surveyed on Unit 14B, wish to support the organization by collectively submitting incremental monetary donations.
Because some of us anticipate donating relatively small amounts, we ask that ISCI leadership facilitate our effort by collecting and submitting our donations together. This to increase the amount that we are able donate by reducing the cost of postage.
The current cost of one stamped envelope is roughly one dollar. Which is also the minimal amount that we wish to kindly suggest that others, including staff, consider contributing.
I propose activating the ISCI Pillar mentor group and ISCI chapel workers to organize and promote the no-pressure effort, preferably with the messaging: “For the cost of two ramens, you can provide three meals for food-insecure Idahoans.”
I ask that residents be permitted to submit their support directly to unit or chapel staff, in the form of a Resident Withdrawal Slip addressed to the Idaho Foodbank. (But should ISCI leadership decline to participate in this effort, please consider approving Resident Irving #82431 to submit a collection of withdrawal forms in one manila envelope addressed to the Idaho Foodbank.)
Possible ways to promote this campaign include fliers, word-of-mouth and an institutional channel announcement.
A staff liaison to coordinate efforts between Idaho Foodbank development coordinator Dalton Warr and ISCI/IDOC management would be helpful.
Please inform Resident Irving of the extent to which ISCI leadership are willing to participate in this effort no late than May 1.*
This is an informal report compiled in response to questions from a man who is currently incarcerated within the Wisconsin prison system.
“I am collecting information on how computer technology is being used in prisons of the United States, specifically, but also interested in other countries. How are tablets being deployed? What are the policies? Are there classes and how extensive are they? Are the classes run by the prison or college? For example, Marquette University is in the process of developing a computer science program for the prison, one which I’m involved with. Please send me contact information for staff members or offices that can deepen the info pool…” — Jason G., classifieds section of the 2600 Magazine.
4.03.24
Hi Jason,
Thanks for reaching out and apologies for the delayed response. You may already be aware that Jeff Ray retired late January from his position as public information officer. If you’re still looking for an Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) contact, I recommend trying our education director, Ted Oparnico.
In researching your query, I explored the computer lab and library at the Idaho State Correctional Institution’s (ISCI) Robert James School, a special purpose school in the Idaho prison system. I also spoke to staff and residents who work in Education and pulled from information reported in my “First Amend This!” newsletter.
LEADERSHIP
IDOC director Josh Tewalt took the director position in 2019. He and his executive management team are heavily focused on preparing residents for reentry by expanding the level of support and opportunities offered to people in custody and under supervision.
TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
IDOC staff tell me that the agency has installed the necessary infrastructure to provide its entire resident population access to what is referred to as the Idaho Correctional Access Network (ICAN). ICAN will act as a “whitenet” that allows limited access to “whitelisted” resources online. These are said to include but not be limited to online academic databases like JSTOR and Libby, and IDOC-created, school-related materials that have been gathered by scraping websites and other means.
Instead of having a general account, the IDOC aims to issue a trackable user account for each user. One advantage of the ICAN cloud system is that residents can create work and education portfolios, and the IDOC is working towards allowing residents to take their portfolios with them when they transfer facilities and reenter the community.
My sources tell me the company Resultant is performing backend development and IT support, and that there is still a great deal of background networking and setup configuration to perform. To fully utilize the network, the IDOC must first obtain tablets, laptops, Chrome Boxes, user licenses for each device, and the staff to assign each device a user license. Other challenges are diplomatically referred to as “some red tape to work through.” With no timeline for completion, the department is exploring ideas to expedite the process.
According to my sources, not long ago all IT services for Idaho state departments were consolidated into one department. But ICAN has yet to be adopted as an official state department network, and so it lacks the official support needed to better push it along. Our educational staff are working on it but, between teaching and doing other stuff, they are limited in their ability to launch a robust, fully functional network.
JPay is accessible throughout all secure facilities, but residents must purchase tablets to access music, games, movies, video and other apps. Idaho appears to not have contracted educational content through JPay. We are unable to print or have documents printed from our tablets. We are also unable to take photos with our tablets or use them for video visits. Our current messaging packages start at five outgoing messages for $2 and end at 60 for $18. Residents are limited to sending 6,000 characters, and the system erases some unicoded symbols during and after text transmissions.
Our telephone provider is ICSolutions. They’ve set rates at $.08 per minute, not including tax. We residents pay approximately $.11 per minute after these rates are inflated through taxes.
The current contract for ICS Solutions and JPay allows the IDOC to receive a commission based on its average daily population.
COLLABORATIONS
The https://www.svdpid.org of St. Vincent de Paul works with the IDOC to provide extensive reentry support services starting from within our facilities. Contact: Mark Renick 207-477-1006. svdpid.org.
The IDOC is actively working with local universities to bring in-person and online classes into its facilities. But the curricula offered within our facilities depend on what services the colleges are able to offer the agency.
The agency aims to continue forming relationships with local organizations and businesses to provide its residents with additional education and vocational opportunities where it can.
VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Vocational opportunities vary by facility, with residents at some facilities limited to janitor and barber positions.
It was once the case that those incarcerated at ISCI were limited to labor-intensive vocations and training. These opportunities still exist, but within a push to broaden the skills needed for them to achieve higher level positions in the workforce.
The IDOC’s business arrangement with ICI uses prisoner labor to provide services and produce products for a range of businesses. An arrangement made between the IDOL and the training department of ICI allows laborers to accumulate apprenticeship hours that are recognized by the state. Future employers are thus able to verify the level training and certification achieved by those in custody, and a portion of the income generated through the arrangement is applied to staffing the guard posts necessary to oversee the program.
A flier found at the ISCI school advertises apprenticeships available at the facility: Cabinet Maker, CNC operator, Drafter Detailer, Welder, Graphic Design, Custodial Technicians, Office Manager/Admin services.
Other facilities offer training in construction, electrical work, masonry, solar panel installation, etc. But I don’t know that these programs are similarly recognized by ICI and the IDOL.
What kinds of tools are used in the maintenance shops?
My facility has an Institutional Labor Detail (ILD) shop and a hobby shop. The ILD shop is used by laborers–plumbing, grounds keeping, general maintenance, etc.–the hobby shop by hobby enthusiasts. I’m unsure of the tools available in either shop and am told that neither are equipped for electronic repair or computer repair.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Schooling opportunities vary by facility, with at least one facility able to support GED studies only.
Education is not mandatory in Idaho prisons, and my ISCI currently lacks space and resources for continued learning. Our education staff are working with leadership to offer as many initial learning opportunities as possible.
Inside the ISCI education building are multiple prison programming rooms, five classrooms and a library. The classrooms support GED studies, Financial Literacy and Investing, Workforce Development, some business courses and a computer lab that offers an array of self-learning opportunities in an offline setting.
The library stocks a small inventory of outdated IT books, including books on electronic and computer repair. The computer lab maintains a vast library of more current (but still outdated) hardcopy and digital books on programming and software. I’m told that only books on hacking are restricted, and that it’s difficult for both libraries to keep pace with software evolution.
Our school runs Windows 10 Pro on HP 800 G2 computers, including those operated by our teacher’s assistants and librarians. (I’m guessing it’s the same for other resident workers with clerical positions.) There are multiple workstations with teacher aides in each classroom. The aides are tasked with different degrees of data entry and systems management, including tuning and modifying engine management systems and creating databases and software solutions. Our mildly aged tech limits what’s offered. With the exception of some newer machines that support our A/V production classes, most of our gear is new within the decade.
Are there courses on programming, CNC machining, data entry/literacy?
For self-study programs, our offline schools are filled with documentaries and (presumably creative commons) content scraped from various learning institutions. It’s that content that allows our residents to train in, among other things, A/V production, graphic design, 3D programs, some network security programs and an impressive array of computer programming languages. The ISCI computer lab tries to offer as many programming languages as possible to ensure that residents are able to work within the shape of modern innovation.
It also offers language instruction in Chinese, Japanese, English, Russian, German, Icelandic, Portuguese, Spanish, Norwegian, Nahuati, American Sign Language, Arabic, French and Italian.
Some tech training options that open up when I start to click around:
The goal of ISCI’s growing media department is to host recurring classes that complement the media program. What started from the need to create and disseminate training videos and town hall videos to meet the challenges that presented through COVID-19has since evolved into activities that allow wider participation from volunteers, staff and residents. At least one media course is accredited and capable of supporting apprenticeships recognized by the IDOL.
Unfortunately, the computer lab limits most users (including myself) to four hours a week and doesn’t allow one to print out personal projects like this report. This dramatically impacts my learning speed and output. For instance, this report, started early February on a computer in the computer lab, took until now to finish and send. Forbidden from connecting JPay devices to computers, it took one week to transcribe from a computer screen to my tablet using my thumbs.
EDUCATION PARTNERS
The (Inside/Out) Prison Exchange Program is a postsecondary education collaboration between the IDOC, the University of Idaho (U of I) and Lewis-Clark State College. The program was made possible through the Department of Education’s Second Chance Pell Grant Funding. The program currently serves two of Idaho’s smaller prisons and is looking to expand. Assistant professor of criminology Omi Hodwitz leads the U of I side of the initiative; Cynthia Pemberton is LC State President
Idaho State University (ISU) offers administrative services coursework (business practices, communications, etiquette, workers rights, law, etc.) and provides a certificate upon completion. The IDOC is suggested to have paid between $10-15K for this arrangement.
Former resident Mario Hernandez is sponsored by the IDOC in a limited capacity to act as an A/V production instructor for current residents. The apprenticeship tied to his class is recognized by the IDOL, and those who take it can receive certifications in BlackMagicDesign’s proprietary, advanced video editing program, DaVinci Resolve.
A collaboration with the Idaho Prison Arts Collective allows the agency to offer residents classes in mindfulness, arts, dance, writing and coding/web development in respective facilities. The collective is managed by Michael Richardson.
Dodds Hayden, a member of the Idaho Board of Correction, has sponsored a Humanities class for a select group of ISCI residents. I understand the class to be offered through a collaboration between Boise State University and the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights.
There may be other education collaborations that I am not yet familiar with.
CULTURE
My sources tell me that department heads are open in promoting an info-gathering push, and that prison staff are encouraged to seek out and present solutions deployed by other DOCs. This includes traveling when needed for observation and training. The message to staff is: “Anything that can benefit us and make us better as a department–we want it here.”
The department welcomes information exchanges with other DOCs, and I have witnessed high-ranking staff from other DOCs visiting my facility to view its operations.
