IDOC Newsletter (DOCTalk) 2008

March, May, June, August , October
2008 Press Releases

December 2 , 2008 - Holiday Package Information
November 6 , 2008 - Sheriff's Deputies Catch Jail Walkaway
November 5 , 2008 - Inmate Walks Away from the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center
October 21, 2008 - Idaho Probation & Parole Officers To Monitor Sex Offenders on Halloween
October 14, 2008 - Video Examines IDOC's Partnership with Boise Police Department
October 10, 2008 - IDOC Extends Inmate Health Services Contract
October 10, 2008 - IDOC Names Mountain Home Parole Officer Employee of the Year
October 3, 2008 - St. Anthony Work Camp Walkaway Apprehended
October 3, 2008 - St. Anthony Work Camp Offender Walks Away from Job
September 30 , 2008 - 80 Inmates Return to Idaho From Texas and Oklahoma
September 17 , 2008 - Inmate Back in Custody
September 16 , 2008 - Inmate Walks Away
August 26 , 2008 - ISCI Warden Named to New Deputy Chief Position
August 26 , 2008 - Boise Police Nab Work Center Walkaway
August 21 , 2008 - IDOC Seeking Nampa Work Center Inmate
August 20 , 2008 - Agencies Sign Emergency Preparedness Agreement for Prisons
August 19 , 2008 - IDOC Investigates Apparent Inmate Suicide
July 31, 2008 - IDOC Searching for Parole Absconder
July 16, 2008 - Inmate Moved to Idaho Maximum Security Institution
July 14, 2008 - IDOC Honoring Community Corrections Professionals
July 11, 2008 - Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for 400-Bed Correctional Treatment Facility
June 26, 2008 - Idaho Inmate Dies in Oklahoma
June 24, 2008 - Inmate Escapes from Gooding County Jail
June 6, 2008 - Inmate Recaptured in Boise
June 2, 2008 - Minimum Custody Inmate Escapes from South Idaho Correctional Institution
May 29, 2008 - IDOC Inmate Commits Suicide at California Prison
May 22, 2008 - Work Center Walkaway Caught
May 22, 2008 - Inmates To Present Donations to Charity
May 20, 2008 - Offenders Get Barbecue for Winning Fundraising Competition
May 18, 2008 - Search for Work Center Resident Continues
May 9, 2008 - Idaho Inmates Raise $10,000 for Charities
May 5, 2008 - IDOC Honoring Correctional Professionals
April 24, 2008 - Detectives Investigate Stabbing at ISCI
April 15, 2008 -IDOC Moves 120 More Inmates to Oklahoma Prison
April 14, 2008 -Community Work Center Offenders Donate Money to Charity
March 7, 2008 - Walkaway Back in Custody
March 13, 2008 - IDOC Central Office To No Longer Accept Deposits for offenders
March 7, 2008 - Walkaway Back in Custody
March 3, 2008 - Work Center Resident Walks Away From Job
February 22, 2008 - Reader's View: Secure Mental Health Facility
January 22, 2008 - Work Center Inmate Fails to Return from Job
January 14, 2008 - 48 IDOC Inmates Back in Idaho
January 8, 2008 - IDOC Returning 48 Inmates to Idaho

Brochures

For more information, contact the IDOC Public Information Office:

Public Information Officer
(208)658-2141

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  Text of 2008 Press Releases

Holiday Package Information , December 2, 2008

Holiday season spurs many requests from families wanting to send packages to their loved ones. Holiday items can be ordered from commissary. 

For state-managed facilities the Quarterly Gift Basket Program link is on line www.accesscatalog.com/shop/login.htm?ProgramID=101

For inmates housed at Corrections Corporation of America facilities CCA offers this link for ordering baskets: yellowribbononline.com 

That link works for both the Idaho Correctional Center and North Fork Correctional Facility.

For those with loved ones housed at the Bill Clayton Detention Center inmates have been provided with information on ordering packages from Mid States Commissary.

Sheriff's Deputies Catch Jail Walkaway, Nov. 6, 2008

BOISE – An inmate who walked away from the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center in Burley while on a work detail is back in custody.

Isaac Polanco, IDOC #85250, was sweeping the jail’s front office when he walked out the front door and disappeared at 1:16 a.m. Wednesday.  Deputies found him eating lunch at a restaurant about seven blocks from the jail about 1:30 p.m.  today (Thursday).  Polanco was with another person who will also likely be charged in aiding Polanco’s escape.

Polanco was serving time for robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of burglary, malicious injury to property and grand theft by possession. His next parole hearing was set for April of 2013.  All of the convictions were for crimes in Cassia County.

Polanco will now likely face an escape charge in Cassia County.

Inmate Walks Away from the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center, Nov. 5, 2008

BOISE – An Idaho Department of Correction inmate walked away from the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center in Burley while on a work detail.

Isaac Polanco, IDOC #85250, was sweeping the jail’s front office when he walked out the front door and disappeared at 1:16 a.m.

Polanco was serving time for robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of burglary, malicious injury to property and grand theft by possession. His next parole hearing was set for April of 2013.  All of the convictions were for crimes in Cassia County.

Idaho Probation & Parole Officers To Monitor Sex Offenders on Halloween , Oct. 21, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction’s Community Corrections Division is once again teaming up with law enforcement agencies statewide for Operation Lights Out.  They’ll be visiting the homes of sex offenders and making sure offenders are doing nothing to encourage children to approach offenders’ homes for candy.

