Updates

I’m writing this update from my new home at the Idaho State Correctional Institution, a medium security facility. Prior to my transfer earlier this month from the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, I wondered how staff at this facility would respond to my efforts as an outreach journalist.

It didn’t take long before I found out: By accusing me of coding secret messages to my father in First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Oct ’23.

The monthly prison newsy, as always, was sent to my father through the prison messaging service JPay to be given a light edit and published to my blog. This is how we’ve done it for going on four years–provided a public service to the IDOC community and beyond. (Copies of the newsletter can also be found through JSTOR, a free academic database made available to the world online.)

The allegation arrived with a censorship notification over JPay on October 12th, 10 days after my initial attempt to send out the October issue.

Here’s a look at the Editor’s Note, which highlights the month’s stories:

Wrongfully convicted Joseph LaCroix to be reimbursed for his time incarcerated; Money, Inc. reopens old wounds while wafting over facts; a prison nurse and a former prosecutor are brought up on criminal charges; the Idaho Prison Arts Collective is holding a benefit fundraiser; and why the hell won’t NAMI respond to requests for information from within our facilities?

The decision to censor the newsletter was the decision of one IDOC employee. By failing to identify themselves and provide me with an Electric Mail Contraband and Denial Form, that employee is in violation of IDOC policy 503.02.01.001 (Telephone and Electronic Communications — Resident).

Not only has the latest newsletter been censored but my latest assignment for the Prison Journalism Project Advanced Nonfiction Writing Workshop–into which I gained admission by virtue of my writing–is now experiencing a serious and mysterious delay in transit, all while feedback from my previous assignment has yet to be granted safe passage through JPay…

Because the threat carried by allegations of coding messages can range from returning me to max (and possibly ad-seg) to imposing long-term restrictions on my limited family contact, I now have much to deliberate.

I welcome any advice from my readers, fellow advocates and journalists.

— Patrick Irving 10.18.23

The Prison Journalism Project published an article that Patrick wrote as a follow-up to his Zoom discussion with instructor Henny Hearn and her class of criminal justice students at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. You can find it here.

The Idaho Prison Arts Collective, a non-profit organization that works closely with Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC), will be holding a benefit fundraising event on October 7 at the Boise Rock School. The funds raised will be used to cover the costs of the transformative art programs the collective offers IDOC residents.

Founder and executive director of the Collective, Michael Richardson, discussed the event Saturday on Victory Over Sin, a Christian radio show hosted on 94.1fm KBXL by Mark Renick.

Richardson, an avid community volunteer, says that he conceived the Collective after volunteering to teach a prison writing class. That class, he says, evolved into a collage class, and from there he was inspired to identify more ways to introduce creative opportunities to IDOC residents.

The Collective currently spreads music, mindfulness, painting, dance, writing and computer coding programs across several IDOC facilities.

The benefit fundraiser will include an auction and raffle with multiple prizes donated by community members and businesses, including gift baskets, a Boise staycation, a cabin stay in the Sawtooths, gift certificates and more.

People are welcome to pledge their support at the $1 and $5 level.

View idahoprisonarts.org for more information.

Saturday, October 7 from 6PM to 9PM

Boise Rock School
5022 Fairview Ave
Boise, Idaho

[Editor’s note: Everyone who donates $5 in my name earns a free online subscription to First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter. Subscription must be claimed at bookofirving82431.com.]

Previous: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Aug. ’23

Welcome to the September 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.

Loved ones are encouraged to join the Idaho Inmate Family Support Group (IIFSG) on Facebook or contact the group’s admins at idahoinmate@gmail.com.

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:

Bringing to attention drug overdose deaths; Dave Fisher proposes a programming model for true rehabilitation; a condemned man excessively served with death warrants has filed a lawsuit against the state; the former health care provider for Idaho prisons is using Texas law to stiff Boise hospitals for millions; and a handful of other newsworthy items to entertain you before you flush.

Let’s First Amend This!

***

IDAHO JOINS INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO SPREAD DRUG OVERDOSE AWARENESS

On August 31, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) hosted International Overdose Awareness Day at the Idaho Capitol Building.

Representatives from Full Circle Health, Magic Valley Paramedics, and Waapi Kani Cedar House Mental Wellness and Recovery Services joined community leaders and people impacted by addiction to reflect on the lives lost to fatal drug overdoses, and to amplify the harm-reduction and recovery efforts taking place in Idaho.

The IDHW website shows that 2,800 Idahoans died from drug overdoses between 2012 and 2022, and fentanyl-related deaths tripled between 2020 to 2022.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 110,000 lives were lost nationwide to drug overdoses within the 12-month period ending in March ’23, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Multiple states, including Idaho, have now legalized over-the-counter sales of the opioid-overdose reversal drug naloxone, brand name NARCAN^®*.

But the nasal spray by itself isn’t always enough to reduce the effects of a fentanyl overdose. Jacob Evans recently explained on the radio show Christian Living Spotlight (94.1 KBXL, Boise) that, because the drug can cause the body’s organs to shut down, CPR must be used before and after administering naloxone to treat fentanyl overdoses .

Evans discussed an outreach effort organized by the Nampa Fire District and his addiction recovery group HOPE Guides, to provide Idahoans information on opioid addiction and treating opioid overdoses, and to match those in need with compassionate, community resources.

Idaho has also joined other states in establishing laws that protect those who seek or apply emergency assistance for drug overdoses.

[In summary]

Medical Assistance Law — Idaho Code 37-2739(C)

Any person who acts in good faith to seek medical assistance for any person experiencing a drug-related medical emergency shall not be charged or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia, or for using or being under the influence of drugs.

Any person experiencing a medical emergency shall not be charged or prosecuted for possession of controlled substance or drug paraphernalia if evidence for the charge was obtained as a result of the medical emergency and the need for medical assistance.

The protections in this section shall not be grounds for suppression of evidence in other criminal charges nor used to protect individuals from receiving technical violations from their probation or parole officers.