How do Staff view tech and prisoners that are tech interested/savvy?
A former resident who held significant responsibility as a server tech in the ISCI computer lab tells me that his job included regularly scraping and copying web pages for content to make available to the resident population. When asked about ISCI’s growing media program and tech culture, he said, “During my time here it has done nothing but grow and get better. There is a definite drive to provide residents who are willing to put in the time and effort to [gain] more knowledge and more skills that are relevant in the world today…”
“My work as a server tech here has been mostly good. I feel like, given my years of experience and knowledge prior to prison, I was allowed the job I have now after being recognized as a subject matter expert.”
“The tech culture here is very good for prison.”
The below announcement was posted in the ISCI education building prior to the above quoted resident’s departure:
Idaho Correctional Industries
Date: February 8, 2024 To: ISCI Resident Population From: ICI Projects Department Subject: New Hire Opportunity
ICI Resident Technology Team is looking for a competent resident to join our Apprenticeship Program with skills in information technology (IT) services and support.
Job Duties:
Set up troubleshooting and support of legacy desktops, laptops and servers
Evaluate new hardware and software to meet company requirements
Oversee the implementation, deployment and operation of IT systems and technology solutions
Plan, develop, and manage all IT services, programs and support within the ICI Resident Network
Monitor or optimize the performance, security, backup, and recovery of various system
Maintain inventory of internal licenses and asset tracking
Design, generate and present findings via reports as requested by Senior Management
Provide technical advice and assistance to Trainees as needed
Stay informed on new or emerging trends and technologies that provide clear benefits to ICI
Plan end-user training as required
Requirements:
1 Year [free of disciplinary action]
Minimum of 3 to 5 years before Parole Eligibility
Pass Investigations background check for computer usage, per IDOC
Knowledge of IT principles and concepts; systems testing and evaluation principles, methods, and tools; and/or emerging information technologies
Experience working with the following environments: Windows 10 & Windows Served 2012+ operating systems and Microsoft Office
Applications, with emphasis on spreadsheet functionality
Knowledge of HTML, PHP, CSS, .Net, VS, VBA and SQL preferred, but not required
Process interpersonal, and communication skills with the ability to detail and a high degree of accuracy
Ability to manage multiple assignments and strong organizational and time management skills
Self-motivation and the ability to take initiative
Prior to any perspective hire, skills will be assessed and tested.
If you are interested, have some of these skills and want to learn, please give applications to your unit staff, and send a concern form to ICI stating you are interested and have submitted your application.
Matt Shepler Training Specialist, Sr. ICI
QUESTIONS FROM MY SIDE
What kind of tech infrastructure does Wisconsin currently have in place?
Is education mandatory in Wisconsin?
What prompted the shift away from computer learning? Was it a budgetary issue? A change in leadership? A security decision? Some form newsworthy attention lead to closure of labs? Did you have an IT team?
SUGGESTIONS FROM MY SIDE
When proposing programs, think DOC:
What levels of cost and commitment are associated with launching and maintaining a program?
What are the current interest levels of staff, residents, administrators?
The DOC’s current capabilities?
To what extent are those involved in developing / introducing / maintaining programs able to open things up for experimentation?
How will the taxpayers benefit? Is there a way to break even by reducing other expenses, selling products or services?
This publication provides an insider look at issues affecting the Idaho Department of Correction community. If you wish to assist this effort, share the link, copy and paste, or print and send this issue to another.
Looking to help improve Idaho’s criminal justice system? We ask that you contact Erica Marshall with the Idaho Justice Project. The Idaho Justice Project works to bring the voices of people impacted by the criminal justice system to the legislative table to work on solutions.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
In this issue:
Thomas Creech’s failed execution is an Idaho first; a Probation & Parole Officer is arrested for grand theft by extortion; Idaho lawmakers establish mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl trafficking and push to expand the death penalty; a lengthy lawsuit challenging Idaho’s public defense system is still alive; and close custody operations give cause for more concern.
Let’s First Amend This!
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IDAHO’S FIRST FAILED EXECUTION ATTEMPT
It’s a somber time at IDOC. Preparations are underway to carry out the execution of Thomas Eugene Creech on Wednesday, February 28th, at 10:00 a.m. We know this will be a difficult time for some, and we are fully committed to carrying out this solemn task with dignity, respect and professionalism…
So goes the message Director Josh Tewalt delivered over JPay to residents of Idaho’s Kuna desert prison complex prior to Idaho’s first unsuccessful execution.
Creech, 73, is convicted of murdering five individuals in three different states–most recently, David Dale Jensen in 1981. As Idaho’s longest-standing death row prisoner, he has now eluded a total of twelve death warrants since his first conviction.
State witnesses watched for nearly an hour as three anonymous executioners attempted to establish intravenous access in Creech’s arms, legs and hands before Idaho State Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) Warden Richardson called them off.
Associated Press reporter Rebecca Boone was one of four media representatives chosen via lottery system to witness the execution. Boone reported at a press conference following the event that Creech appeared at times to fall asleep while strapped to his gurney and expressed physical discomfort as the attempt neared the end of the hour.
Tewalt during the same press conference said that Creech spent the eve of his execution visiting with his wife and others, and accepted a mild sedative in accordance with IDOC policy.
The director also confirmed that the medical team responsible for establishing intravenous access couldn’t find a quality vein to ensure their lethal payload. Richardson determined at 10:58 a.m. that the execution could not be carried out in accordance with the agency’s standards of professionalism, dignity and respect, according to Tewalt.
Tewalt stood before a committee of Idaho lawmakers Feb. 29 and, when asked whether the executioners’ politics played a part in their inability to find a quality vein, assured the committee that at least one of the executioners is a repeat volunteer, having participated in executions in 2011 and 2012.
Idaho Statesman reporter Kevin Fixler writes, “Creech is now at least the seventh documented case since 2009 of a called-off execution because executioners could not establish an IV line, according to Robert Dunham, former executive director for the Washington, D.C-based nonprofit [Death Penalty Information Center].”
According to Fixler, the IDOC paid $50,000 for 15 grams of pentobarbital last fall, and spoiled 10 grams filling the syringes that failed to find their way into Creech.
The family of David Jensen told KIVI-TV reporter Riley Shoemaker that they are devastated that the execution was not successful.
Tewalt told press and lawmakers that he is highly confident in the IDOC’s ability to obtain more lethal injection chemicals, but said the department is struggling to find a contractor who is willing to install the footprint necessary to safely operate a firing squad inside IMSI.
Creech is the last person in America sentenced to death by a judge and not by a jury. Judge Robert Newhouse, who sentenced Creech to death for the murder of Jensen, also petitioned to reduce his sentence to life in prison at a January clemency hearing.
“Creech’s attorneys secured a stay of execution for their client immediately following his attempted execution,” Fixler writes, “and have since alleged violations of his constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment in new legal filings.”
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
2 each — Cinnamon Rolls
2 oz — Breakfast Sausage
2 oz — Bran Flakes
16 oz — Milk 1%
8 oz — Vitamin Beverage
2 pkt — Sugar
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PROBATION & PAROLE OFFICER CHARGED WITH EXTORTING CLIENT’S GIRLFRIEND FOR SEXUAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
A District 4 parole officer was arrested last month on charges of grand theft by extortion. Saif Sabah Hasan Al Anbagi, 43, allegedly pressured a client’s girlfriend, who is also under supervision, to send him compromising photos and videos under the threat of violating her boyfriend’s parole.
Idaho Statesman reporter Alex Brizee reports that Shawn Kelley, a legal intern for the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, said during an arraignment hearing that since Al Anbagi’s arrest, multiple other alleged victims have come forward to the authorities.
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 each — Fresh Fruit/Orange
2 oz — Peanut Butter
1 oz — Jelly
2 oz — Whole Grain Bread
3 oz — Fresh Vegetable
1 oz — Potato Chips
————————————————
IDAHO ESTABLISHES MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR FENTANYL TRAFFICKING; BOISE AND CALDWELL POLICE RAID NONPROFIT NEEDLE EXCHANGE AND KNOWN NALAXONE DEALER
Governor Little last month signed a bill into law that establishes mandatory minimum sentences for different levels of fentanyl trafficking and allows Idaho law enforcement to bring homicide charges for anyone who supplies a drug that someone later dies from.
The minimum sentences for possessing any fentanyl-positive substance are four years and $10,000 for four grams or more, or between 100 and 250 pills; five years and $15,000 for between 14 and 28 grams, or 250 to 500 pills; and 10 years and $25,000 for 28-plus grams, or over 500 pills. A second charge for fentanyl trafficking would double the minimum sentence.
The new crime of drug-induced homicide carries an indeterminate life sentence with a maximum fine of $25,000. It also seemingly diminishes the protections provided by Idaho’s Good Samaritan law, which once allowed individuals on the scene of a drug overdose to summon emergency responders without the threat of arrest.
Weeks prior to passing House Bill 406 into law, Boise and Caldwell police raided two Treasure Valley offices of the Idaho Harm Reduction Project, leading to the closure of both project locations.
According to Idaho Statesman reporter Angela Palermo, the nonprofit provided reverse opioid overdose medication, needle exchange and disposal services, and education and testing for infections and viruses commonly transmitted through drug use.
KTVB news reports that authorities discovered non-needle drug paraphernalia but made no arrests.
Gov. Little has directed the state’s Department of Health and Welfare to launch an internal review into the organization.
The nonprofit posted this statement to its website: “Idaho Harm Reduction Project has always endeavored to support safer, healthier communities through evidence-based programming, education, testing, and other services in accordance with Idaho law. We have done our public health work in the full light of day–with the full knowledge of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare–and look forward to this issue being resolved.”
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 cup – Beef Lo Mein
1.5 cup — Pasta All Shapes
2 oz — Whole Grain Bread
10 gm — Margarine
1 pc. — Cream Pie
8 oz. — Vitamin Beverage
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IDAHO LAWMAKERS RECORD THEIR WISH TO EXPAND THE DEATH PENALTY
The Idaho House of Representatives last month passed a bill that would allow the state to execute individuals charged with lewd conduct with children under 12.
Though a 2008 United States Supreme Court ruling found it unconstitutional to sentence people to death for charges other than murder or treason, Representative Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, said that the Supreme Court is different today, making it worth whatever legal battles would result from passing House Bill 515 into law.
LONGSTANDING LAWSUIT AGAINST IDAHO’S PUBLIC DEFENDER SYSTEM LIVES ON
Tucker v. State of Idaho — this lengthy lawsuit challenging the inadequacies of Idaho’s public defender system is for the third time scheduled to be reviewed by the Idaho Supreme Court.