“We keep a close eye on this group of offenders year round,” says Community Corrections Division Chief Kevin Kempf.  “But on Halloween we want to give parents the extra peace of mind of knowing that our officers are out in force and vigorously enforcing the law.”

In addition to having their lights out, offenders are prohibited from displaying pumpkins or any other type of Halloween decoration. Offenders must also comply with a 5 PM-to-sunrise curfew, which means they are forbidden from accompanying children as they go trick or treating.

“Our officers will be quite strict, they don’t even want to see an offender keeping a bowl of candy by his door,” Kempf says
 
Probation and parole officers have no authority over registered sex offenders who are no longer on probation or parole. More information on them is available through Idaho’s Central Sex Offender Registry at www.isp.state.id.us.

Video Examines IDOC's Partnershop with Boise Police Department , Oct. 14, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) and the Boise Police Department are featured in a new video that’s being distributed around the world to demonstrate the value of cooperation between criminal justice agencies.

The video was produced by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).  During a two-visit to Boise last winter, a video crew recorded District 4 Probation & Parole Officers Mike Coolidge and Christine McIntire working alongside Boise police officers.  The video crew attended a team briefing watched officers serve a search warrant and recorded a number of interviews in which officers and administrators discussed what it takes to build and maintain positive relationships between agencies.

“We want to show the benefits of information-sharing partnerships, and what you’re doing is a great example of that,” says IACP project manager Alissa Huntoon.

Thousands of copies of the video will be distributed to law enforcement leaders around the world.  The chief of IDOC’s Community Corrections Division, Kevin Kempf hopes to put them to use right here at home to draw attention to and expand successful programs that are already underway.

“In every part of this state we’ve formed partnerships with law enforcement agencies,” Kempf said.  “By working together we fulfill the mission that we all share – to protect the people of Idaho.”

For example, in 2001 a program called SCOAP (Safe Community Offender Accountability Program) teamed  Probation and Parole officers with local law enforcement officers in the Lewiston area.   They identified offenders who needed extra attention and rode together while conducting home visits.  Since then the program has expanded and flourished.

“Just the act of riding together in the same patrol car and talking opens up lines of communication,” Kempf said.

IDOC Extends Inmate Health Services Contract, Oct. 10, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is extending its agreement with the current provider of inmate health services, Correctional Medical Services (CMS), through June 2009.

“Our goal is to manage costs the best we can,” said IDOC Director Brent Reinke. “After assessing all our options, we found it makes good economic sense to remain with the current medical contractor.”

Under the current agreement IDOC pays CMS $12.25 per inmate per day for healthcare services.  The department had planned to divide that arrangement into three areas – medical healthcare, mental healthcare and pharmaceutical services. The state of Idaho had invited companies to submit proposals, but they were all more than what was budgeted.

The contract renewal and prison population drop are good news in today’s economic climate.  In July the department reported that the number of people incarcerated under IDOC jurisdiction had dropped for the first time in a decade.  There were 19 fewer inmates in prison on June 30, 2008, than there were a year earlier.  The population dropped 188 inmates between May and September 2008, allowing IDOC to return some inmates from out of state.

The department attributes the population decline to several factors including:

• The rate of reported crime is down and as a result judges sentencied fewer defendants to prison.

• A record number of inmates completed education and treatment while in Fiscal Year 2008, and as a result the Idaho Commission for Pardons and Parole were able to release more offenders to parole.

• Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole officers are having greater success in keeping offenders on probation and parole and as a result fewer are being sent to prison.

“It’s good to see what kind of success we can have when people throughout the system work together for the benefit of Idaho’s citizens,” Director Reinke said.

IDOC Names Mountain Home Parole Officer Employee of the Year , Oct. 10, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) has named a senior probation and parole officer based in Mountain Home as the department’s 2008 employee of the year.

Christine Hopson received the award on September 16th at the annual Idaho Correctional Association (ICA) meeting in Lewiston .  She also works as a pre-sentence investigator for the department.

During the presentation of the award, IDOC Director Brent Reinke said Hopson is respected by her peers for her knowledge, experience and dedication to providing quality service to internal and external customers.

“She works tirelessly on whatever task that comes before her, whether it be the relocation of the Mountain Home office, taking on added responsibilities when technical difficulties arise or representing IDOC on community task forces and drug panels,” Director Reinke said.

In addition to honoring Hopson, IDOC has awarded Todd Jackson, a sergeant at East Boise Women’s Community Work Center, the department’s Medal of Valor.

On August 23rd, 2000 Todd suffered life-threatening injuries when he was attacked at IMSI. An inmate armed with a utility knife bladeslashed Todd in the neck, head and face.
During the long recovery, Todd was introduced to CPOF, a non-profit group which helps correctional professionals during times of need.  Since then he’s been very active in the organization and has helped the foundation assist 75 IDOC families.

Other IDOC awards recipients are:

• Denise Farmer who received IDOC’s Distinguished Service Award for her work as a senior probation and parole officer in Lewiston.

• Jackie Frei who received IDOC’s Distinguished Service Award for work as an administrative assistant 2 at North Idaho Correctional Institution in Cottonwood.

• Members of the Reception and Diagnostic Case Management Team who received an ICA Extra Mile Award for processing 300 offenders into the IDOC prison system every month.

• Julie Taylor, a senior probation and parole officer in Twin Falls, who received an ICA Extra Mile Award for leading the Passpoint  pilot project.   Passpoint scans an offender’s eyes to detrmine if it’s likely he or she recently used drugs.