Good Samaritan Law — Idaho Code 5-330

Any person who, in good faith and without compensation, offers and administers first-aid or medical attention to a person in need of assistance is protected from civil lawsuits, unless they administer treatment in a grossly negligent manner. This protection ends when the person is taken into an ambulance or a generally recognized medical facility.

Visit samhsa.gov or realdealonfentanyl.com for more information on addiction, recovery and reversing drug overdoses.

Sources: Shirah Matsuzawa, ” ‘I Will Never Get Over Losing Him’: Idahoans Share Stories of Loss and Triumph on Interational Overdose Awareness Day,” KTVB.com. “Gov. Little to Commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day,” Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Laura Guido, ” ‘Left in the Shadows Amidst the Crisis’: Officials Honor Idahoans Who Died, Highlight Ways to Prevent Overdose Deaths,” Idahopress.com. Miriam E. Deplhin-Rittmon, Ph.D, “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Increasing Overdose Prevention Awareness,” SAMHSA.gov.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY THREE BREAKFAST (MAINLINE)

[Fruit and whole grain bread is 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
______________________________

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

DAVE FISHER RE-IMAGINES CORRECTIONS

In an article published last month by the Boise Weekly, Kate Jacobson shared the story of former resident Dave Fisher, a family man who worked for 26 years as an Idaho engineer prior to experiencing Idaho’s prison system.

Fisher tells the Weekly that not long after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013, he was charged with multiple counts of intimidating a witness and sent to prison to serve a total of seven years in two installments.

“The amount of rehabilitation I went through in prison isn’t just zero, it’s a negative number,” Fisher said. “Prison separated me from my children, home, pets, jobs and friends. The prison system is a warehouse where you are stored with absolutely no guidance on how to become a better person–I left prison far worse than went I went in.”

Pulling from his experience and the experience of others incarcerated, Fisher set out to design a better model for carceral rehabilitation.

His approach is unique in that it combines peer support components and continuous cognitive programming with slightly augmented 12-step principles, whereas the majority of Idaho prisoners are funneled through requisite programming months prior to being released. Fisher also proposes using frequent psychological testing to track participants’ progress and determine their criminal risk levels. This, he explains, to more accurately gauge when they’re ready to return to their communities.

I spoke to Fisher over phone as an admirer of the time and effort that he has invested in his proposal. The next difficult task to conquer, he says, is finding the right people to introduce his model into a setting where it can be tested and adjusted accordingly.

View Fisher’s proposal or contact him at prisonreform.info.

Sources: Kate Jacobson, “Local Man Designs His Own Prison Reform Proposal for ‘True Rehabilitation’,” Boise Weekly. Dave Fischer, “A Prison Reform: A Solution for True Rehabilitation and Timely Release from Prison,” Prisonreform.info.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY THREE LUNCH (MAINLINE)

[Fruit and whole grain bread is 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
______________________________

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

CONDEMNED PRISONER BACK IN COURT AFTER BEING SPAMMED WITH DEATH WARRANTS

After being served in February with yet another impotent death warrant, GP Jr., 67, will be allowed to pursue a claim of cruel and unusual punishment through federal courts .

Pizzuto has now been served a total of five death warrants during his time on death row, where he has sat since being convicted for the brutal 1985 murders of Brenda Herndon and her nephew Delbert Herndon.

The last two death warrants were served to Pizzuto within a period of three months despite the state knowing that it lacked the lethal chemicals required to carry it through.

Like other states where the death penalty remains legal for egregious criminal acts, Idaho has struggled to obtain lethal injection drugs as a growing number of manufacturers and suppliers refuse to supply them for the purpose of homicide.

Pizzuto, who is represented by the Federal Defenders Services of Idaho, claims the State has violated his Eighth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights. (The Eighth Amendment guarantees protection from cruel and unusual punishment. The Fourteenth Amendment protects people from the deprivation of life, liberty or property without due process.)

Both claims were presented last month before Idaho U.S. Federal District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, who reiterated in a written statement the nature of Pizzuto’s concerns:

As Pizzuto describes it, defendants’ repeated rescheduling of his execution is like dry firing in a mock execution or a game of Russian Roulette. With each new death warrant comes another spin of the revolver’s cylinder, restarting the thirty-day countdown until the trigger pulls. Not knowing whether a round is chambered, Pizzuto must re-live his last days in a delirium of uncertainty until the click sounds the cylinder spin again.

Though Winmill rejected the argument that the state violated Pizzuto’s Fourteenth Amendment rights, he determined it plausible that a violation of the Eighth Amendment occurred, making Pizzuto’s claim eligible to move on to the next step of the legal process.

Pizzuto’s lawyers are asking the state to refrain from issuing any more death warrants or activating execution protocols until it possesses the ability to carry out an execution.

Sources: Ruth Brown, “Judge Permits Pizzuto Lawsuit Claiming Cruel, Unusual Punishment to Move Forward Against Idaho AG,” Idaho Capital Sun. Kevin Fixler, “Are Repeated Death Penalty Dates Psychological Torture? What Idaho Federal Judge Says,” Idaho Statesman.

***

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN EXPECTING (TO BE EXECUTED)

James Dawson with Boise State Radio News last month outlined the process of seeking and imposing the death penalty in Idaho:

1) Prosecutor seeks the death penalty
2) Judge assigns counsel
3) Trial and sentencing
4) Appeals
5) Issuing and serving the death warrant
6) Performing execution protocols

Citing information obtained through the Death Penalty Information Center, Dawson reports that Idaho has performed a total of 26 executions since 1884, when the state was still a territory.

View his article, “How the Death Penalty Works in Idaho” here.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY THREE DINNER (MAINLINE)

[Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessively brewing alcohol.]
______________________________
1 cup — Chicken Stir Fry
1 cup — Steamed Rice
2 oz — Teriyaki Sauce
0.75 — Cup Vegetables #7
1/2 cup — Fruit Crisp
8 oz — Vitamin beverage
______________________________

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

FORMER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR IDAHO PRISONS FINDS A WAY TO F*CK BOISE HOSPITALS FOR MILLIONS

It turns out that residents who received inadequate medical treatment under the care of Corizon Health, Inc. aren’t alone in getting screwed by the company now operating as YesCare, Inc.