“The case was originally brought against the state on behalf of the tens of thousands who cannot afford the full costs of criminal defense lawyers and the other costs necessary to defend against criminal charges. The lawsuit documents a range of severe deficiencies in Idaho’s under-resourced approach to public defense that violate the Sixth Amendment and state constitutional rights to an attorney. The ACLU Of Idaho, in partnership with the National ACLU and global law firm Hogan Lovells, explains in the lawsuit that Idaho’s public defenders are so severely overburdened that they cannot possibly adequately represent all of their clients, resulting in criminal defendants not getting a fair chance to defend themselves.”
Here, Ruth Brown with Idaho Reports outlines Fourth Judicial District Judge Samuel Hoagland’s opinion on the changes made to Idaho’s public defense system during 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions, which the ACLU and its partners are now appealing: “Public Defense Lawsuit Dismissed, State to Take Over Indigent Defense.”
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CLOSE CUSTODY OPERATIONS CONTINUE TO BE PROBLEMATIC
Just as the family of the late Milo Warnock was calling for a closer look into how the IDOC manages its close custody population, residents of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution staged a protest that prompted the agency to respond with force.
Milo was 45 years old and serving a two-to-ten year sentence for felony DUI when he was fatally beaten in a close custody unit at the Idaho State Correctional Center. Warnock was moved to a close custody unit as a result of being reclassified from a minimum-security custody level for cheeking his evening medications so he could take them in the morning.
Milo’s parents, Mike and Kathy Warnock, and his sister Hallie Johnson last month broadcast their concerns surrounding Milo’s December death across multiple media outlet days prior to residents of IMSI’s restricted housing units staging their protest.
An IDOC spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman that the incident was instigated by Idaho prison gangs who wish for the department to separate them by race and gang affiliation.
The Statesman stopped short of reporting why inimical groups of prisoners would continue to be housed together during a year of horrific violence.
To better understand the concerns and frustrations that have helped to perpetuate similar past incidents,
MORE ON THE DOG TRAINER AND DOG WHO WERE LOCKED OUTSIDE ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Idaho Press reporter Carolyn Komatsoulis follows up on the story of the resident dog trainer and dog who were locked outside of the Idaho State Correctional Center on Christmas Eve.
Komatsoulis writes, “[I]DOC’s investigation took issue with one officer who ultimately reported the incident–saying he disclosed confidential information in discussing it with news media, an Idaho state senator and other staff members. That officer, in his report, said the other officers told him not to report the incident so nobody would get in trouble.”
ISCI GRADUATES ITS FIRST CLASS OF ‘DAY ONE PLUS’ PEER MENTORS
The Idaho State Correctional Institution last month graduated its first class of Day One Plus peer mentors.
Twelve residents celebrated with IDOC staff over a barbecued meal brought in from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.
According to the Day One Plus peer mentor application, “Day One Plus is an organization dedicated to reducing recidivism using evidence-based practices and improving the quality of life for people with criminal justice involvement.”
The organization is now working in collaboration with the IDOC to implement customized peer mentor programs at multiple facilities statewide.
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RENICK ON THE RADIO
With over six years of episodes available for streaming, Mark Renick hosts Victory Over Sin on Boise’s KBXL 94.1FM on Saturdays at 12:30 pm. The program, funded by a Southwest Idaho advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration and live on parole.
2.10.24. Ronald Henry is a Free 2 Succeed mentor and an American Legion member. He promised the men that held him up in prison that he would provide support for others released from incarceration. He discusses with Mark how he uses his story as his strength, and the importance of preparing for reentry from day one.
2.24.24. Nova Yarnell is an advocate for others who have shared her experiences. From substance abuse to incarceration, to committing to positive change, she understands how the wrong support groups and transitional housing can diminish one’s success rate upon returning to their community .
Statewide — Graduates of Correction Officer Academy of 2.24; Emiliano Cobian with the Tactical Edge Award, Raymond Parmentier with Top of Class; Chris Ackerman with Top Instructor Award.
Central Office — Deputy Chief Dylan Hobson of Probation and Parole with well wishes and congratulations for retiring after 30 years.
PWCC — Employees of the quarter Ofc. Holt and Cpl. Schultz.
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RESIDENT AUDITING COMMITTEE
To report allegations of elderly abuse or neglect within Idaho prisons, contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
The Art Card Project is a production of the South Dakota Prisoners Support Group. Every month the group supports people who are incarcerated with a serene piece of scenery and short story on an art card. The cards are sent free to individuals who are incarcerated, and the subscription continues once they’re freed from incarceration.
South Dakota Prisoners Support Group
PO Box 89
Interior, SD 57750
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INMATE SERVICES AT WORK
2.11.24
Dear Sen. Tammy Nichols, Sen. Cindy Carlson, Rep. Judy Boyle, Rep. Heather Scott, Rep. Charlie Shepherd:
Mr. Sean Anderson informs me that you may be interested in receiving the monthly newsletter that I have enclosed. I write it to help bring light to issues affecting the Idaho Department of Correction community, and to encourage others to share their stories and participate in seeking responsible solutions. Along with an informative body of work and a resource directory for justice-involved individuals, I offer free online subscriptions to my newsletter at bookofirving82431.com.
The original version of this complaint, sent 3.11.24 via snail mail to the local Area Agency On Aging (with additional copies sent over JPay to an Idaho Statesman reporter, the Idaho Prison Project and House Minority Speaker Ilana Rubel), lists the subject’s age at 72 and neglects to mention that he also takes insulin. The version presented here was sent to the Idaho Commission On Aging, although that version also omitted the mention of insulin. It is published here in accordance with the principles driving the Idaho Department of Correction’s (IDOC) new Day One Plus mentor program.
The Day One Plus organization is currently collaborating with IDOC staff and residents to implement a facility-wide customized mentor program to provide residents opportunities “for self-empowerment, education, and to advocate for themselves and their peers,” according to the application that I recently submitted to apply for a mentor position.
The Idaho Commission On Aging‘s website states that the commission “provides a secure Adult Protective Services (APS) online system for mandated reporters and financial institutions to report suspicions of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults age 18 years and older.”
It also recommends for those who would like to make an anonymous report, “but are not a mandated reporter or financial institution,” to contact their local Area Agency On Aging.
The subject of this post is aware of its contents. He has granted permission for me to widely share this and other information as an advocate and journalist, for nothing in exchange. I have captured his consent on a Resident Concern Form, with the signature of unit staff representing my witness. That form is now working its way through facility mail to an IDOC public information officer.
Ed. – The subject resident’s full name was removed from this post due to privacy concerns.
To: Idaho Commission On Aging
[This message forwarded from a resident of Idaho State Correctional Institution on March 16th, 2024.]
3.11.24
To whom it may concern:
My name is Patrick Irving. I wish to file a complaint regarding the care of Kelly J. [last name redacted], a 69-year-old, partially paralyzed, diabetic amputee who currently resides at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI).
Mr. Kelly’s left leg is amputated at the thigh. His left arm is paralyzed and contorted in what I’m told is contracture. He claims to have had a stroke in 1999, and to receive diabetes medication in the form of pills once a day.
On February 27, I witnessed Mr. Kelly being pushed in his wheelchair into ISCI Unit 14B, where he was delivered to cell 4 with one plastic foam mattress, some bedding and clothing, and one medium-sized box of personal papers and property. Half of his bedding was brought in soiled in a plastic bag. He was left on the unit wearing white pants stained with blood and urine, one dirty large green t-shirt, and one shoe in good condition. His hair was long and unkempt, his stench was extremely thick, and the prisoner pushing him in indicated that it had been some time since he showered.
I am not a nurse. I have no caretaker training and my cell is not a handicap-accommodating cell.
I was given but few minutes notice to rearrange objects in my cell in such a way that his wheelchair would fit through the door and next to his bed. I had to move my personal locker directly in front of the toilet.
Due to Mr. Kelly’s physical condition, he was unable to move his mattress and property into his cell and make up his bed by himself. I assisted him by placing his mattress on his bunk, his property below it, and then throwing his clean sheets, blankets and pillow on his mattress.
Not only is the toilet in our cell now completely obstructed by a locker and his oxygen machine, it also lacks safety rails. To dump the plastic jug that he has been given to urinate in from his wheelchair and bed, Mr. Kelly must sit himself up, transfer himself to his wheelchair and wheel himself with his urine container to the unit’s community toilet. The same toilet, which lacks safety rails, is also where he must make his bowel movements.
Mr. Kelly’s bed lacks a handle or grip to help him sit up, and twice I have witnessed him bleeding after managing to sit up and dismount the bed himself. The first incident took place the week of his arrival, the second took place today and required a medical response.
The prison has hired an inmate worker to push Mr. Kelly to the cafeteria to pick up his meals to-go. But he frequently misses lunch as his hearing is impaired and it’s hard to hear the call for chow from our cell. When he returns with his meal from the cafeteria, he sometimes requires assistance opening juice cups, milk cartons, condiments, etc. The same worker pushes him to the prison medical building once a day to take his diabetes medications.
In addition to the wheelchair worker, the prison has hired an Inmate Support Person (ISP) to assist Mr. Kelly in basic living skills. The ISP, a fellow prisoner, was hired two days after the following Resident Concern Form, addressed to Warden Davis but responded to by Lt. Wilson, was returned sic:
Date: 2.21.24
Resident Name: Kelly J. [last name redacted] [IDOC number redacted]
Issue/Concern: ‘Mr. Davis, It has come to my atention through other inmates that Sgt. Zavala has issued a direct order demanding that no inmate is allowed to help me to get in or out of my bed or to change my beding even if I happen to accidentally soil myself. It has been told to me that Sgt. Zavala has made it clear that if any inmate attempts to help me in any way that she will give them a [Disciplinary Offense Report]. Warden Davis, as I am severily handicaped with the use of only one arm and the fact that I only have one leg will you please assign a staff member to help me or a qualified inmate to help me to do all of the human functions that I am not able to do?’
Reply [signed and dated 2.27.24 by Lt. Wilson]: ‘ISP workers do not assist in this regard.’
Note that Lt. Wilson responded the same day that Mr. Kelly was transferred to my cell.
The ISP has since appeared twice; once for an hour, once for 30 minutes. Neither time did he assist Mr. Kelly with a shower. Mr. Kelly’s physical condition renders him incapable of fully dressing and undressing himself. He cannot shower without minor assistance. I was the last person to assist him into the shower on Mar. 2 or Mar. 3.