• Rich Hull, an educator at Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino, who received an ICA Cutting Edge Award for helping about 160 offenders learn to weld through Lewis-Clark State College.

• Sam Parent, Larry Crawford and Tom Conant of South Idaho Correctional Institution in Boise wo received an ICA Cutting Edge Award for developing a canine team which is now certified in the detection of narcotics, marijuana and tobacco.

• Laurie Hopkins, a probation and parole officer in Pocatello, who received an ICA Cutting Edge Award for developing a program that automatically populates computer forms.

• The staff at the Boise Rescue Mission Ministries received the IDOC Partnership Award for the contributions they make to the community in conjunction with the department.

IDOC also presented its Silver Cross award to department employees for their life-saving efforts on and off the job.  The Silver Cross recipients were:

• Joseph Balvin, a correctional officer at Idaho State Correctional Institution south of Boise, who performed CPR on his neighbor as he was having a heart attack. 

• Kenny Mader, a correctional officer 2 at North Idaho Correctional Institution in Cottonwood, who performed the Heimlich maneuver on an offender who was choking during dinner.

• Joshua Smith, William Glenn and Robert Bollman, correctional officers at Idaho State Correctional Institution, who attempted to resuscitate an offender as he was having chest pains and difficulty breathing.

St. Anthony Work Camp Walkaway Apprehended, Oct. 3, 2008

BOISE – A St. Anthony Work Camp offender is back in custody after he walked away from his job in Rexburg this afternoon.

Kerrie Robert Jackman, IDOC #59877,was reported missing at 12:41 p.m.  A Madison County Sheriff’s deputy spotted Jackman running across a field and took him into custody at 3:41 p.m.

Jackman was serving a 4 – 8 year sentence for forgery and burglary out of Franklin County. He would have satisfied his sentence on October 27, 2010.

St. Anthony Work Camp Offender Walks Away from Job, Oct. 3, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is searching for a St. Anthony Work Camp offender who has walked away from his job in Rexburg.

Kerrie Robert Jackman, IDOC #59877, is serving a 4 – 8 year sentence for forgery and burglary out of Franklin County. He would have satisfied his sentence on October 27, 2010.

Jackman is white, 36 years old, 5’5”, 130 pounds and has brown hair, blue eyes and a light complexion.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call their local law enforcement agency.

80 Inmates Return to Idaho from Texas and Oklahoma, Sept. 30, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) has completed the move of 80 inmates to Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI) from North Fork Correctional Facility (NFCF) in Sayre, Oklahoma and Bill Clayton Detention Center (BCDC) in Littlefield, Texas.  The inmates arrived at ISCI last night (Monday) via bus.

“This is an exciting time for Idaho’s criminal justice system,” says IDOC Director Brent Reinke. “It shows just the kind of success we can have when people throughout local and state government work together to reduce crime, improve treatment and find alternatives to incarceration.”

The inmates’ return is possible due to a decline in the state’s overall inmate population.  The number of offenders in custody has gone down from a high of 7,467 on May 17, 2008 to 7,293 today.  The decline is a result of a decrease in reported crime, an increase in the number of offenders released to parole and success in keeping more offenders on probation.

“In these difficult economic times there will be a temptation to cut back on the amount we’re investing in Idaho’s criminal justice system,” Director Reinke says.  “But the return of these inmates shows this kind of investment pays off in terms of dollars and people.”

Earlier this summer IDOC announced that Fiscal Year 2008 was one for the record books with 19 fewer inmates being held under department jurisdiction than at the end of Fiscal Year 2007. The department had 431 fewer inmates than expected at the end of FY 2008.  That amounted to a cost avoidance of $24,000 a day.

Inmate Back in Custody , Sept. 17, 2008

BOISE – Less than 24 hours after being declared a walk-away, 30-year-old Grant Wayne Ward turned himself into Ada County authorities.

Ward, a state inmate, failed to return to the Ada County jail Monday evening after completing his work assignment. On September 16th at approximately 6 p.m. he contacted Ada County jail officials who convinced Ward to turn himself in.

Ward was serving a five-year sentence for substance possession. He was convicted in Kootenai County. Prosecutors will determine if he will face escape charges.
 
The Idaho Department of Correction contracts with the Ada County Sheriff to house inmates in a work release program located at the Ada County jail.

Inmate Walks Away, Sept. 16, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) and Ada County detectives are seeking an Idaho state inmate who failed to return to the Ada County Work Release program.

30-year-old Grant Wayne Ward, IDOC #48332, failed to return to the Ada County jail after completing his work assignment on Monday. After initial checks, Ada County alerted law enforcement and the Department of Correction of the walk away shortly after 8:30 p.m. Monday evening.  

Ward was serving a five-year sentence for substance possession. He was convicted in Kootenai County.

Ward is 5’10”, 160 pounds with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair.   Anyone with information about Ward’s whereabouts should call their local law enforcement agency.
 
The Idaho Department of Correction contracts with the Ada County Sheriff to house inmates in a work release program located at the Ada County jail.

ISCI Warden Named to New Deputy Chief Position , August 26, 2008

BOISE – Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) Director Brent Reinke has named Idaho State Correctional Institution Warden John Hardison to the newly created deputy chief of prisons position.    He’ll be responsible for working with wardens statewide, enforcing department policies and assisting with management of the prisons division.