Prison Legal News contributor Matt Clarke reported last month that in April 2022, using a shady yet legal maneuver known as the “Texas 2-step,” Corizon filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy under the name Tehum Care Services.

Clarke writes, “[The company’s] listing of its 20 largest creditors shows over $37 million in debts, but two of the largest creditors on the list–hospitals in Boise, Idaho–have an ‘unknown’ amount of debt.”

As First Amend This! reported in June, the company has also filed to wipe away the $2,631,593 awarded earlier this year to pay the attorney fees of former resident Adree Edmo, who sued the IDOC and Corizon after being refused surgical treatment for gender dysphoria.

Source: Matt Clarke, “Corizon Executes ‘Texas Two-Step’, Spinning Off Debt Into Bankrupt New Firm to Avoid Paying Creditors and Lawsuit Winners,” Prison Legal News, Aug. ’23. First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, June ’23.

***

IDAHO MODERNIZES PRISON FOOD SERVICE, SERVES WOMEN EQUAL PORTIONS

On July 2, for the first time decades, residents of IDOC facilities were treated to a fully revised food service menu.

In addition to receiving a surprising array of more savory and healthier options than before, this reporter was elated to be supplied after submitting a public records request with food service menus that no longer discriminate against residents based on their gender.

The androgynous adjustment of portions is most likely to be noticed by females in custody, who before were receiving half of the male portions for many of their meals.

Sources: IDOC Food Service Menus 7.0, 7.1. “First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Nov. ’22”

***

HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP FOR A HUMANE SOCIETY

Luke Randle with CBS2 news reported last month on the new partnership between the Idaho Humane Society and the Treasure Valley Community Reentry Center.

Randle shared with viewers how the heartwarming partnership is providing the animals that society has abandoned with an opportunity to care for the cats, dogs and other critters awaiting your adoption.

View: “Reentry Center Residents Lend a Helping Hand to Idaho Humane Society” @ Idahonews.com.

***

BOOKIN’ WHAMMERS

Our friends who publish the Coalition for Prisoners’ Rights Newsletter are curious to learn in what ways readers have been harmed by the contents of books.

“There are a lot of opinions and decisions by those in charge of what books are made available to who and about how books might be harmful to readers,” the coalition wrote in its June newsletter. “But we know of NO situations where people feel they have been harmed by reading certain books. Please let us know if you are a person who feels they have been harmed in that way. In the meantime, if you feel reading a certain book is actually bad for you: STOP reading it.”

Coalition for Prisoners’ Rights Newsletter
PO Box 1911
Sante Fe, NM 87504

***

RENICK ON THE RADIO

With 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 an advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration to live on parole.

8.12.23 Author and policy advocate Kristy Laschober returns to the show to discuss how she arrived at her new position at Operation Restoration, a Louisiana-based project that is helping incarcerated women in get into college and advocacy work. Her book, “Perfectly Flawed: Uncovering Your Greatest Purpose” is available on Amazon.

8.19.23 Not long ago Marvin Castaneda was a resident working at the Idaho State Correctional Institution as a reentry specialist. Today he carries the title of “career program specialist” for St. Vincent de Paul of Southwestern Idaho. His experience in incarceration, he says, is a strength that he uses to help others at his job.

Contact Mr. Renick at 208-477-1006 or visit https://www.svdpid.org for more information on reentry resources in Southern Idaho.

***

RECENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED

TFCRC — Resident Joe Agnew as the Restore, a nonprofit home-improvement store’s, Volunteer of the Month.

ICIO — Ofc. Junior Garcia and Cpl. Chad Fernald for graduating from the IDOC Honor Guard’s level one military training.

SAWC — Cpl. McKenzy Bradley for graduating from the IDOC Honor Guard’s level one military training.

IMSI — Administrative Assistant Leilani Howard, Ofc. Daniel Cordero and Ofc. Michael Hopson as Employees of the Month. Sgt. Cassaundra Lehmkuhle as Supervisor of the Quarter.

Source: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

RESIDENT AUDITING 101

A public records request reveals that as of August 16:

1. 1. The sum housing capacity of Idaho prisons is 8,249.
   2. The number of Idaho prisoners housed in Arizona is 480.
   3. The number of people on probation and parole in Idaho is 15,909.
   4. The number of females in Idaho prisons is 1,195 (1,475 including those in county jails).
   5. The number of residents currently housed in Idaho is 8,118 (total population is 9,533 including those in county Jails, expanded CRC, and Texas).

***

RESOURCES FOR THE INCARCERATED

After successfully petitioning President Obama for clemency, Jason Hernandez set out to help others through the process. His book, “Get Clemency Now: A Guidebook to Everything A Person in Prison Needs to Know About Clemency and How Families Can Help,” is free for those who can access the PDF versions he’s made available online.

Other versions can be ordered through Hernandez or Amazon.

Though much in the book pertains to federal commutations, state prisoners and their loved ones will also find its contents helpful.

www.getclemencynow.org
getclemencynow@gmail.com

***

INMATE SERVICES AT WORK

To: Jacob Evans, HOPE Guides
Date: 8.31.23

Hi Jacob,

Good to hear back from you. I’m excited to learn more about your project and brainstorm ways to help.

From what I remember hearing on the radio, your project originated in Nampa but is looking to expand. Can you tell me to what areas and in what ways you are expanding? Knowing will help me narrow my scope of operations.

I’ve had my father search around your site and relay to me what he can. He tells me that you list your mission, community partners, information on Idaho’s good Samaritan and medical assistance laws and instructions on how to administer NARCAN^®.

That’s great, because those links are easy to share and I myself was unaware before the radio show that Idaho has established good Samaritan laws and that neutralizing fentanyl overdoses requires before-and-after CPR. Powerful information that others need to know.

Have you by chance considered linking to or creating any videos that show the proper technique for reviving individuals experiencing fentanyl overdoses? I think those would be great resources as well.