On Feb. 29 or Mar. 1, I returned from school to find him attempting to exit our cell with his coat wrapped in the spokes of his wheelchair. Unlike other Idaho prison cells, ours does not have an emergency button. It also closes with a regular door that obstructs one’s view inside. I am uncertain of how long he was stuck.
In the time that he has lived on my unit, I have watched Mr. Kelly be wheeled multiple times a day through winter conditions with the waist of his pants falling off his nub, exposing him to weather.
On Mar. 9, Mr. Kelly reported feeling nauseous. I approached unit staff for a plastic bag or trashcan for him to vomit into. I reiterated this request multiple times over the next two days and was eventually informed by staff that they wouldn’t provide either.
On Mar. 11, Mr. Kelly woke me at 02:00 to help him sit up and refix the tube to his oxygen machine, which he was unable to reach from his bed or his wheelchair. I reported the incident and was told by staff that it isn’t necessary for me to continue assisting him. They repeated to me, to Mr. Kelly, and to our neighbor that he is faking his inability to perform basic tasks.
They also said that Mr. Kelly was previously held in the ISCI medical annex, but for reasons unexplained has been banned from ever returning.
Your concern is appreciated.
Patrick Irving 82431
ISCI
PO Box 14
Boise, ID 83707
Welcome to the February issue of First Amend This!
This publication provides an insider look at issues affecting the Idaho Department of Correction community. If you wish to assist this effort, share the link, copy and paste, or print and send this issue to another.
Looking to help improve Idaho’s criminal justice system? We ask that you contact Erica Marshall with the Idaho Justice Project. The Idaho Justice Project works to bring the voices of people impacted by the criminal justice system to the legislative table to work on solutions.
***
EDITOR’S NOTE
In this issue:
Idaho Legislature looks toward mandatory minimum sentences to combat fentanyl trafficking; the latest on Thomas Creech’s clemency hearing, court appeals and execution status; a tuberculosis test result triggers a three-day quarantine; friends, coworkers and loved ones gather to remember David Manley and Milo Warnock; and ISCI Program Manager Luke Kormylo answers frequently asked questions.
Let’s First Amend This!
***
IDAHO LAWMAKERS CATCH FENTANYL IN THEIR CROSSHAIRS
Idaho’s House and Senate have approved a bill that takes aim at the state’s ongoing fentanyl crisis.
House Bill (HB) 406 creates mandatory minimum sentences for any individual who knowingly possesses four or more grams of any substance containing detectable amounts of fentanyl. It also establishes the charge of drug-induced homicide for any individual who supplies a drug that someone later dies from.
The minimum sentences for possessing any fentanyl-positive substance are four years and $10,000 for four grams or more, or between 100 and 250 pills; five years and $15,000 for between 14 and 28 grams, or 250 to 500 pills; and 10 years and $25,000 for 28-plus grams, or over 500 pills. The proposed crime of drug-induced homicide carries an indeterminate life sentence with a maximum fine of $25,000.
A second charge for fentanyl trafficking would double the minimum sentence.
Supporters of the bill say that mandatory minimum sentences are already in place for other illegal drugs, and that harsher laws are needed to combat Idaho’s fentanyl problem. This as Idaho law enforcement officials claim to have recorded drug dealers saying that the state’s sentencing structures dissuade them from trafficking drugs in Idaho.
Opponents say the language of the bill will lead to drug users being prosecuted as drug-traffickers. Furthermore, they argue, the bill prevents judges from exercising discretion during sentencing, and it will dissuade people who use the drug together from calling for assistance during an overdose.
According to Idaho Press reporter Laura Guido, the IDOC reported in 2023 that 37 percent of the state’s prison population was sentenced for drug charges–an indication of how effectively mandatory minimum sentences dissuade drug trafficking networks.
Jean Fisher, a former longtime Ada County prosecuting attorney and the state director for Right On Crime, expressed concerns that minors as young as 14 could be tried as adults for drug-induced homicide, should they give someone a pill laced with fentanyl, writes Guido.
Drug dealers and users currently incarcerated in Idaho say that mandatory minimum sentences have never disrupted their supply chains, and that the bill will likely influence Idaho’s drug networks to refrain from cutting fentanyl with less dangerous substances in order to reduce the weight of a dose and fall under a lesser sentence. Reducing the cut would create a more concentrated pill of smaller size, that could lead to dosing errors.
Two things that nearly everyone can agree on: Idaho’s jails and prisons are already overcrowded and fentanyl is every bit, and more, the problem it’s presented to be.
As this article is sent to press, Gov. Little has yet to signal whether he will sign HB 406 into law.
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 pc — Frittata
2 lg — Pancakes
1 cup — Oatmeal
10 mg — Margarine
1-1/2 oz — Maple Syrup
2 pkt — Sugar
8 oz. — Vitamin beverage
8 oz. — Milk 1%
______________________________
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
THE LATEST ON THOMAS CREECH
The potential mental and emotional collateral damage to result from Thomas Creech’s execution played a central role in last month’s clemency hearing for the longest-standing prisoner on Idaho’s death row.
Creech, 73, is convicted of murdering Edward Thomas Arnold, John Wayne Bradford and David Dale Jensen in Idaho; William Joseph Dean in Oregon; and Vivian Grant Robinson in California. In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court noted that Creech admitted to killing or participating in the killing of at least 26 people, according to Ruth Brown with Idaho Reports. He was originally sentenced to death for killing Arnold and Bradford in 1974, but that sentence was reduced to life in prison on appeal. Following the appeal he was returned to the prison’s general population, where he killed fellow prisoner Jensen in 1981.
On January 19, six of the seven-member board for the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole (ICPP) heard Creech and others, including current and former DOC employees and the judge who sentenced him to death, make the case for commuting Creech’s sentence from death to life in prison.
The Jensen family also appeared at the hearing to provide testimony on the impact Creech’s actions have taken on their lives.
Commissioner Patrick McDonald recused himself from the hearing for an unspecified reason, leaving the commission locked ten days later in a 3-3 vote for clemency. Per ICPP guidelines, the tie automatically resulted in a veto.
McDonald’s decision to recuse himself likely had little effect on the outcome of Creech’s request for clemency, as Gov. Little, who has the final say on clemency petitions, stated that he has no plans to interfere with the ultimate penalty, according to Idaho Statesman reporter Kevin Fixler.
On January 30, Idaho’s Fourth District Judge Jason Scott issued Creech a new death warrant, setting his date of execution Feb. 28.
Creech and his attorneys from the State Appellate Public Defender’s Office and the Federal Defender Services of Idaho have since submitted multiple appeals at the state and federal level. The appeals focus on due process violations, ineffective counsel and prosecutorial misconduct. Creech’s legal team is now asking the Idaho Supreme Court to stay his execution to allow time for their claims to process.
Deborah A. Czuba, a supervising attorney for the Federal Services of Idaho, said in a statement, “Ultimately, it will be impossible for them to execute the Thomas Creech of 1974. He died inside a long time ago, replaced by a harmless, remorseful, compassionate old man who has evolved into a valued, respected and beloved member of the prison community in which he has lived and been punished for 50 years.”
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 each — Fresh Fruit/Apple
1/2 cup — Turkey Salad
2 oz — Whole grain Bread
10 mg — Margarine
1-1/2 oz — Tortilla Chips
1 each — Cookie #1: Blondie Bar
______________________________
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
TUBERCULOSIS TEST RESULT TRIGGERS THREE-DAY QUARANTINE
On January 26, Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI) units 14 and 15 were placed into a three-day quarantine after a person incarcerated at the facility appeared to test positive for tuberculosis (TB).
TB is a disease caused by the bacterial infection Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually attacks the lungs but can also spread to the brain, spine and other parts of body.
TB can be tested for using blood tests or skin tests, with skin tests more common for carceral settings.
The skin test is performed by injecting a small amount of fluid into the lower arm and then checking the site of injection two to three days later for swelling.
Then-IDOC public information officer Jeff Ray told Boise’s KTVB News that the person who originally appeared to test positive was later found not to have an active form of TB. Ray also said the IDOC will continue working with state epidemiologists and Centurion, the current health care provider for Idaho prisons, to ensure that proper health procedures are followed.
I previously reported in First Amend This! issues April, May, June and November of 2022 that employees of Centurion, after refusing to review the results of TB skin tests performed on residents at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, were discovered through a public records request to have falsely documented the opposite.
[Fruit and whole grain bread may be substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
3 oz. — Chicken
0.5 oz — Cheese
0.5 cup — Tomato Sauce
1.5 cup — All-Shapes Pasta
1 cup — Garden Salad #2
1 oz — Ranch
2 pc — Garlic Bread
1 pc — Cake #6, Marble
8 oz — Vitamin Beverage
______________________________
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
REMEMBERING DAVID MANLEY
by ICI-O Lieutenant Greg Heun
[This article was originally published in the Clearwater Tribune. It is presented here in accordance with the Idaho Public Records Act.]
David Manley was recently honored with an unveiling ceremony at the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino’s (ICI-O) Robert Janss School after passing away from a battle with a cancer.
Mr. Manley was an instructor at the school who implemented many ground-breaking ideas that later spread to other schools within the Department. Manley’s vision was to increase residents’ access to higher levels of education. Working with the University of Idaho, he brought in the Inside Out program, the first college class ever offered inside an Idaho prison. He then worked with Lewis-Clark State College to bring in additional college classes.
The entire Manley family was present as a portrait of Mr. Manley was unveiled. The portrait, painted by resident Mathew Bell, is now on display at the entryway to the school.
Former ICI-O resident and author of the book “Twenty to Life,” David Steece, spoke at the ceremony about how Mr. Manley helped to change his life. Mr. Manley is noted in his book.
In honor of all he brought to the IDOC, the Department has renamed its Cutting Edge Award the David Manley Award.
***
REMEMBERING MILO WARNOCK
Friends and family of Milo Warnock joined together Jan. 13 at the Hyatt Place hotel in Meridian to celebrate Milo’s life.
Milo, 45, was brutally beaten to death Dec. 10 while in his cell at the Idaho State Correction Center in Kuna.
Milo is survived by his son Mason, his sister Hallie, his brother Clint, half-brothers Murray and Yancey, and parents Mike and Kathy. He is also fondly remembered by his coworkers at YMC Mechanical Contractors in Meridian.
Milo graduated from Lewiston High School in ’96, later moving to Boise where he lived for 25 years.