“John brings 24 years of corrections experience and will be valuable asset to our group at headquarters,” Reinke says.

Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) Warden Johanna Smith will succeed Warden Hardison at ISCI.   Virtual Prisons Program Deputy Warden Jeff Henry will succeed Warden Smith at IMSI. 

Hardison, Smith and Henry will assume their new positions on September 7th.

In addition to these changes, St. Anthony Work Camp (SAWC) Warden Jim Woolf will succeed South Idaho Correctional Institution Warden Gary Barrier when he retires October 5th.   The department will launch a search for a new SAWC warden soon.

“Please help me in welcoming these great people to their new positions,” Reinke says,“They have all shown leadership and a willingness to accept new and exciting challenge.”

Boise Police Nab Work Center Walkaway , August 26, 2008

BOISE – Boise police officers have caught an Idaho Department of Correction community work center inmate who walked away from his job at a Meridian restaurant last Thursday.

Douglas Edward Johnson Jr., IDOC #45908, was taken into custody overnight during a traffic stop and booked into the Ada County jail.   

Johnson was serving a 1.5 year to 7 year sentence for grand theft by possession out of  Ada County.  He had a tentative parole date of September 12, 2008.

IDOC Seeking Nampa Work Center Inmate , August 21, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is seeking a walkaway from the department’s community work center in Nampa.

Douglas Edward Johnson Jr., IDOC #45908, was reported missing from his job at a Meridian restaurant this afternoon (Thursday).  He was last seen near the area of Orchard and Franklin in Boise.  He was wearing black pants and a white shirt.

Johnson was serving a 1.5 year to 7 year sentence for grand theft by possession out of  Ada County.  He had a tentative parole date of September 12, 2008.

Agencies Sign Emergency Preparedness Agreement for Prisons , August 20, 2008

BOISE – Representatives from five agencies agreed to a plan today outlining how they will respond to a fire, riot or other emergency at any of the six Idaho Department of Correction facilities south of Boise.

“Our top priority is protecting public safety, and that’s the core mission of every agency that’s signed off on this emergency response plan,” said Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke.  “We simply must be prepared for the worst.”

The agreement sets the terms and conditions upon which the agencies may help IDOC, delineates a chain of command for the agencies in the event of an emergency, and establishes a system through which the agencies would be notified of an emergency. The agreement also limits the liability of the agencies while they are responding to an emergency at an IDOC facility.

“We don’t want to be trying to answer those questions when a crisis is unfolding,” Director Reinke said.  

The signatories to the South Boise Prison Complex Memorandum of Understanding are IDOC, Idaho State Police, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Ada County Paramedics and Kuna Fire Department.

IDOC Investigates Apparent Inmate Suicide, August 19, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction’s (IDOC’s) Virtual Prison Program is investigating the apparent suicide of an Idaho inmate incarcerated at Bill Clayton Detention Center (BCDC) in Littlefield, Texas.

Randall Demont McCullough, IDOC #38154, was found unresponsive in his cell at 12:18 a.m. CDT on Monday.  Investigators recovered a note that indicates McCullough committed suicide. The exact cause of death is under investigation. 

McCullough was 37 years old and serving time for robbery out of Twin Falls County.

IDOC’s Virtual Prison Program has a contract monitor at BCDC monitoring the investigation of McCullough’s death.  372 IDOC inmates are held at BCDC.

IDOC Searching for Parole Absconder, July 31, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is seeking a parolee who has failed to abide by the terms of his release.

Benny Dean Campbell, IDOC #80945, has failed to check in with his parole officer since July 28, 2008.  Campbell was on parole after serving time for a burglary conviction out of Canyon County.  He has previous convictions for driving under the influence, eluding police, possession of a controlled substance, battery (two counts), burglary and malicious injury to property.

Campbell is white, 22 years old, 5’ 11”, 190 pounds with a fair complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoos on his arms, chest and back.  He is believed to be in the Nampa/Caldwell area.

Inmate Moved to Idaho Maximum Security Institution, July 16, 2008

BOISE – An inmate who escaped three times from the Gooding County Jail has been moved to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI).

Scott Howard Holmes, IDOC #21470, was moved to IMSI on July 1, 2008 from the Twin Falls County Jail where he was being held since deputies recaptured him at a South Hill campground on June 28, 2008.

“Given his history of escape, we feel he needs to be in a maximum security facility,” said Warden Randy Blades of the Idaho Department’s of Correction’s (IDOC) Virtual Prison Program.  “Additionally, we have moved eight other IDOC inmates from the Gooding County jail while we review security at the facility.”

Holmes has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated assault and forgery in Twin Falls and Minidoka counties.  

IDOC’s Virtual Prison Program oversees the incarceration of IDOC inmates held at county jails in Idaho and at privately run prisons in Idaho, Texas and Oklahoma.

IDOC Honoring Community Corrections Professionals , July 14, 2008

BOISE – This week, as part of National Probation, Parole & Community Supervision Week, the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is honoring the 370 men and women who work for the department’s Division of Community Corrections.  

“These dedicated professionals make our communities safer every day in every corner of the state,” said IDOC Community Corrections Division Chief Kevin Kempf.  “These professionals hold offenders accountable while giving them an opportunity to change.”

Community Corrections Division staffers conduct unannounced inspections of offenders’ homes, administer drug and alcohol tests to offenders, and arrest offenders when they fail to comply with the terms of their probation or parole. 