Also, as I begin to share you with my network, I may end up inadvertently directing non-local traffic to your site. This may result in an opportunity to help people outside of your service area without having to tie up your resources beyond what it takes to have your web guy add the links or content.

I may be reaching here, but the IDOC hosts an audio/visual apprenticeship program–how cool would it be to form a partnership with the IDOC and allow its residents to participate in creating educational content for your project?

I’m guessing the Division of Probation and Parole managers in District 3 and District 4 might also welcome the opportunity to inform their clients of your efforts. My reasons for saying this: 1) I’ve been hearing stories of people leaving prison and dying from fentanyl overdoses, and, 2) a partnership with the IDOC could come in handy when grant opportunities open up.

I would also like to ask your opinion on how extensive medical assistance laws are,  and if you have identified any need to improve them at the legislative level? If so, I’d be happy plug you in with a folks who help move those types of discussions.

One final question, … have you been in contact with Emergent Pharmaceuticals at all, and have they provided any supportive messages or resources?

With your permission, one of the actions I’m looking to take immediately is to share your project and the information you offer in the monthly newsletter that I write as a service project for the Idaho Corrections community (First Amend This! @ bookofirving82431.com). It has a small but loyal audience of people that come for different reasons from all over the globe.

Again, I genuinely appreciate the opportunity to learn more and exchange ideas. I know it to be true that your project will save lives, and I recognize it as my responsibility to help in whatever ways I can.

Cheers,
Patrick Irving 82431

***

SUGGESTION BOX

More pizza.

***

Shout out from Slim to Danielle!

“Blue Sunshine”
— The Meteors

* NARCAN is a registered trademark of Emergent Operations Ireland Limited.
Bookofirving82431.com is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Emergent Operations Ireland Limited or Emergent BioSolutions Inc.

Next: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Oct. ’23 [Censored!!!]

To:

Society of Editors
Stationers Hall
Ava Maria Lane
London, EC4M 7DD
United Kingdom

Campaign for Freedom of Information
Lower Ground Floor,
5-7 Highgate Road
London NW5 1JY
United Kingdom

British Journalism Review
SAGE Publications
1 Olivers Yard
55 City Road
London EC1Y 1SP
United Kingdom

International Foundation of Journalists
IPC — Residence Palace Bloc C
Rue de la Loi 155
B-1040 Brussels
Belgium

The Chartered Institute of Journalists
PO Box 765
Waltham Abbey EN8 1NT
United Kingdom

POLIS
LSE
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

The Centre for Investigative Journalism
Goldsmiths, University of London
Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies
8 Lewisham Way
London SE14 6NW
United Kingdom

Reuters Institution for the Study of Journalism
Department of Politics and International Relations
University of Oxford
13 Norham Gardens
Oxford OX2 6PS
United Kingdom

9.23.23

Salutations,

By now I have wagered five percent of my weekly allowance (the cost of postage) on the notion that the document enclosed will in equal parts humour and appall you into a confused, ephemeral romance.

In friendship and incarceration,
Patrick Irving
bookofirving82431.com

Attached: It’s an Unusual Era We Live In: As Told by a Public Records Request Submitted to the IDOC

[This message forwarded from a resident of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.]

8.21.23

Greetings,

I’m looking to verify that public records request #R012838-070523 was interpreted to include all communications between employees of the IDOC and employees or representatives of Liberty Ammunition.

The original request appears to have been transcribed as a request “for any communication between the IDOC and any spokesperson or employee from Liberty Ammunition from Oct. 22 to present.”

I apologize for this redundancy but it is of unusual importance that we verify the word “any” wasn’t interpreted using the definition similar to this one offered by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus: “one chosen at random.”

The reason it is important is because Guns.com has published a story in which Liberty Ammunition is reported to have reached out to the IDOC with an offer to donate ammunition for upcoming executions, and the single communication that returned with my original records request — an email advertisement addressed to Amanda Gentry — reflects no such offer being made by the company.

If for whatever reason the request was filled with one email chosen by your department at random, then please accept this follow-up as a public records request for all additional communications and invoices between the IDOC and Liberty Ammunition.

I request a waiver of all fees because the information is not being sought for commercial purposes and its disclosure is in the public interest. Information obtained through this request will be used to contribute to the public’s understanding of how the IDOC is fielding corporate offers to sponsor upcoming executions.

Please respond with questions or confirmation to [email addie deleted], and with any additional records to:

Patrick Irving 82431
IMSI
PO Box 51
Boise, ID 83707

Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter.

Previous: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, July ’23

Welcome to the August 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.

Loved ones are encouraged to join the Idaho Inmate Family Support Group (IIFSG) on Facebook or contact the group’s admins at idahoinmate@gmail.com.

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, the Office of Performance Evaluations analyzes reentry efforts, the cost of capital punishment in Idaho remains unknown, and a public records request reveals that Liberty Ammunition likely lied out of its asshole.

Let’s First Amend This!

***

O.P.E. ANALYZES PRE-RELEASE PROGRAMS AND REENTRY SERVICES

In response to alarming trends of incarceration and increasing costs of corrections in Idaho, the Office of Performance Evaluations (OPE), a nonpartisan state agency that performs evaluations for Idaho Legislature, last month released a 130-page report on the state’s reentry programs and the factors most affecting recidivism.

The report shows that understaffing has played a prominent role in hindering the Department’s day-to-day operations, from case management and clinical treatment to reentry preparation and post-release services.

According to Mia Maldonado with the Idaho Capital Sun, 58 percent of probation and parole officers surveyed by the OPE reported having insufficient time to effectively manage their caseload, and only 36 percent of the 90 correctional case managers surveyed reported the ability to sufficiently serve everyone in their caseload.

Maldonado writes that the state’s prison clinicians appear to be struggling as well.

“We are constantly trying to provide the best care possible to our residents, but there are not enough mental health professionals employed here to adequately meet those needs,” an anonymous correctional staff member said in the report. “We do not have the time or resources available to truly address the trauma that the majority of the residents have experienced.”