An avid cyclist, Milo was sent to prison to serve a two-to-ten year sentence for felony DUI after misfortune delivered him late to two mental health court appointments.
“By all accounts, Milo was a hard worker, curious, kind-hearted, funny, intelligent and intellectual, someone who reveled in deep thoughts and discussion about deep ideas,” opinion writer Scott McIntosh shared in the Idaho Statesman.
Mike and Kathy Warnock told McIntosh that they spoke to their son every day while he was in prison. They said that Milo was used to self-administering the medication that he was prescribed for depression in the mornings, and that it was his attempt to continue this practice that ultimately resulted in him being punitively placed in the maximum-security unit where he was fatally assaulted.
PROGRAMMING FAQS
by ISCI Program Manager Luke Kormylo
[From a January memo issued to residents of the Idaho State Correctional Institution. Edited for clarity and length, and presented in accordance with the Idaho Public Records Act.]
Q: What’s the latest news with regards to programming?
A: We have been making great headway with our waitlists and are presently enrolling people in classes about five to six months before their parole hearings.
Q: What do residents need to do to get enrolled in classes?
A: Realistically–nothing! We automatically refer people to programming based on their proximity to release. Residents are welcome to follow up with their case managers to confirm that they’ve been referred to the waitlist, but with approximately 50 classes going at any given moment, trying to forecast a specific starting date is almost impossible. For this reason we ask that residents don’t send concern forms asking when they’ll be enrolled. We’re placing people in classes as quickly as we possibly can.
Q: How do you determine who gets into programs?
A: We prioritize residents based on whether they have a tentative parole date, how close they are to a parole/revocation hearing, or if they are on a rider. For example, someone with a parole date is higher priority than someone who hasn’t had a parole hearing yet, and someone who has a parole hearing next month is higher priority than someone who has a hearing months or years from now. Residents are not prioritized based on their arrival to the facility.
Q: Will those who are not enrolled in classes when they see the Parole Commission automatically be denied a parole date?
A: Absolutely not. The Commission looks at many different things during parole hearings: individuals’ attitudes about their crimes, their behavior while on supervision and within their institution, the effort they invest into developing their parole plan, community support, employment plans, supporter input, etc. Being enrolled in programs is not the determining factor on whether someone is granted parole
Q: Can parole-required programs be completed in the community?
A: The IDOC is responsible for getting residents through classes at the facility before they’re released for parole.
Q: Is there a way for someone to be “fast-tracked” through classes?
A: Unfortunately no. Our programs have a set minimum duration. But we do everything we can to get those with upcoming parole hearings into classes as soon as possible. As for those sentenced to rider programs, most begin programming one to two months after arriving to our facility.
***
HONORED AND EDUCATING
by Ofc. Melissa Earley
[This article originally appeared in IDOC on Facebook. It is presented here in accordance with the Idaho Public Records Act.]
The Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) recently celebrated the accomplishments of many of its residents who graduated with their General Equivalency Diploma (GED) in 2023.
This celebration was a first where residents from all housing levels celebrated with food and drink while visiting with their families.
Currently, IDOC’s close custody populations are restricted from having contact visits, but these men, who worked to make a change and attained their GED, were granted the opportunity to don a cap and gown and take photos with their loved ones in celebration.
This occasion marked the first time residents were formally recognized for their accomplishments with a commencement ceremony at IMSI.
Those in attendance:
Alejandro Valadez Mariscal
Dominique Nichols
Ernesto Guzman (2022)
Ezri Garcia
Derek Hudson
Matthew Kitrell
Miguel Molina
Joseph Gould
Not in attendance:
Aaron Marriott
George Kiefer (2022)
Garrett Smutz (2022)
Kaden Tullis
Adan Arroyo (2022)
Rudy Garcia
Richard Borja (2022)
Javon Walker
Chad Taylor
***
HARDBACK BOOK BAN BACK IN EFFECT
On February 6, 2024, Chief of Prisons Chad Page notified residents of the Kuna prison complex over JPay that, due to recent amounts of contraband arriving in hardback books, hardback books are now prohibited mail items.
Those legitimately obtained before February 9, 2024 will be allowed to remain in residents’ property, but may be subjected to confiscation upon transferring facilities.
Facility heads may make exceptions on an individual basis for educational or religious hardback books that are not available in paperback or soft cover.
***
RENICK ON THE RADIO
With over six years of episodes available for streaming, Mark Renick hosts Victory Over Sin on Boise’s KBXL 94.1FM on Saturdays at 12:30 pm. The program, funded by a Southwest Idaho advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration and live on parole.
1.13.24. Returning citizen, advocate and entrepreneur Jeffrey Epperson discusses how he turned his life around from within an Idaho prison, and what he credits with assisting his success upon release.
District 5 — Allan Raffs with the Ted Babbit Award; Gina Hart as employee of the year; Jayone Fitzhugh with the Leadership Award; Leo Fierro with Instructor of the Year; Lindsay McNally with the Hammer of Success Award; Rachel Jolovich as Rookie of the Year; Vincent Ortiz as Team Player of the Year; Sonia Rico as Employee of the Quarter.
ICIO — Officers Marilyn Szymczak and Tyeler Basingame with POST certifications; Miles Dibbern as Employee of the Quarter.
ISCI — Cpl. Carroll by a Unit 16 resident who says that Carroll exercised compassion while holding him accountable and educating him on the danger his actions were posing to others. Ofc. Hollis by a Unit 16 resident who says that Hollis spent extra time on the unit after witnessing him exhibit concerning behavior, which ultimately dissuaded him from attempting to commit suicide.
ISCC — Lt. Jay Lau as Supervisor of the quarter; Ofc. David Thompson as Employee of the Quarter.
PWCC — Cynthia Fisher for 20 years of service.
Other — Sr. PO Leo Fierro for receiving his Basic Probation & Parole Certification.
Last month we asked the Transparency Department to verify whether the IDOC will be replacing JPay and ICSolutions with a different communications provider this year.
The Transparency Department responded, “We will be releasing an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) to accept proposals from contractors to provide these services but have not done so yet and have no new contract at this time.”
The Transparency Department responded that it has no record of the IDOC applying either guide to its operations.
***
RESOURCE FOR INCARCERATED PERSONS
The “Surviving Solitary” resource guide is published by Critical Resistance and sent free to currently incarcerated individuals.
The guide contains resources, techniques and exercises to help individuals placed in solitary confinement combat the physical and mental health effects of isolation.
Critical Resistance
P.O. Box 22780
Oakland, CA 94609-2301
***
INMATE SERVICES AT WORK
Mathew Barry Johnson is a psychology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He is studying the secondary trauma that results from executions.
[This message forwarded from a resident of the Idaho State Correctional Institution.]
1.28.24
Dear Professor Johnson,
My name is Patrick Irving. I am a contributor to the Prison Journalism Project and a member of PEN America‘s forthcoming Incarcerated Writers Bureau. It was while writing the February issue of my newsletter “First Amend This!” (@bookofirving82431.com) that I came across your name and focus on the secondary trauma resulting from executions.
You may find it interesting to know that after sharing a roof with Idaho’s death row inmates for four and a half years, I was recently transferred to a neighboring, lesser-security prison, where I immediately found myself affected by the reports from a close-by firing range. Told by prison staff that the range is exclusively used by the law enforcement agencies of Idaho, I now register every early morning salvo of small eruptions as an ode to whomever is next scheduled for homicide.
You are likely already aware of how after failing for years to replenish our DOC’s supply of lethal injection chemicals, Idaho last year became one of five states to legalize the firing squad as a form of execution.
Leading into the executions, our prison staff receive mental and emotional support from the DOC’s executive management team. But Idaho’s prison population, also subjected to the excessive media coverage surrounding execution updates, is in no way encouraged to take advantage, if needed, of available mental health services.
After reading Hannah El-Hitami’s work, “Torture in Syria: ‘Silence Is a Form of Abuse’,”* and speaking last week to an international audience of academics on forensic linguistics in a prison setting, I can’t but help to hope that some of this may interest you.
Hearts out to the families of Milo Warnock, David Manley, Junior Garcia, David Jensen, Edward Arnold, John Bradford, William Dean, Vivian Robinson and Thomas Creech. I’m here if you wanna chat. Holler for any reason.
Though I received two JPay censorship notifications. Neither informed of me the reason for the censorship. They also didn’t specify who among my contacts was censored. I learned from my father over the phone that it was he who sent both messages, and that JPay notified him both articles were censored for “Information related to the crime or identity of another offender.” SOP 503.02.01.001
He also told me that the allegation was bogus, that the messages didn’t contain any information that could be used as described in the censorship notification. Whenever he sends me research materials he takes care to obscure the names of others who are incarcerated.
I don’t expect to receive the Electronic Mail Contraband and Denial Form that IDOC policy requires staff to complete and deliver because I’m still waiting for the form from when “First Amend This!, Oct. ’23” was censored.
The Sentencing Project is described by the PARC National Prisoner Resource Directory as “a national policy research and advocacy organization that works for a fair and effective criminal justice system by promoting sentencing reform and alternatives to incarceration. They produce reports on prison-related topics, including prison populations nationally, state-by-state data, life sentences, voting rights and more.”
January 26 — ISCI Captain Gibney has informed Unit 14 residents that an individual who recently passed through the unit is exhibiting symptoms that require testing for tuberculosis.
All non-essential movements from Unit 14 have been canceled for a minimum of 72 hours as a precautionary measure until the test results return. This includes movements for education, work, chapel and visitation.
Moves to the prison pharmacy and cafeteria during meal times will continue, with Unit 14 residents retrieving their meals behind the rest of the facility.
Residents of Unit 14 will also continue to have access to the unit’s outside rec yard.
ISCI management has yet to indicate whether those who encourage remaining cool throughout the quarantine will be allowed to order Kentucky Fried Chicken or pizza.
[Updated 1/27/2024]
P.S. Don’t panic, but remember when in April, May, June and November 2022’s issues of First Amend This! I presented concerns of how Centurion’s medical staff was failing to review our tuberculosis test results, and then falsely documenting the opposite in our medical records?
And do you also remember when in early 2019–the year that COVID hit–I presented the Texas Commission of Minimum Jail Standards, the Eagle Pass Health Department, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, and the Center of Disease Control and Prevention with concerns of how GEO Group’s sanitation practices could easily fuel a pandemic? (See: Battle For Dishsoap At Eagle Pass, Violations of Texas Minimum Jail Standards.)