Division staffers also conduct pre-sentence investigations that help judges determine an appropriate punishment for a given offender and manage the five community work centers that help transition offenders from prison back into society.

“Many staffers face great danger in the line of duty, but they accept the risks that come with their job so the rest of us can be safe on the streets and in our homes,” Kempf said.

At the end of 2007, Idaho had more than 12,000 offenders on adult felony supervision and 13,000 on misdemeanor supervision.   IDOC supervises all felony offenders.  Counties supervise misdemeanor offenders.

Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for 400-Bed Correctional Treatment Facility, July 11, 2008

BOISE – Dignitaries will gather on July 18, 2008 to celebrate the beginning of construction of a 400-bed correctional treatment facility south of Boise.

The Correctional Alternative Placement Program (CAPP) is aimed at easing prison crowding by offering diversion programs for parole violators, probationers who are struggling with substance abuse issues and inmates who are scheduled to be released.

“This project is going to make a difference in the lives of many thousands of offenders in the years to come,” said Idaho Board of Correction Chairman Robin Sandy said.  “And in doing so it’s going to help the taxpayers of the state of Idaho by making our correctional system more effective in addressing the root source of so much crime.  Spending the taxpayers’ dollars wisely is the Governor’s and the Board’s highest priority.”

CAPP will be built in the south Boise prison complex near the intersection of Kuna-Mora Road and Pleasant Valley Road.  Construction will be completed by the summer of 2010.  

CAPP will be built by Ormond Builders of Idaho Falls, ID and operated by Management & Training Corporation (MTC) of Centerville, Utah.  “We believe we have found a well-qualified operator for this important new facility,” Chairman Sandy added.  “We look forward to partnering with them to help improve the lives of those we serve.”

Idaho Inmate Dies in Oklahoma, June 26, 2008

BOISE –   Oklahoma and Idaho authorities are investigating the death of an Idaho inmate housed at the North Fork Correctional Facility in Oklahoma.  Inmate David Drashner died at 8:49 p.m. Wednesday night. An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death.

A correctional officer found the 51-year-old Drashner laying on the floor of his cell at the Sayre, Oklahoma facility about 7:40 p.m. An ambulance transported him to an emergency room where he later died.

David Drashner, #42410, was serving a 12 to 20 year sentence for driving under the influence. He was convicted in Canyon County in September 2006 and sentenced as a persistent violator. It was his fourth felony DUI conviction.

Drashner was sent to Oklahoma in September 2007. Idaho currently houses 240 inmates in the NFCF and 613 inmates out of state.

IDOC’s Virtual Prison Program monitors Idaho inmates housed in out of state beds. Deputy Warden Shannon Cluney was in Oklahoma performing assessments when the death occurred and is assisting North Fork staff and the local law enforcement in Sayre, Oklahoma to conduct the investigation.

Inmate Escapes from Gooding County Jail, June 24, 2008

BOISE – An Idaho Department of Correction inmate awaiting trial on a charge in Gooding County has escaped from the Gooding County Jail.

Scott Howard Holmes, IDOC #21470, escaped from the jail last night (Monday) at 9:30 p.m. 

Holmes is white, 39 years old, with brown hair and brown eyes.  He is s 6’ 1”, weighs 220 pounds and has a fair complexion

Holmes has previous convictions for burglary, aggravated assault and forgery in Twin Falls and Minidoka counties.

Anyone with information about Holmes’ whereabouts should call their local law enforcement agency.

Inmate Recaptured in Boise , June 6, 2008

BOISE - A minimum custody inmate who escaped from South Idaho Correctional Institution on Monday is back in custody.

Boise police arrested Cory Allen  Collinson, IDOC #84239, in the basement of a vacant  home yesterday evening. Collinson is currently in Ada County Jail facing possible escape charges.

Collinson escaped on Monday from South Idaho Correctional Institution.  On
January 18, 2006 he was sentenced to 1.5 years to 3 years for a possession of a
controlled substance conviction out of Kootenai County.  Collinson would
have completed his full sentence on September 14, 2009.

South Idaho Correctional Institution is south of Boise.   It houses low risk offenders who are preparing for their release.

Minimum Custoday Inmate Escapes from South Idaho Correctional Institution, June 2, 2008

BOISE – A minimum custody inmate has escaped from South Idaho Correctional Institution.

Cory Allen Collinson, IDOC #84239, was discovered missing this afternoon.  On January 18, 2006 he was sentenced to 1.5 years to 3 years for a possession of a controlled substance conviction out of Kootenai County.  Collinson would have completed his full sentence on September 14, 2009.

Collinson is white, 35 years old, 6’3”, 185 pounds with blue eyes, blonde hair and a fair complexion. 

South Idaho Correctional Institution is south of Boise.   It houses low risk offenders who are preparing for their release. 

Anyone with information about Collinson should call their local law enforcement agency.

IDOC Inmate Commits Suicide at California Prison, May 29, 2008

BOISE – California authorities report an Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) inmate has committed suicide at California State Prison - Corcoran in Corcoran, California.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) says Joey Dean Schneider, IDOC #38168, died on Monday, May 26, 2008.

On September 3, 1993 in Nez Perce County, Schneider was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for first-degree murder.   On June 26, 1998 he was transferred to a high-security prison in California after three escapes from IDOC institutions.

CDCR says Schneider was found hanging in his cell.  As is standard procedure, IDOC’s Virtual Prison Program is reviewing the circumstances surrounding Schneider’s death.

The public release of this information was delayed pending notification of next of kin.