Work release, education and intensive case management services all appear to be positively influencing the success rates of IDOC clients.

Work Release Programs

Work-release programs provide individuals who meet a criteria the opportunity to work in the community while serving out their sentence.

The Department currently operates five community reentry centers (CRC) and provides reliable transportation for workers to their employers.

According to the OPE report, throughout the fiscal year of 2021, the average daily cost of housing residents in a CRC was $61–roughly 21 percent less than what it costs to house them in prisons.

A significant portion of the income earned by CRC workers is applied to the cost of keeping them incarcerated. A majority of the remainder is placed in an IDOC-managed account until the day of the workers’ release.

The OPE report calculated the average account balance of CRC residents to be $5,605, and $58 the average balance of residents working jobs in traditional facilities.

Education

With prisoners again eligible to receive Pell Grants under the Department of Education’s Second Chance Pell Program, the IDOC has partnered with regional colleges to expand educational programs within select facilities.

In addition to college classes, some residents are provided access to vocational and apprenticeship opportunities. These opportunities can range from construction to business administration and audio-visual tech work.

Post-Release Case Management Assistance

The IDOC has contracted a GEO Group subsidiary, GEO Reentry Services, to provide its probation and parole officers with the option of assigning individuals who are deemed at-risk on their caseload to the company’s intensive case management services.

The services are provided through Connection and Intervention Stations (CIS), operated for a profit by the company in each of Idaho’s seven districts. According to Kaylee Brewster with the Lewiston Tribune, the centers possess the combined capacity to serve up to 700 referrals.

“[The report] found that while some state programs seem to be helping incarcerated people take their first steps back into society, state programs alone are not enough to give formerly incarcerated individuals a smooth transition back into the community,” writes Maldonado.

It’s a finding supported by years of hard work from St. Vincent de Paul of Southwestern Idaho (SVDP), who decided once upon a time that formerly incarcerated individuals were reasonably equipped to develop and provide comprehensive reentry services.

The nonprofit’s approach differs from GEO’s in that it provides its services for free and attempts to preempt crises by placing a focus on immediate needs: food, clothing, personal hygiene, employment, transportation from prison to the first check-in with one’s parole officer. “Survival is what they’re concerned about as they get out and work to establish themselves,” SVDP reentry services director Mark Renick told the Idaho Capital Sun.

The OPE report concluded by recommending 1) that the IDOC establish methods of collecting feedback from program participants; 2) that the Legislature task a committee to identify resource needs while monitoring the effectiveness and formation of policies and programs; and 3) that the IDOC consult with research performed by the National Academy of Sciences to develop additional metrics of reentry success.

Sources: Kaylee Brewster, “Connection, Change and Community,” Lewiston Tribune. Mia Maldonado, “New Report Shows What is Working Well for Idaho’s Prisoner Reentry Programs, and What is Not,” Idaho Capital Sun. Georeentry.com

***

WEEK ONE, DAY TWO BREAKFAST (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender. Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of 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

***

HOW IS IT WE NEVER ESTABLISHED A PREFERRED PRICE POINT FOR EXECUTIONS?

Death Row, Idaho
Population: 8

Idaho is one of 24 states that reserve the right to execute individuals convicted of what are considered to be especially heinous crimes, and one of five that commission a firing squad when lethal injections aren’t in stock.

With a trifecta of horrific criminal cases now working their way through Idaho courts, the state could soon be adding three new faces to death row.

Should it matter what it costs to afford them their Constitutionally protected rights and keep them alive for decades while they work to exhaust their appeals? If so, how much capital are we comfortable spending before sentencing someone to death is no longer considered a viable option?

The Office of Performance Evaluations, in 2014, attempted to put a price on Idaho’s use of the ultimate penalty. But the agency’s director, Rakesh Magan, said that the agency lacked the data needed to conduct a complete analysis.

According to Kevin Fixler, in an article published by the Idaho Statesman, in 2015 and 2016 studies published out of Seattle University uncovered what Washington and Oregon–two of Idaho’s neighboring states–were paying to keep their capital punishment programs alive.

Both studies found that pursuit of a death sentence on average cost taxpayers $1 million more than when prosecutors sought life imprisonment in aggravated first-degree murder cases.

Both states, for separate reasons, have since suspended the practice…

View Fixler’s full article: “Price of Death: What We Know About Execution Costs as Idaho’s Firing Squad Law Takes Effect,” Idaho Statesman.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY TWO LUNCH (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender. Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of 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

***

LIBERTY AMMUNITION’S CHARITABLE OFFER LOOKS REMARKABLY LIKE SPAM

A few months back, Guns.com published a story written by Chris Eger, in which Liberty Ammunition was touted to have reached out to the IDOC with an unusual form of sponsorship.

[F]lorida-based Liberty Ammunition this week made no bones about the fact that it “has offered to donate ammunition to the firing squads of the great state of Idaho, assisting them in a time of budget constraints and increased violence in our nation.”

Well–this reporter’s public records request for all communications between the IDOC and employees of Liberty Ammunition was finally filled on July 31.

The only communication from the company in IDOC records was an email sent April 21 to Deputy Chief of Prisons Amanda Gentry with the subject line “Get 25% OFF All Products!”

LIBERTY AMMO FEATURED IN
The Well Armed Woman

Liberty Ammo is gaining a lot of press as the premier USA self-defense ammunition brand. The Well Armed Woman recently wrote about Liberty ammo as a “game changer.”

It appears as though the company’s noble offer to help Idaho uphold justice was delivered as a targeted advertisement with the discount code SPRING 25*.

God bless America.

*excludes blemished ammo

Ref: Chris Eger, “Ammo Maker Offers Donation for Idaho Firing Squads,” Guns.com.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY TWO DINNER (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender. Fruit and whole grain bread is substituted at facilities flagged for excessive brewing of alcohol.]
______________________________
1 cup — Spaghetti Sauce
1 1/2 cup — Pasta All Shapes
1 cup — Garden Salad #2
1 oz. — Vinaigrette
2 pc — Garlic Bread
1 pc — Cake #6 — Marble
8 oz. — Vitamin beverage
————————————————

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

IDOC STAFF JOIN ADA COUNTY SHERIFFS AS ESCORTS FOR LITTLE ONES GEARING UP FOR SCHOOL
by Idaho State Correctional Center Sgt. Joshua Rankin

[Originally published by the IDOC. Shared here in compliance with the Idaho Public Records Act.]