This publication provides an insider look at issues affecting the Idaho Department of Correction community. If you wish to assist this effort, share the link, copy and paste, or print and send this issue to another.
Looking to help improve Idaho’s criminal justice system? We ask that you contact Erica Marshall with the Idaho Justice Project. The Idaho Justice Project works to bring the voices of people impacted by the criminal justice system to the legislative table to work on solutions.
***
EDITOR’S NOTE
In this issue:
Governor Little looks to build the secure forensic mental health facility that Idaho needed seven decades ago; CBS2 News overshadows a 31-person prison brawl with a dog and its trainer doing their business; how investments into prison education and vocational training programs are paying off; and if you’re going to vote for a prisodent, vote 82431.
Let’s First Amend This!
***
NO ARREST OR CONVICTION NEEDED TO TREAT IDAHO’S MENTALLY ILL IN PRISON
In 1972, Idaho’s health and law enforcement officials presented the legislature with a plan to jointly operate a secure mental health unit for individuals deemed by the courts to be dangerously mentally ill.
But when the plan unraveled four years later, the courts began sending psychiatric patients to prison without an arrest or conviction.
Last year, while working with a $1.4 billion record-breaking surplus, Idaho’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) refused Governor Little’s request for $24 million to construct a secure forensic mental health facility that would put an end to the archaic practice.
ProPublica reporter Audrey Dutton reports that Governor Brad Little will once again request that JFAC fund the new facility.
According to Dutton, the Idaho Security Medical Program is at odds with the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the directors for the Department of Correction and Department of Health and Welfare aren’t comfortable with it either. Both have expressed concerns that the program provides patients with inadequate care and violates their civil rights.
Patients who are civilly committed by the courts to the program are treated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) and the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center, where they spend as many as 24 hours a day in conditions shown to exacerbate mental illness.
New Hampshire is the only other state with a similar program. It is now building a new 24-bed secure mental health facility. Once complete, Idaho will be the last remaining state to prescribe a prison setting for psychiatric patients.
As recently as November 7, members of JFAC toured the Southern Idaho Correction Institution, a minimum-security men and women’s facility that sits adjacent to IMSI.
Idaho Capital Sun reporter Clark Corbin wrote that IDOC Director Josh Tewalt encouraged “legislators during their visit to rethink prison and corrections in terms of coaching and rehabilitation instead of punishment.” Tewalt also shared how 1,000 people in IDOC facilities are currently housed above their security levels. “When considering corrections and prison budgets,” wrote Corbin, “Tewalt urged legislators to support adding the right beds.”
JFAC co-chair Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, said after the visit, “The benefit of visiting the actual site is to see with our own eyes the effects of the decisions we have made. So, at the prison we are seeing the impacts that’s having on the lives of residents there and how it’s preparing them in a much better way to be introduced to our society.”
Horman and colleagues left the complex without visiting the unit at IMSI where patients of Idaho Security Medical Program are held.
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 pc — Chuckwagon patty
1 cup — Farina
8 oz. — Milk 1%
3 oz. — Biscuit
0.75 oz. — Country breakfast gravy
2 pckt — Sugar
8 oz. — Vitamin beverage
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS SOUTH OF BOISE IN DECEMBER
On December 10, Idaho State Correctional Center (ISCC) resident Milo Warnock, 45, died after being attacked by a fellow prisoner in what the Ada County coroner has ruled to be a homicide. According to Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Warnock was serving a two-to-ten year sentence for driving under the influence.
The Idaho Statesman reported last month that 31 people incarcerated at IMSI clashed on December 23rd in two parts of the facility. Chemical agents were deployed to break up the brawl and one person was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. An IDOC spokesperson told the Statesman that the agency wasn’t considering the brawl a significant event.
CBS2 News last month launched an investigation into why a participant of ISCC’s dog training program was allowed to remain outside alone with the dog that he is training for two hours on Christmas Eve. The CBS2 news team announced in a live television broadcast that it submitted a public records request for security footage of the two doing their business in a fully secured area. The story oddly overshadowed the IMSI brawl, to which the news team devoted a brief and indifferent mention before training its sites on the dog and its handler.
U OF I PROFESSOR PLACES FIRST FOR POPTALK ON PRISON EDUCATION INITIATIVE
University of Idaho (UI) professor Omi Hodwitz recently presented a POPTalk (Power of Possibility) showing how UI’s Prison Education Initiative (PEI) is providing people in Idaho prisons with new worlds of opportunity.
Hodwitz’s speech was one of eight back-to-back three-to-five minute presentations delivered by UI faculty members to a crowded Vandal ballroom. She was awarded first place by an audience vote.
The PEI launched in 2021 as a postsecondary education program using U.S. Department of Education Second Chance Pell Grant funding. “In short, the PEI allows UI students and faculty to provide in-person assistance and study alongside students who are working to complete their own coursework,” writes Herman Roberts, a reporter for UI’s student paper, The Argonaut.
According to Hodzwitz, UI’s on-campus students and their incarcerated counterparts have collaborated to publish books and peer-reviewed articles. They have also presented research conducted together at international academic conferences.
The PEI currently serves the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center and the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino (ICI-O). It also has plans to expand to at least one other Idaho prison.
Individuals who commit to advancing their education at the university level while incarcerated have been shown to reduce the rate at which they recidivate by nearly a half, or more with advanced education. A report released by the nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution RAND, shows that for every dollar invested into prison education, five are saved by reducing the rate at which people recidivate within three years of their release.
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1.5 oz. — Peanut butter
0.5 oz. — Jelly
2 oz. — Wholegrain bread
1 — Fresh fruit/banana
1 — Weekend muffin
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
IDAHO ED NEWS COVERS IDOC PROGRAMS
Freelance writer Katie McGuire last month published an article in Idaho ED News about the vocational training and education programs currently offered in two Idaho prisons.
Individual serving any length of sentence at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI) and ISCC are provided a range of opportunities including: General Equivalency Diploma studies, professional video editing, carpentry, masonry, cabinetry, HVAC, custodial training and more.
With the IDOC projecting that 98 percent of the people in its custody will one day be released, these opportunities play an active part in improving public safety,. The agency works with various accreditation programs to ensure that employers can verify the amount of training that residents complete.
It also offers free financial literacy courses to residents at ISCI, and over Zoom to others who qualify. Citing financial stress as a primary driver of crime, financial literacy instructor Jack Dujanovic now teaches his courses online to formerly incarcerated individuals, their spouses and the spouses of residents. (Click here for more info.)
McGuire writes that Ted Oparnico, the education program director for the IDOC, would like to continue expanding the range of programs the agency offers. But with the current rate of inflation surpassing annual increases in available grant funding, the IDOC requires more legislative involvement to do so.
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
0.5 oz — Meatloaf
0.5 cup — Parsley Potatoes
0.75 cup — Vegetables
1 pc. — Cake
2 oz — Wholegrain Bread
10 gm — Margarine
8 oz — Vitamin Beverage
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
ABOUT THAT BIGASS BRAWL, THOUGH…
At what size does a prison brawl cross the threshold of significance?
I resided at IMSI from March 2019 to October 2023, and not once did a 31-person brawl extend from my unit onto the rec yard.
I drafted and presented the following proposal on behalf of IMSI residents in July. I share it again here because I believe it adds context to the challenges that IMSI staff and residents have been facing together for years. IMSI management had yet to respond to it by October 4th, the day I was transferred to a neighboring facility.
Date: 7.31.23 To: IMSI Leadership From: A-Block Representatives Re: Parole-Required Programming, Religious Services, Education and Incentives
WE, the residents of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI), propose a meeting between IMSI leadership and representatives selected from the general population, to discuss the ongoing absence of parole-required programming, religious services and behavioral incentives; and to mutually outline and commit to the steps that must be taken to see them return.
We understand that this facility struggled to maintain safe and orderly operations throughout the course of COVID-19, due in large to understaffing and a lack of available resources.
But we have also documented understaffing being used to excuse the absence of religious services, programming and ad-seg reform since before COVID-19 came into existence.
Having observed a surplus of new staff working our units, we have collectively concluded that understaffing is no longer the issue it was once presented to be.
We understand the part that violence has played in preventing us from receiving the same meaningful opportunities and programming options as those currently offered to residents of other facilities.
Because we also understand how meaningful opportunities and programming options are proven to improve our rate of success upon reentry, we have come to agree that all IMSI residents–including those who remain here despite being classified at lower security levels–deserve safe and equitable access to programming, spiritual services and visits with loved one
READ: Our resident population has taken the necessary steps to ensure a higher level of safety for all staff, residents, volunteers and visitors.
We, the residents of IMSI, diverse in our interests, ethnicities and religions, implore IMSI leadership to match our initiative by meeting with our representatives to explore in what ways we can commit to reaching solutions together.
***
ISCI CELEBRATES FESTIVUS WEEKEND WITH FEATS OF SKILL AND STRENGTH
ISCI residents faced off December 23 in the first series of double-elimination tournaments to be held since COVID-19.
The carnage began on the basketball court in the gym at 8:20 a.m., when the first two of seventeen six-person teams began firing rubber inflated munitions in a prison dodgeball purge.
Teams of doubles also competed in tournaments of handball and pool–but without the primitive survivalist fear and unfounded aggression that makes a true athlete.
First and second place teams were awarded grab bags of goodies, and the ISCI Audio-Visual Group was there to film the day’s events. “We’re just collecting samples of some of the cool things we got going on [at ISCI],” said one cameraman who requested to remain unidentified.
Select footage is expected to be televised at other facilities.
***
ICI-O’S DOG PROGRAM RECEIVES SENSATIONAL COVERAGE
Given up on, abandoned, neglected, mistreated–too often this is the story of the inmates who train dogs under the pressure of prison gangs in northern Idaho…
John Webb with KHQ.com last month described the program in such a way that you might believe its purpose is to solicit shock and empathy from the community.
Richard Alaniz is the executive director for Faithful Fields, a partner to the PAWS program. He says the goal of the program is to help anyone who might otherwise struggle to afford a service dog or an emotional support animal–the cost of which can range anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000.
To help support PAWS and similar programs, reach out to Faithful Fields or your local animal shelters.
KIDS IN BONNEVILLE COUNTY SHOP WITH COPS FOR CHRISTMAS
Last month the IDOC joined the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Idaho State Police and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to take 38 Bonneville County kids shopping for Christmas presents.
The annual Shop with a Cop event is now over 30 years strong. Nate Sunderland with East Idaho News reports that in its time it has served well over 1,200 children who, in addition to shopping, enjoy activities like riding in police cars and getting to meet with Santa.