Work Center Walkaway Caught , May 22, 2008

BOISE – An Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) community work center resident who walked away last weekend is back in custody.

At 6:15 a.m. a passerby saw Michael Lee Lisby, IDOC #58277, crawling out of a ditch near the intersection of Northview and Hartman in Boise. Paramedics took Lisby to a nearby hospital where he was treated for hypothermia.  While at the hospital, Lisby became combative with hospital staff and refused to give his name.  When Boise Police officers arrived, they identified Lisby as an escapee.  Ada County Paramedics assisted police in identifying Lisby.

Lisby, 31, was serving a 5 – 20 year sentence for illegal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.  He was a resident of the South Idaho Correctional Institution Community Work Center where he worked as an inmate cook.  Lisby disappeared at 12:15 p.m. Saturday. 

Inmates To Present Donations to Charity, May 22, 2008

BOISE – On Tuesday two inmates from the Idaho Department of Correction’s Idaho Falls Community Work Center will present a check for $465 to representatives from the Shepherd’s Inn, a home for young women facing a crisis pregnancy.  The donation is the result of a fundraising competition among Idaho Department of Correction’s five community work centers.

“Many offenders feel a strong desire to give back to society, and this competition gave them a way to do that,” said Idaho Department of Correction Division of Community Corrections Chief Kevin Kempf.   

From April 13 through May 2nd the five community work centers allowed offenders to make cash donations to such charities as the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Foodbank.  Together they raised more than $10,000. 

Inmates at the Idaho Falls Community Work Center chose Shepherd’s Inn to be the recipient of their donations.  The Shepherd’s Inn is a non-denominational Christian home where young women, ages 18 to 26, receive professional support, housing, and education during their pregnancy.

Presentation of the check will happen at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27th at the Idaho Falls Community Work Center 3955 Bombardier Avenue in Idaho Falls.

“This donation is another example of how your work centers serve our communities,” Kempf said.  “Offenders also provide thousands of hours of volunteer service every year and earn money to help offset the cost of running the work center.”

30% of the offenders’ job earnings are used to defray the cost of operating the work centers.  That amounted to about $2 million in FY 2007.  Additionally, offender job earnings are used to pay court-ordered fines, fees and victim restitution costs.  About 450 offenders under IDOC jurisdiction are housed in the five community work centers around.

Offenders Get Barbecue for Winning Fundraising Competition , May 20, 2008

BOISE – The manager of the Idaho Department of Correction’s community work center (CWC) in Nampa, George Baird, will flip burgers while wearing a grass skirt and pirate hat.  The barbecue is the offenders’ reward for raising more than $5,000 as part of a fundraising competition among the department’s CWCs.

The barbecue will happen on Thursday, May 22nd at 5 p.m. at the CWC, 1640-11th Avenue North in Nampa. 

From April 13 through May 2nd the CWCs allowed offenders to make cash donations to such charities as the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Foodbank.  Together they raised more than $10,000.

Search for Work Center Resident Continues , May 18, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is still searching for a community work center resident who walked away during a group outing in Boise.

Michael Lee Lisby, IDOC #58277, is serving a 5 – 20 year sentence for illegal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to delivery. He was eligible to be considered for parole on September 17, 2011.

Mr. Lisby is white, 31 years old, 5’10”, 208 pounds, with a shaved head, hazel eyes and a fair complexion.

Mr. Lisby disappeared at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.

Mr. Lisby was last seen driving a 2003 Yamaha café racer motorcycle with an Idaho licence plate of MLG 976.  The motorcycle is painted black with red flames and has red wheels.  The windscreen and left mirror are missing.  

Idaho Inmates Raise $10,000 for Charities, May 9, 2008

BOISE – Offenders living at Idaho Department of Correction’s community work center (CWC) in Nampa will soon see Manager George Baird flipping burgers while wearing a grass skirt.  It’s the offenders’ reward for raising more than $5,000 as part of a fundraising competition among the department’s CWCs.

“We’re putting out a good product and this is just another example,” Baird says.  “They (the offenders) realize they have taken from society and this one of the ways to give back.”

From April 13 through May 2nd the CWCs allowed offenders to make cash donations to such charities as the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Foodbank.  Together they raised more than $10,000.

CWC offenders already make a significant contribution to their communities.  30% of the offenders’ job earnings are used to defray the cost of operating the work centers.  That amounted to about $2 million in FY 2007.  Additionally, offender job earnings are used to pay court-ordered fines, fees and victim restitution costs.

About 450 offenders under IDOC jurisdiction are housed in five community work centers around the state.  Along with the money they earn, community work center offenders also provide thousands of hours of volunteer service every year while transitioning from prison back into their communities.

CWC Fundraiser Final Tally

Nampa-CWC     $5,325.60 with 72 contributions   Avg.  contribution   $74.00/inmate
SICI-CWC         $2,622.42 with 72 contributions   Avg.  contribution   $36.00/inmate
E. Boise-CWC    $2,032.65 with 43 contributions  Avg.  contribution   $47.00/inmate
Idaho Falls-CWC  $465.00 with 13 contributions   Avg. contribution   $36.00/inmate
Twin Falls-CWC     $40.00 with 4 contributions    Avg.  contribution   $10.00/inmate

IDOC Honoring Correctional Professionals , May 5, 2008

BOISE – This week, as part of National Correctional Professionals Week, the Idaho Department of Correction is honoring the men and women who do some of the toughest, most rewarding jobs in the state – managing the 20,000 felony offenders who are in prison or on probation or on parole.