On July 15, 2023, IDOC staff, once again in force, assisted Ada County community families as part of the Ada County Sheriff Employees’ Association’s (ACSEA) annual Shop with a Sheriff Back to School Event in Meridian.

Staff from District 3, District 4, and South Boise prisons participated, including, Probation & Parole officers, a reentry specialist, prison security, food service, case managers, an instructor and a nurse. There were a lot of smiles and a lot of fun as we engaged with the children, families and other agencies.

ACSEA is always happy with our involvement and our staff are always excited to participate in these events. Thank you all for helping with this important community event as these children prepare to return to school.

Source: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

P&P WORKERS HONORED IN JULY

The Department took a week in July to celebrate its workers in Probation & Parole (P&P).

The IDOC posted online that Olympic medalist Kory Puderbaugh appeared as a guest speaker to help kick off the week: “[He] spoke about the tremendous impact probation and parole officers can have on lives of people they supervise.”

Board of Correction member Dodds Hayden and P&P Chief Brian Underwood were reported to have spoken as well, about how the hard work being performed every day by P&P workers is helping to increase the success of their clients.

The following employees were presented with certificates as nominees for the division’s employee of the year.

Christine Juvan, Sr. PPO D1
Shane Quinn, Sr. PPO, D2
Vito Kelso, Sr. PPO D3
Matt Gambell, Lead PPO, D4
Julie Taylor, Lead PPO, D5
Cliff Cumming, Sr. PPO, D6
Kasey Champion, Lead PPO, D7
Dusty Orr, Clinician SUD
Tina Reay, MA, Central Office

Management assistant Tina Reay was later honored with the award.

District 3 staff celebrated with snow cones and a dunk tank, complete with District Manager Cory Barrier and Chief Underwood as accoutrements.

Video of the week’s events can be found on the IDOC’s Instagram.

Sources: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

RENICK ON THE RADIO

With 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 an advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration to live on parole.

7.8.23. As a volunteer chaplain for Ada Country Jail, Cliff Silvers, who twice was incarcerated himself, describes how most people will be released from jail and prison through one of two exits: either the revolving door or a robust commitment to self.

7.22.23. Recovery advocate Jim Ash opens up about his humbling experience of finding hope through the New Life Program at the Boise Rescue Mission, and how losing his brother to fentanyl has impacted his work as an advocate.

Contact Mr. Renick at 208-477-1006 or visit https://www.svdpid.org for more information on reentry resources in Southern Idaho.

***

RECENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED

Statewide — 29 graduates of Correction POST Academy 93. Mark Young as class president and recipient of the Tactical Edge Award; Hannah Fear with the Top Student Award; Chris Ackerman with the Top Instructor Award.

Central Office — P&P management assistant Tina Reay as Employee of the Year.

District 4 — Ofc. Derek Austin with the High Liability Instructor Endorsement

District 5 — Ofc. Sonia Rico with basic certification from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

NICI — Lacey Graham as Employee of the Quarter.

ICI-O — Lt. Nick Dobler for 25 years of service; Ofc. Karen Millage with basic certification from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

St. Anthony Work Camp — Ofc. Spencer McMasters and Ofc. Sara Carter as Employees of the Quarter.

TVCRC — Residents for their weekly volunteer work at the Idaho Humane Society.

TFCRC– Resident James Crabtree as Restore’s volunteer of the month, logging over 200 hours since June at the nonprofit home-improvement store.

Sources: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

RESIDENT AUDITING 101

The following public records requests have yet to be filled:

Our April request for 1) the sum housing capacity of Idaho prisons; 2) the number of residents currently housed in Arizona; (3) the number of individuals on probation and parole; (4) the number of females in Idaho prisons; (5) the date the CoreCivic contract ends; (6) the estimated date the new women’s prison is expected to become operational.

Our June request for the June log of Public records requests.

Our July request for July’s log of public records requests.

Our July request for the complete list of all IDOC facilities, wardens, deputy wardens, deputy chiefs and chief of prisons, and deputy directors.

Our July request for all IDOC food service menus currently in use.

Our July request for all End of Pilot reports submitted by the trauma service providers selected this year to provide services to staff and residents.

***

RESOURCES FOR THE INCARCERATED

The California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) is an advocate organization that provides support for its community members by working with a wide range of entities.

To support or request a copy of the coalition’s The Fire Inside newsletter:

(414) 255-7036 x4
CCWP
4400 Market St.
Oakland, CA 94608
www.womenprisoners.org
info@womenprisoners.org

***

INMATE SERVICES AT WORK

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, programmimg 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 ones.

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.

***

SUGGESTION BOX

I suggest acknowledging patient and articulate efforts with timely and receptive responses.

***

Thanks to everyone who continues checking in on us. Please continue sharing us with others and remember to subscribe for free.

Shout out to Erica Marshall with the Idaho Justice Project!

“Respect”
— Aretha Franklin (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Next: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Sept. ’23

[Shared here in the interest of diplomacy. Those with loved ones at IMSI are encouraged to voice their support through all the usual channels. I’ll do my best to continue reporting on efforts as they unfold.]

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 part 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 ones.

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.

Previous: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, June ’23

Welcome to the July 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.

Loved ones are encouraged to join the Idaho Inmate Family Support Group (IIFSG) on Facebook or contact the group’s admins at idahoinmate@gmail.com.

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

The good, the bad, the ugly, and the beginning of a new food service menu that is mysteriously absent of tears…

Let’s First Amend This!

***

HOW SHOULD IDAHO HANDLE ITS $218M OPIOID SETTLEMENT?