Santa, too, enjoys the event. He arrived this year in a snowcat. In previous years he arrived by helicopter, tank, race cars, classic cars and even a hot air balloon.
With over six years of episodes available for streaming, Mark Renick hosts Victory Over Sin on Boise’s KBXL 94.1FM, Saturdays at 12:30 pm. The program, funded by a Southwest Idaho advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration and live on parole.
12.2.23. Darrell Taylor from Ten Mile Christian Church is a returning guest of the show. He has worked with people involved in Idaho’s correctional system for decades and helped to pioneer the holiday program Cookies for Corrections
12.9.23. Jesse Asoau is the cofounder of the Life by Death movement. Formerly incarcerated himself, he now finds creative ways to encourage others to test their limits. LifebyDeathMovement.com.
ICI-O — Ofc. Darrel Gray with a 20-year Certificate of Service.
EBCRC — Residents for raising $871 in donations for the Hays House, a safe shelter for youth who are runaways, homeless, or victims of abuse or neglect.
District 5 — P and P administrative assistant Gina Hart for five years of service.
Unfortunately, the NRCCFI lacks the funding to provide free copies by mail. Please ask your clinician, case manager, prison library or loved ones for assistance obtaining copies.
***
INMATE SERVICES AT WORK
[This message has been forwarded from a resident of the Idaho State Correctional Institution.]
12.27.23
Dear Ms. Yamaguchi,
My name is Patrick Irving. I am a contributor to Prison Journalism Project, a member of PEN America‘s forthcoming Incarcerated Writers Bureau and the author of First Amend This!, an Idaho Department of Correction newsletter. I am writing with great respect to the mental health advocacy work of your press client and Mariel Hemingway Foundation co-founder, Mariel Hemingway. It is my hope that you can find time to share with her two intriguing articles that focus on what may be both the highest-risk and most frequently overlooked population in Idaho:
I also wish to share with you that this year I aim to organize and operate a creative-problem solving, civic outreach service group from the Idaho State Correctional Institution. My goal with this group is to assist the missions of organizations and agencies like the National Alliance of Mental Illness, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, the Idaho Department of Correction and even, if possible, the Mariel Hemingway Foundation.
You are welcome to keep us in mind as you go about your course of work.
Many thanks,
Patrick Irving 82431
ISCI Unit 14B-4B
Boise, ID 83707 bookofirving82431.com
Some of you may have noticed that not long ago I removed a significant amount of old content from this site. I did so feeling that much of my earlier work requires too much effort to read and prevents visitors from viewing more relevant posts.
But now that I am preparing a January 25th video presentation for an audience of forensic linguists, I find that referencing that older content will add supportive context to my thesis.
If you notice the reappearance of old threads containing rudimentary works, know that they’re being repurposed and will be removed again mid-February (but still available to anyone who reaches me with a request).
My thanks to Annie with Aston University in Birmingham, England, for inviting me to present and for contributing to this text:
ABSTRACT
“Exploring the Benefits of Progressively Integrating Language Structures Behind Bars”
In 2014, Patrick Irving committed acts of arson while in a drug-induced psychosis and sent to prison to serve two consecutive 20-year sentences. Four years into his prison term, an unlikely exchange with Karl J. Friston, a renowned neuroscientist from the Institute of Neurology at the University College London, inspired him to begin piecing together an exhibit of prison records, personal notes and ephemera, and release it as an improvisational experiment that he continues to run from incarceration.
In this talk, Irving will address the following questions: What happens when we fail to communicate and reinforce the beliefs behind the relabeling of carceral fixtures to the people who are incarcerated? And how do we go about better reinforcing and modeling the beliefs that drive these language shifts?
Irving will draw on his own experiences as complemented by his original writing and drawings, including the more refined works that followed, to reflect on his own journey of incarceration. He considers the role that language plays in the institutional setting: for example, how important is it for persons impacted by the correctional system to be able to articulate their experiences, as well as the significance of transparent communication between the prison and its inmates (or rather its “residents”.) Irving also traces his own behavioral changes and current trajectory through several pivotal exchanges that have rippled out from his work.
***
BIO
Patrick Irving from the Idaho Department of Correction’s Robert Janss School is currently serving a 15-to-40 years prison sentence for two counts of arson. He is a contributor to Prison Journalism Project, a member of PEN America’s forthcoming Incarcerated Writers Bureau, and the author of “‘First Amend This!’, an IDOC Newsletter”. He uses the blog bookofirving82431.com to share his efforts, progress and experiences while incarcerated. His writing has been published by the Idaho Law Review, SolitaryWatch.org, The Harbinger, Prison Journalism Project, JSTOR and The New York Times.
Welcome to the December edition of First Amend This!
This publication provides an insider look at issues affecting the Idaho Department of Correction community. If you wish to assist this effort, share the link, copy and paste, or print and send this issue to another.
Looking to help improve Idaho’s criminal justice system? We ask that you contact Erica Marshall with the Idaho Justice Project. The Idaho Justice Project works to bring the voices of people impacted by the criminal justice system to the legislative table to work on solutions.
***
EDITOR’S NOTE
In this issue:
I can neither confirm nor deny the demand for trauma-informed care in corrections; Ada County fails to pass a jail bond and wants to raise the rate of rent the state pays for jail beds; Idaho splits the bill for an Arizona prison with Hawaii and Montana; Ameelio offers an alternative to charging prisoners and their loved ones exorbitant rates to communicate; and how one Idaho prison is enticing good behavior.
Let’s First Amend This!
***
NEEDING TO SHARE WHILE SHARING THE NEED (FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE IN PRISONS)
Carolyn Komatsoulis with Idaho Press reported last month on how earlier this year the IDOC launched a series of pilot programs to treat staff and residents for corrections fatigue, trauma and stress.
The programs were funded using a $500,000 allocation from Idaho’s 2022 Legislature. The funding was made available through June 2023.
“For staff,” writes Komatsoulis, “the Department of Correction provided programs including individual psychotherapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (an intervention for trauma), mindfulness and trauma-informed yoga. There was also a call-to-talk careline and burnout and stress coaching. About 170 staff accessed the services.”
Komatsoulis also reports that between April and June over 600 residents across 11 facilities participated in mindfulness training, yoga and other trauma-informed curriculums.
Having attempted to follow the rollout of these programs, and do so from the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, where I lacked access to the programs and the people who participated, I have information that contrasts with Komatsoulis’s report.
I began submitting monthly public records requests to the IDOC last summer, after it announced that it was making grant funding available to qualified providers.
Throughout the fall the Department responded to my requests for grant applications and awards with “no records found.”
I waited through the winter and reached out in the spring to IDOC’s public information officer, Jeff Ray. Ray informed me through a JPay-email relay (facilitated by my father) that the IDOC awarded a total of 13 contracts to providers earlier in the year.
“Generally,” Ray wrote, “we are pleased to be able to offer mental health services that help staff and residents enhance their psychological wellbeing. Our only concern right now is that we’d love for more folks to avail themselves of [sic] the critical resources.”
I submitted another public records request after our exchange, and this time I received a total of 14 contracts–including two signed and dated August ’22–ranging from $2,476.28 to $83,826. Combined they were not to exceed $442,739.12 without written approval.
I started reaching out through letters and emails to the providers who were awarded contracts. I asked if they’d be willing to share from their experiences working with justice-impacted people, and also whether they’d recommend any wellness tips or reading materials to help promote wellness.
Dr. Ryan Hulbert sent me a copy of “Driver’s Ed for the Brain”–the book that he authored and used to guide his bibliotherapy sessions for residents. Another provider accepted a short list of questions, and then failed to respond with answers. A third provider responded by making a phone call that prompted prison staff to question me in my cell: Did I write so-and-so a letter and why? How did I obtain her address? Could my credentials be confirmed? Would I like to work as a GED tutor?
The confrontation was uncomfortable enough for me to divert my attention from the remaining providers to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).
According to the nonprofit organization’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, “NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.”
Despite identifying myself as a journalist who works from within the peak of high-risk populations, NAMI refused to respond to multiple letters and follow-up emails.
The organization has now refused my requests for information 20-plus times in the last five years.
I also reached out to IDOC’s research department. I asked for findings that illustrate the health effects associated with working in corrections. One of the department’s research analysts agreed in September to have materials delivered to my facility.
For reasons unknown they never arrived.
Komatsoulis writes in her article that, according to the IDOC, the programs produced data suggesting that those who participated benefited from doing so.
But when the IDOC filled my public records request for all End of Project Reports and final evaluations in October, I found that it was able to produce just two of the 14 requisite reports–not nearly enough to confirm how many people participated in the programs and to what benefit the funding was used.
After her story was published, I wrote Komatsoulis through a JPay-email relay. “I noticed in your article that you were able to verify the number of facilities and people that participated in these programs, and also that you were able to obtain participant feedback. Any chance you’d mind sharing how you were able to obtain this information?”
Komatsoulis didn’t respond to my request for information.
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of alcohol.]
______________________________
1/2 cup — Scrambled Eggs
1 cup — Oatmeal
1 cup — Hash Browns
8 oz — Milk 1%
10 gm — Margarine
2 pkt — Sugar
8 oz — Vitamin Beverage
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
ADA COUNTY FAILS TO PASS JAIL BOND, ASKS STATE TO PAY MORE FOR TAKING UP JAIL BEDS
The Ada County Commission proposal fell less than one percent shy of the two-thirds majority vote required to approve a bond that would have allowed Sheriff Matt Clifford to expand the jail’s booking area, sally port, kitchen, warehouse and bed space.
Citing information from the Sheriff’s Office and Patrick Orr, the Sheriff’s spokesperson, Idaho Statesman reporters Ian Max Stevenson and Alex Brizee reported last month that the jail averages 1,008 people a day and is looking to add 294 more beds to its current total of 1,116.
According to Stevenson, Commissioner Rod Beck has suggested to lawmakers that the expansion wouldn’t be necessary were the jail not holding on average 140 state prisoners for the IDOC.
Beck is now asking the Legislature to increase the rate that the IDOC pays to house state prisoners in the county jail.
Clifford told the Statesman, “Programs that allow people in police custody to stay out of the jail through alternative sentencing are no longer able to keep the jail’s population below capacity.”
In fiscal year 2022, the IDOC paid Ada County $3.8 million for use of its jail beds.