“These correctional professionals are Idaho’s unknown protectors,” says IDOC Director Brent Reinke.  “Everyday around the clock they help keep our communities safe while give offenders and opportunity to change.”

In addition to jobs like correctional officer and probation and parole officer, correctional professionals include a range of occupations like pre-sentence investigator, mental health clinician and drug and alcohol rehabilitation specialist.  In fact, non-uniformed staff is expected to be vital as the department pursues its goal of reducing prison growth from 7 percent to 3 percent so it matches population growth.

“In the last session legislative session, lawmakers showed strong support for substance abuse and mental health treatment – two areas that are critical to slowing the flow of offenders into our prisons,” Director Reinke says.  “A variety of people from a variety of disciplines will have to come together and work hard if we’re going to slow Idaho’s prison growth rate.”

Detectives Investigate Stabbing at ISCI , April 24, 2008

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) has asked the Ada County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a stabbing at Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI)  south of Boise.

At 7:49 p.m. correctional staff declared an emergency after an inmate used a pencil to stab another inmate.  The victim suffered wounds to his stomach and his face.  The extent of the victim’s injuries and his condition is unknown at this time.

ISCI is a 1,500-bed medium custody facility that manages all custody levels of inmates.

All questions about the investigation should be directed to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.

IDOC Moves 120 More Inmates to Oklahoma Prison , April 15, 2008

(Who's Been Moved, Click Here )

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) has completed the transfer of 120 inmates from Idaho to North Fork Correctional Facility (NFCF) in Sayre, Oklahoma.  They join 120 Idaho inmates who were moved to the facility from Idaho last September.

The inmates arrived at NFCF at 7:15 (MT) this morning.   The facility is owned and operated by a private company, Correctional Corporation of America, which also operates Idaho Correctional Center south of Boise.

“We firmly believe Idaho inmates are best managed at home in Idaho” says IDOC Director Brent Reinke. “But the fact is there is simply no room for them.”

7,400 inmates are incarcerated under IDOC jurisdiction.  In addition to the 240 now housed at NFCF, 373 are kept at Bill Clayton Detention Center in Littlefield, Texas.  About 600 are incarcerated in county jails in Idaho.  IDOC expects to send another 120 inmates to NFCF by this summer.

To assure the safety of public, staff and inmates at these out-of-state facilities and jails, the department established the Virtual Prison Program in July of 2007.  The team monitors all aspects of operations at these facilities including security, health care, programming and food services. The program operates as part of the Division of Prisons.

Relatives of inmates wishing to know more can visit IDOC’s website:  idoc.idaho.gov.
Relatives with questions about the move may also call the Idaho Department of Correction’s Virtual Prison Program at (208) 658-2171.  State the general nature of your question.  Your inquiry will be referred to the Virtual Prison Program staff member who is best able to provide you with an answer.

For more information, please visit our Out of State placement page

Community Work Center Offenders Donate Money to Charity, April 14, 2008

BOISE – Idaho Department of Correction’s community work centers have launched a campaign to raise money for charities. 

From April 13 through May 2, community work center offenders will be allowed to make cash donations to such charities as the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Foodbank.  Offenders at the community work center who raise the most money will enjoy a barbecue prepared by their center’s manager and security sergeants.

“The managers of our community work centers displayed great leadership by coming up with this idea,” said Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) Community Corrections Chief Kevin Kempf.   “It’s a way for offenders to express the strong desire many of them feel to give back to society.”

IDOC’s community work center offenders already make a significant contribution to their communities.  Thirty percent of the offenders’ job earnings are used to defray the cost of operating the work centers.  That amounted to about $2 million in FY 2007.  Additionally, offender job earnings are used to pay court-ordered fines, fees and victim restitution costs.

About 450 offenders under IDOC jurisdiction are housed in five community work centers around the state.  Along with the money they earn, community work center offenders also provide thousands of hours of volunteer service every year.

The selected charities are:

Nampa Community Work Center – Ronald McDonald House
East Boise Community Work Center – Special Olympics Idaho
SICI Community Work Center – Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County
Idaho Falls Community Work Center – Sheperd’s Inn Crisis Pregnancy Home
Twin Falls Community Work Center – Shriners’ Hospital for Children

If you’re interested in profiling the project in your area, call:

Jeff Ray, Public Information Officer
Idaho Department of Correction
jeray@idoc.idaho.gov
Work:  (208) 658-2141
Cell:    (208) 863-8250

IDOC Central Office To No Longer Accept Deposits for offenders , March 13, 2008

BOISE – Starting April 1, 2008 the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) will no longer accept in-person deposits at its central office in Boise from people wishing to put money on inmate and parolee accounts. All such deposits on or after April 1 must be made using a money order or cashier’s check and sent via the U.S. Postal Service to the facility where the inmate is located.  Inmates located at a community work center or the South Boise Women’s Correctional Center should be mailed to:

Idaho Department of Correction
Attn: Inmate Accounts
1299 N. Orchard St., Suite 110
Boise, ID 83706

IDOC does not accept cash or personal checks.    The money order or cashier’s check should include the following information: the inmate’s first and last name, the inmate’s number, the institution and housing unit where the inmate is located, plus the name and address of the remitter.

The only exception to this rule will be for businesses that employ inmates through a community work release center.  Businesses will still be able to deliver payroll checks to IDOC’s central office for processing.