In a series of opinion pieces published in the Idaho Statesman, Scott McIntosh explores potential applications for Idaho’s $218 million share of the $54 billion national opioid settlement. Multiple opioid manufacturers and distributors have been ordered by the courts to pay for the harmful practices they used to sell their deadly products.

(McIntosh’s series starts here: “Millions of Dollars Coming to Fight Opioid Epidemic. Where Is the Money Going?“)

Idaho’s Office of the Attorney General website states that the funds will be distributed in accordance with the Opioid Settlement Intrastate Allocation Agreement over the course of 18 years. The agreement includes 44 counties, 24 cities, 7 regional health districts, and an unspecified number hospital, fire and school districts.

In a podcast with Logan Finney from Idaho Public Television, Court administrator Sara Omundson, Director of Health and Welfare Dave Jeppsen, and Deputy Attorney General Stephanie Guyon encourage those closest to the crisis to visit BehavioralHealthCouncil.idaho.gov or email IBHC.dhw.idaho.gov, to involve themselves in recommending how the settlement should be used.

Additional sources: www.ag.idaho.gov. Logan Finney, “Help Idaho Address the Opioid Crisis,” Idaho Reports.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY ONE BREAKFAST (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender.]
______________________________
1 pc — Chuckwagon patty
1 cup — Farina
8 oz. — Milk 1%
3 oz. — Biscuit
.75 oz. — Country breakfast gravy
2 pckt — Sugar
8 oz. — Vitamin beverage
————————————————

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

PRISON SERVICE PROVIDERS PISS IN LOCAL PRESS POOL

While interviewing subjects for his series on how Idaho should spend its portion of the national opioid settlement, Scott McIntosh found himself subjected to the same unhealthy stressors that private corporations, along with sheriffs and prison officials, have for years profited from imposing upon incarcerated persons and their loved ones.

See: Scott McIntosh, “Idaho Prisoners and Their Families Get Ripped Off Just for Making a Phone Call,” Idaho Statesman.

***

DEATH OF IMSI RESIDENT

Kaitlyn Hart with East Idaho News covers the story of Junior Alex Garcia, 26, who passed away in the hospital on June 18th following a violent incident at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.

See: Kaitlyn Hart, “Prison Inmate Beaten to Death was from Idaho Falls,” EastIdahoNews.com

***

WEEK ONE, DAY ONE LUNCH (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender.]

______________________________
1.5 oz. — Peanut butter
.5 oz. — Jelly
2 oz. — Wholegrain bread
1 — Fresh fruit/banana
1 — Weekend muffin
————————————————

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

IDOC’S PROGRESS IN PREPPING TO LEAD-PEPPER ITS CLIENTS

As the supplier-induced drought of lethal injection drugs continues, the firing squad has once again become legal as a secondary option for conducting executions in the desert south of Boise.

Angela Kerndl with Boise’s CBS2 News covers the Department’s progress on preparing for the upcoming Days of Reckoning:

Idaho Department of Correction officials say it’s reviewing policies from other jurisdictions to develop an understanding of what’s needed for the infrastructure. The policies and procedures they develop will serve as the foundation for the design of a facility, a spokesperson for IDOC said.

The Florida-based ammo maker Liberty Ammunition has reportedly reached out to the IDOC with an offer to sponsor upcoming executions with free ammunition.

With the editorial board for Idaho Statesman questioning how fiscally conservative it was of the Idaho Legislature to allot $750,000 for the Department to fortify a venue for the firing squad to operate, Kerndl is reporting that South Carolina has succeeded in staging theirs for the paltry comparative sum of $53,000–but she leaves it unclear in her coverage whether corporate sponsorships helped offset the cost.

Sources: Angela Kerndl, “Where is IDOC at in Establishing a Firing Squad Facility?” IdahoNews.com. Chris Eger, “Ammo Maker Offers Donation for Idaho Firing Squads,” Guns.com. Editorial Board, “Let’s Be Honest About the Death Penalty in Idaho: Revenge Killing Despite the Cost,” Idaho Statesman.

***

WEEK ONE, DAY ONE DINNER (MAINLINE)

[Serving sizes may vary by gender.]

______________________________
3 oz. — Chicken Filet
2 oz. — Wholegrain Bread
1 slice — Lettuce
1/2 cup — Three Bean Salad
1/2 cup — Pineapple Slaw
.5 oz. — Cheese
1 oz. — Ham
1 piece — Apple Spice Cake
8 oz. — Vitamin Beverage
1 pkt — Mayonnaise
1 pkt — Mustard
————————————————

Source: IDOC Food Service Menu 7.1

***

WHY DEFENSE LAWYERS IN IDAHO’S CRAZIEST CRIMINAL CASES ARE BARRED FROM PRESENTING INSANITY AS A DEFENSE

Idaho is one of four states –along with Montana, Utah and Kansas– that prohibit criminal lawyers from presenting insanity as a defense, regardless of their clients’ capacity to understand their crimes or commit them with intent.

Scott McIntosh, in another opinion piece for Idaho Statesman, reports that former Idaho attorney general David Leroy explained during a telephone interview “that the insanity defense was being abused and overused, and defense and prosecuting attorneys were hiring their own psychiatrists to prove or disprove whether mental illness played a part in crimes, leading to trials that became expensive spectacles.”

Solitary Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that reports as a public watchdog on the abuses experienced within solitary confinement, shares in a 2022 fact sheet that “a 2014 Treatment Advocacy Center report found that more than 350,000 individuals with severe mental illnesses were being held in U.S. prisons and jails in 2012, while only 35,000 were patients in state psychiatric hospitals.”

Despite the massive amount of mentally ill individuals found having to defend themselves in American courts, Boise attorney Scott McKay, who has served on the Judicial Fairness Committee of the Idaho State Bar and the board of directors for the Federal Defender Services of Idaho, cited studies that show roughly 1 percent of felony defendants attempt to present insanity as a defense. “And of those,” writes McIntosh, “only about a quarter are successful.”