Orr says that it costs an average of $117.34 a day to house a person at the jail. But the state only pays the jail $55 a day the first five days to house a state prisoner, and $75 daily after seven days.
In 2019, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office sued the IDOC for allowing its prisoners to remain in the jail for unreasonable periods of time following their sentencing hearings. When the jail’s population dramatically dropped during the initial response to COVID-19, then-Ada County Sheriff Stephen Bartlett withdrew the case.
“We understand the frustration our partners at Ada County are feeling because we’re facing the same challenges,” IDOC public information officer Jeff Ray told the Statesman. “However, adding beds is only part of the answer. In the long term, we need to reduce the demands by addressing the issues that fuel crime in our communities. Doing so will require innovation and investment on all levels of government.”
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 ea — Fresh Fruit/ Banana
1 1/2 oz — Peanut Butter
1/2 oz — Jelly
2 oz — Wholegrain Bread
1 pc — Weekend Oat Bar
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
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IDAHO, HAWAII AND MONTANA SPLIT THE BILL FOR AN ARIZONA PRISON
The state of Montana has signed a $7.9 million deal to house 120 prisoners over the next two years at the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona–where prisoners from Idaho, Hawaii and Montana are also being housed.
The deal comes as Montana is preparing to perform a $228 million dollar upgrade to increase the capacity of the Montana State Prison (MSP).
The official website for Montana reports that the state’s DOC director, Brian Gookin, negotiated with CoreCivic to make limited educational services and vocational training available to the men being transferred.
CoreCivic touts itself as one of America’s largest private vendors of incarceration, with roughly 80,000 beds and 67 facilities across the country, according to its most recent SEC 10-Q report.
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of alcohol.]
______________________________
1.25 cup — Ham & Scalloped Potatoes
1 cup — Garden Salad #3
1 oz — French Dressing
1/2 cup — Fruit Crisp
2 oz — Wholegrain Bread
10 gm — Margarine
8 oz — Vitamin Beverage
————————————————
Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1
***
NON-PROFIT COMPANY OFFERS AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO ICSOLUTIONS AND TELMATE
The Connecticut-based nonprofit company Ameelio has developed technology that allows individuals who are incarcerated to communicate for free with their loved ones.
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman are among Ameelio’s financial supporters, and prisons in Colorado, Maine, Illinois and Iowa have already begun integrating the company’s services.
What’s keeping Idaho from doing the same?
In an op-ed published last month by the Idaho Statesman, Scott McIntosh shares how Idaho is encouraging predatory service providers to pay for play in its carceral market: “Canyon County received about $130,000 last year from its contract with Telmate. Ada County received $540,000 last year from Telmate. The IDOC received $1.5 million from its provider, ICSolutions.”
By investing in services like Ameelio’s, he posits, and allowing people who are incarcerated to keep in better contact with their support networks, Idaho could reduce its rate of recidivism and save money in the long run.
The Commission of Pardons and Parole has scheduled Thomas Creech’s commutation hearing for January 19th, 2024.
Creech is represented by the Federal Defender Services of Idaho and is seeking to reduce his sentence from death to life in prison.
Creech requested the hearing after being served with a death warrant in October.
Now 73 years old, Creech has resided on death row since 1983, following his conviction for beating fellow prisoner David Dale Jensen to death with a sock full of batteries.
He was originally sentenced to death for killing two people in Valley County in 1974, but was allowed back into the prison’s general population after that sentence was reduced on appeal.
Boise’s KTVB news reports that Creech is also scheduled by the court for a review hearing in February.
The IDOC has announced that it has obtained the chemicals needed to perform a lethal injection.
A SYNOPSIS OF IDAHO’S EFFORTS TO SCORE DEADLY DRUGS
With a shield of secrecy protecting the measures taken by the IDOC to procure its lethal injection drugs, many are wondering how and from whom did the agency finally score.
Will the secrecy laws be enough to keep the nation’s most innovative reporters from cracking the case?
IDAHO SETS A NEW STANDARD WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR PROGRAM
Boise’s CBS2 News took time out of its November 7th broadcast to show residents* at the Idaho State Correctional Center (ISCC) being rewarded for good behavior with a trip outside to view the October 24th solar eclipse.
But what the news station failed to share was how behind this reward was the inference, “Behold! The gods are angry with the actions of the others who live among you!”
Nevertheless, says Lefty’s cousin Tucker who is friends with Tommy “Good Legs” Brinkerhoff, the ISCC resident population is looking forward to being let outside again come the next solar eclipse.
The Idaho Maximum Security Institution recently upgraded an old white-walled conference room to a fully functioning training and mat room for staff.
This process allowed us to showcase some of our residents’ talents in painting and furniture design.
Residents Jeremy Wilhelm and Zachary Johnson designed and built the shelf to celebrate staff achievements and awards.
They, along with residents Daniel Alldrin, Larry Halbert and John Vallenciano, Jr. helped paint the room and provided artwork for the P.U.R.P.O.S.E. mural.
The PURPOSE initiative is about getting clear on direction and expectations, aligning our individual and agency goals, and finding purpose in our work.
***
CHRISTMAS DINNER
[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of alcohol.]
______________________________
2.5 oz –Turkey
2.5 oz — Ham
1/2 cup — Holiday Gravy
1/2 cup — Cornbread Casserole
1/2 cup — Mashed Potato
1 cup — Garden Salad
1oz — Homemade Ranch Dressing
1 pc — Pecan Pie
1 — Roll
1 — Margarine
1 — Fortical
————————————————
Source: IDOC JPay notification to residents.
***
A MESSAGE FROM THE IDOC: KNOW THE RISKS OF BREWING PRUNO
[The message was delivered to IDOC residents over JPay 11.17.23. It is presented here in accordance with the Idaho Public Records Act.]
Pruno: A Recipe for Botulism
You may have heard about a cheap, quick way to make a kind of homemade alcohol that goes by many different names, including pruno, hooch, brew, prison wine and buck. No matter what it’s called, it can give you more than a cheap buzz. It can give you botulism, a life-threatening illness.
What is botulism?
Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin (poison) that attacks the body’s nerves and can lead to paralysis and death. Because the disease can paralyze the muscles used in breathing, people can die soon after symptoms first appear. Even those who get medical treatment right away may be paralyzed and hooked up to a ventilator (breathing machine) for many weeks.
One way people get botulism is by eating or drinking something that has the toxin in it. Some prisoners in California, Arizona, Utah, and Mississippi have gotten botulism after making and drinking pruno. Almost all of them had to be hospitalized for treatment, and many were put on a ventilator for days or even weeks. All of the botulism outbreaks linked to pruno have occurred among prisoners. However, anyone who drinks this kind of alcohol is at risk.
How can pruno give me botulism?
When people make pruno, they usually ferment fruit, sugar, water and other common ingredients for several days in a sealed plastic bag. Making alcohol this way can cause botulism germs to make toxins. The toxin is what makes you sick.
How can I stay safe?
If you make pruno, you put yourself and anyone who drinks it in danger of getting botulism. The alcohol in your drink won’t render the toxin harmless.
We don’t know how to make this kind of alcohol safely. But we do know the batches of pruno that gave people botulism used at least one of these ingredients:
Potatoes
Honey
Food from bulging cans
How would I know if I have botulism?
If you drink pruno and have symptoms of botulism, get medical help immediately.
Symptoms include:
Blurred or double vision
Drooping eyelids
Slurred speech
Difficulty swallowing
A thick-feeling tongue
Dry mouth
Muscle weakness
Difficulty breathing
Paralysis
***
RENICK ON THE RADIO
With over six years of episodes available for streaming, Mark Renick hosts Victory Over Sin on Boise’s KBXL 94.1FM, Saturdays at 12:30 pm. The program, funded by a Southwest Idaho advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration and live on parole.
11.18.23 — Returning citizens and St. Vincent de Paul employees Sara Deaton and Geneen Gillogly discuss breaking free from negative lifestyles to reestablish one’s purpose and self.
11.25.23 Stephanie Wells is a returning citizen and the reentry coordinator for All American Publishing. Wells and her employer, who has long hired justice-involved individuals to sell advertising for school sports, are now working with the IDOC to open a call center at a women’s facility.
IMSI — Ofc. Ben Potter with the PA94 Tactical Edge Award; Sgt. Nathan Roe with Top Instructor Award.
SICI — Ofc. John Henrie with Top Student Award.
NICI — Sgt. Josh Marks for keeping a resident safe while he was at risk of committing suicide; CCM Nathan Collins for noticing a shift in a resident’s behavior and intervening before he engaged in further self-harm.
A tip from former resident auditor Clarence Sorensen on reducing the costs associated with submitting public records requests from prison to Idaho entities: “Ask that all responsive records be printed lengthwise on the front and the back of the page using size-appropriate font. This will increase the amount of content that you receive in the 100 pages that you are entitled to for free.”
Public records requests submitted by the Resident Auditing Committee in November:
The complete log of public records requests from October and November ’23.
The total number of grievances filed by IDOC residents over Centurion Health’s billing practices, including the number of grievances that were filed but denied their process for not being filed within 30 days of the date that the incident occurred.
All ongoing court cases that involve the IDOC, Centurion Health and/or its contractors.
***
RESOURCE FOR INCARCERATED PERSONS
The PARC National Prisoner Resource Directory lists Just Detention International (JDI) as a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse and exploitation in all forms of detention. JDI publishes a resource guide for incarcerated survivors, as well as a Survivor Packet that includes contact information for local rape crisis centers and legal aid organizations; and a letter of hope from another prison rape survivor. The organization serves people nationally and prisoners may communicate confidentially with JDI using legal mail.
Just Detention International
Ms. Cynthia Totten, Esq., Bar #199266
3325 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 340
Los Angeles, CA 90010
I’m looking to form a creative problem-solving, civic-outreach service group–a small group of IDOC residents who are motivated to support their communities and their communities’ efforts through creative and constructive methods that build transferable experience.
I am interested in materials that explore:
Creative problem-solving
Solutions-oriented journalism
Community-centered healing — approaches and philosophy
Leadership and networking
Civic organizing and restoration
Resource development
And anything else that you feel might supplement our mission.
Please send all materials to:
Patrick Irving 82431
ISCI Unit 14B-4B
PO Box 14
Boise, ID 83707
Many thanks.
***
SUGGESTION BOX
I suggest filming a series of conversations between people associated with Idaho corrections and the community at large, and then airing those conversations over institutional channels. This to better provide the spectrum of individuals who are currently in custody with more exposure to the mission, goals and beliefs that are driving Idaho corrections today.