This change is being made to improve security and streamline the process by which family members and friends convey money to offenders.

For more information about how to deposit money on an offender’s account visit IDOC’s website at www.idoc.idaho.gov and click on the link titled, Visiting and Mail Information.

Walkaway Back in Custody, March 7, 2008

BOISE – An Idaho Falls Community Work Center resident who walked away from his job site is back in custody.

Fort Hall Police arrested Lyle Joey Plentywounds Sr., IDOC #68937, at 1:27 AM on Wednesday.  He is now at the Bingham County Jail in Blackfoot.

Work Center Resident Walks Away From Job , March 3, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is searching for a resident of Idaho Falls Community Work Center who walked away from his job site.

Lyle Joey Plentywounds Sr., IDOC #68937, disappeared from a potato shipping warehouse in Shelley on Friday.  He was serving a 2-5 year sentence for driving under the influence out of Bingham County.  He was scheduled to be released on February 7, 2009.

Plentywounds is American Indian, 52 years old, 6’0”, 200 pounds, black hair and brown eyes with a medium brown complexion.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call law enforcement.

Reader's View: Secure Mental Health Facility, February 22, 2008

The Idaho Legislature is about to make an important decision on mental health care in Idaho.  Lawmakers will decide if the state will spend $70 million to build a secure mental health facility.  Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has proposed that one-time funds be used to pay for the project.  That’s a lot of money. But if we fail to make this investment now some of our most vulnerable citizens will suffer, and we will all pay a higher price.

We now house acutely mentally ill inmate-patients and those identified as being “dangerously mentally ill” in our maximum-security prison. They are segregated from the rest of the prison population and receive treatment in a secure and very restrictive environment.

But prisons are not designed to create an environment that fosters healing.   They were designed for containment, not treatment.  They can serve as incubators for mental illness, turning serious disorders into full-scale psychiatric breakdowns.  The reality is that without a continuum of care in the community, people who could have functioned as productive citizens face a real risk of ending up in our custody.

That’s why the Department of Correction and the Department of Health and Welfare are asking the Legislature for the 300-bed secure mental health facility – because these people are with us and need care in an appropriate setting.   The two departments would jointly operate the facility, creating significant savings for taxpayers. 
Health and Welfare’s hospitals weren’t designed for security, and Correction’s prisons weren’t designed for treatment.  The secure mental health facility would meet the needs of both departments while saving taxpayers’ money and allowing the Department of Correction to fulfill its legal obligation to house patients and those who are dangerously mentally ill.

A siting committee will decide the best location for the facility. But wherever it’s located you can be sure that Health and Welfare’s patients and Correction’s patients would be housed in separate pods and treated differently.

Critics say people should not have to go to prison to get mental health treatment.  I absolutely agree, but we have people in our prisons who need treatment.  That’s precisely why we need the secure mental health facility.  Right now, for some Idaho citizens, it’s our only option.  But it is unrealistic to ask Idaho taxpayers to pick up the tab for two separate facilities that would in effect have the same mission.

Work Center Inmate Fails to Return from Job, January 22, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is searching for an inmate who failed to return to Twin Falls Community Work Center from his job at a Jerome business on Saturday.

Jose Damian Tellez, IDOC #72256, is serving a 3 – 7 year sentence for forgery. He was eligible to be considered for parole on February 26, 2008.

Tellez is Hispanic, 28 years old, 5’5”, 154 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes with a medium complexion.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call law enforcement.

48 IDOC Inmates Back in Idaho, January 14, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) has brought 48 Idaho inmates who were held at Bill Clayton Detention Center (BCDC) in Littlefield, Texas back to Idaho.   They returned Sunday via bus.

The 48 inmates were selected by IDOC Virtual Prison Program staff based on their need for educational and treatment programs, and how close they are to release. Some of the inmates had been in out-of-state facilities for more than two years.

The Idaho Virtual Prison Program is a group of 12 experienced correctional employees who oversee all of IDOC’s private prison contracts.  The group deployed a deputy warden and a security manager to oversee the move from Texas.

“The operation went well,” said IDOC Virtual Prison Program Warden Randy Blades.  “The offenders are currently being assessed for appropriate custody level and program needs as we continue to prepare them for their return to Idaho communities.”

The department was able to bring the inmates back because the demand for prison beds in Idaho has leveled off in recent months.   IDOC analysts say it is too soon to know if the decrease is temporary or an indication of a long-term trend.

Idaho now has 494 inmates incarcerated in out-of-state facilities.

IDOC Returning 48 Inmates to Idaho, January 8, 2008

BOISE - The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is bringing 48 Idaho inmates currently held at Bill Clayton Detention Center (BCDC) in Littlefield, Texas back to Idaho.   They will be returning within two weeks. 

The department is able to bring the inmates back because the demand for prison beds in Idaho has leveled off in recent months.   Fewer offenders are being sentenced to prison and more offenders are being paroled.    But IDOC analysts say it is too soon to know if the decrease in demand is temporary or an indication of a long-term trend. 

“Over the past year we’ve been focusing on developing a correctional system that is data driven,” says IDOC Director Brent Reinke.  “Clearly we have much more work to do.  But the availability of these beds shows the potential of what can be done.”

Idaho now has 550 inmates incarcerated in out-of-state facilities.  The 48 inmates who are being brought back from BCDC will be selected based on their programming needs and how close they are to release.  Some of the inmates have been in out-of-state facilities for more than two years.

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