Source: Scott McIntosh, “Kohberger, Vallow Daybell Cases Can’t Include Insanity Defense In Idaho,” Idaho Statesman. Sara Rain Tree, The Psychological Effects of Solitary Confinement (Fact Sheet #3), solitarywatch.org.

***

NEW SICI UNIT A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

The new $14 million, 152-person men’s dorm at the Southern Idaho Correctional Institution, with its dimming lights, bigger windows and amenities to cook and do laundry, provides residents a head start in re-acclimating to the minutiae of daily living.

View video supplied by the IDOC here.

Abby Davis with Boise’s KTVB News reports that Director Josh Tewalt has expressed an interest in continuing to update other minimum-security units and is hoping to one day build a similar dorm for women.

Source: Abby Davis, “Idaho Department of Correction Reimagines Housing with a New Dorm,” KTVB7.com

***

THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARING PRISONERS FOR REENTRY

IDOC Spokesperson Jeff Ray informed the Idaho Capital Sun last month that 98% of Idaho prisoners are expected to be released from incarceration.

Most–but not all–will have qualified while in prison for mental health, addiction and behavioral treatment programs, educational opportunities, even vocational training.

Regardless of the efforts they put forth during their  incarceration, many will struggle upon release to find housing, transportation and a legal, livable wage.

In the interest of public safety, the IDOC is now working with other agencies and a variety of organizations to increase the rate of success for individuals returning from incarceration.

Mia Maldonado with the Idaho Capital Sun covers the story: “Idaho Nonprofit and State Programs Are Key to Reentry Process, Former Prisoners Say.”

***

IDOC ASSUMES CONTROL OF MEN’S CAPP PROGRAM

The men’s Correctional Alternative Placement Program (CAPP) is no longer being operated by Management Training Corporation (MTC), the Utah-based company that runs prisons for a profit in seven states.

CAPP has been used since 2010 to provide an unknown portion of men who violate parole with additional rehabilitative programming in the 432-bed facility formerly known as the CAPP building, now the Mountain View Transformation Center.

Troy Oppie with Boise State Public Radio reports that Director Josh Tewalt projected last year in a committee meeting that the state will save roughly $800,000 annually by cutting the company out of its prison operations.

Source: Troy Oppie, “Idaho Department of Correction Poised to Take Over Inmate Reentry Program,” Boise State Public Radio News.

***

IMSI RESIDENT INVITED TO SPEAK TO A PRISONAND PUNISHMENT CLASS HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD

It’s not often that residents of the Idaho Maximum Security Institution are invited to participate in discussions with classrooms abroad. But when Instructor Henny Hearn with Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nüremberg reached out to resident Patrick Irving with a request that he speak to her class, the staff at Central Office and IMSI worked together to make the arrangements.

Read more: “IDOC Facilitates Session Between IMSI Resident and Students of Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nüremberg”
***

CHANGES IN VISITATION AT ISCI

To increase the amount of monthly visits that residents of the Idaho State Correctional Institution are allowed to receive, the facility has been divided into an A side and a B side, with each side having access to the visiting room on a 3 to 2 rotation.

Residents are allowed to schedule one visiting slot a day during the days that they are eligible: 08:30, 11:00, 13:00.

View the Department’s website for updates and cancellations.

***

GOOD NEWS FOR STAFF

The Department has announced that over the next 12 months it will be investing $14.5 million into merit and equity CECs (Change in Employee Compensation).

Security staff can expect to receive a roughly 10% pay increase; non-security staff can expect, on average, an 8% increase.

Source: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

RENICK ON THE RADIO

With 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 an advocacy arm of https://www.svdpid.org, shares what it’s like to live incarcerated in Idaho and then come out of incarceration to live on parole.

6.3.23. Erin Aboud, an advocate for recovery, joins Renick to discuss her experience with recovery, the criminal justice system and how she is now sharing her story to help change the lives of others.

Contact Mr. Renick at 208-477-1006 or visit https://www.svdpid.org for more information on reentry resources in Southern Idaho.

***

RECENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED

Statewide– 33 members of Post Academy 92; Ofc. Greg Martin with the Top of Class Award, Ofc. Steven Courtney with the Tactical Edge Award, Sgt. Chris Ackerman with the Top Instructor Award.

District 4 — Probation & Parole Ofc. Stephen Harding for 10 years of service; Section Supervisor Seth Radimer for 15 years of service.

District 5 — Probation & Parole Ofc. Conley Hyde as employee of the quarter.

IMSI — Ofc. Joshua Dykstra as employee of the quarter.

SICI- Branden Nevers for 25 years of service; HVAC foremen Chris Baxter for 10 years of service.

PWCC– Lt. Ryan Preston and clinical supervisor Amber Mickelsen for 10 years of service.

Source: Idaho Department of Correction on Facebook

***

RESOURCES FOR THE INCARCERATED

Incarcerated writers looking to earn a little extra coin may submit at no cost to the Dogwood Literary Awards for a chance to win one of three $1,000 prizes and publication in Dogwood.

Prizes are issued annually for a poem (submit up to three totalling no more than 10 pages), short story and essay (submit no more than 22 pages for either).

Dogwood
Literary Awards
English Department
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824

(203) 254-4000, ext. 2565
dogwoodliterary.wordpress.com

Source: Poets & Writers Magazine (July/August ’23)

***

INMATE SERVICES AT WORK

Resident Concern Form

Date: 6-9-23
To: Chief of Prisons Chad Page
From: Patrick Irving 82431

Please consider reminding the resident population prior to executions that mental health resources are available to anyone who needs them. Some of us have a hard time processing the media coverage. Thank you.

***

SUGGESTION BOX

If we’re not going to address the lack of ventilation and cooling at IMSI, the facility whose residents spend the most time in their cells, then how about we at least revise all applicable disciplinary policies to forbid staff from removing residents’ personal fans during summer months?

***

Thanks for reading, everybody. Don’t forget to subscribe for free and leave your questions in the comments.

Shout out to St. Rose Peace & Justice in Perrysburg!

“10 Feet Down”
— NF/Ruelle

Next: First Amend This! An IDOC Newsletter, Aug. ’23