FAQ

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• Death Row – View information about Idaho residents currently under a sentence of death, including case summaries and related resources.
• Most Wanted – Search and view information on wanted individuals, including offender details and tip submission options.
• Sex Offender Search – Search Idaho’s Sex Offender Registry by name, city, county, or database to locate registered offenders.
• Resident/Client Search – Search for individuals currently incarcerated, on probation, or on parole under Idaho Department of Correction supervision.

Go to the Division of Human Resources website, choose the positions you are interested in and sign up to receive job alerts to be sent to your personal e-mail!

Please watch our current openings for a Correctional Officer announcement in a location where you would like to work.

Step 1: Apply Online. Complete and pass two written exams.

Step 2: Background Investigation Questionnaire. At this point, if you are not selected as a candidate to move forward, you will receive an email or letter stating you are no longer being considered for the position.

Step 3: Select candidates will be contacted for an interview. If you are not selected in this final stage, you will be contacted.

Step 4. Top candidates will be extended a conditional offer for employment. The conditions include passing additional background investigation including fingerprinting and other additional testing including medical, hearing and physical agility.

The minimum qualifications to be eligible for a Correctional Officer include:

• A willingness to work unarmed among unrestricted offenders in a high-stress, hostile environment. Withstand offender harassment, threats, and verbal abuse. Correctional Officers deal with violence and break up fights, conduct body searches of offenders and visitors for contraband and weapons; work in confined spaces such as guard towers for entire shift. May fire a weapon at an individual if necessary, physically restrain offenders. Prisons are a disciplined, law enforcement environment. Officers carry out orders; work shifts, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
• Experience using a personal computer to enter, retrieve and edit information is required for this position.
• Applicants must meet entrance requirements established by the Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy for Correctional Officers including vision, hearing, medical and physical agility standards.
• Must be released from any kind of criminal (supervised or unsupervised) probation for at least the last 12 months and free from habitual or regular use of illegal controlled substances in the last 12 months.
• Must be free from conviction of certain misdemeanors that would be classified as a crime of deceit, illegal drug crime or sex crime in the last 5 years.
• Must be eligible to own, possess or receive a firearm under the provisions of state or federal law, free from adult felony convictions and be free from any adult felony convictions. Applicants with US Military experience must provide a DD-214 showing Honorable, General Under Honorable or Uncharacterized discharge from the US Military.
• IDOC management makes all hiring decisions and additional standards may be applied to determine suitability of applicants. If you have questions about your eligibility for correctional officer or about the status of your application, email hr@idoc.idaho.gov.

The Idaho Department of Correction offers a competitive benefits package. For a complete list of all benefits please visit the Office of Group Insurance for detailed plan information! If you have additional questions, contact a recruiter at 208-658-2027 or email careers@idoc.idaho.gov.

State of Idaho employees receive their retirement benefits through the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho – also known as PERSI. Both the PERSI 401K and the PERSI 457 plans are voluntary. The PERSI base plan is required of all eligible state employees. You can find a full explanation of all retirement plans at the PERSI website.

Idaho Department of Correction employees are provided with the tools needed to succeed as Correctional Officers. We offer 11 weeks of paid training including New Employee Orientation, Job Shadowing, POST Academy and Field Training.

The state verifies payroll every two weeks. State employees receive their paychecks every other Friday. When you receive your first or last paycheck depends on where the pay period falls after the verification process is completed.

It is a disqualification for security positions if you have been convicted of any felony charge. To be hired for any non-security position if you have a felony conviction, the Director’s approval is required. For questions regarding hiring and criminal convictions please contact Background Investigators at 208-658-2023 or hr@idoc.idaho.gov.

The Idaho Department of Correction regularly recruits Correctional Officers across the state. Interested candidates can select “Join IDOC” on our careers page if they’d like to be contacted by our recruitment team.

Yes. Officers employed with IDOC are state employees and receive state benefits and compensation according to Idaho’s pay schedule.

Yes. Many employees begin as Correctional Officers and later pursue opportunities in:

• Leadership and supervision
• Training
• Investigations
• Probation and parole
• Community reentry programs
• Specialized security assignments
• Administrative and support roles

Yes! A high school diploma or GED is the minimum requirement to become an Idaho Correctional Officer.

No. Many successful Correctional Officers in Idaho begin their careers without prior corrections or law enforcement experience. Training is provided, and candidates from customer service, law enforcement, military, security, healthcare, manufacturing, education, transportation, and other backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Yes. Officers are paid at their normal hourly rate during all training, including Academy.

To become a Correctional Officer in Idaho, candidates must complete an application, meet minimum qualifications, pass a physical readiness test and required background investigation, provide needed documentation, and successfully complete training requirements. The Idaho Department of Correction provides paid training and support to help new officers succeed.

The hiring process for Idaho Correctional Officers typically takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks from time to application and depending on the next available hiring date.

While misdemeanor crimes do not automatically disqualify you from the correctional officer position, we require all applicants to disclose ALL criminal history during the background process. Felonies, crimes of domestic violence, and crimes of deceit are automatic disqualifiers under IDAPA 11 – Idaho State Police.book.

Safety is a top priority. Idaho Correctional Officers receive extensive training, work as part of professional teams, and utilize established security procedures designed to maintain safe facilities and protect staff, visitors, and residents.

Yes! IDOC offers extensive advancement opportunities, and many senior leaders, including the Deputy Director and Chief of Prisons, began their careers as Correctional Officers.

Correctional Officers are required to successfully complete a Physical Readiness Test (PRT) and pass a medical/vision/hearing exam. The PRT includes:

• ½ mile run/jog in 7 minutes
• 180-foot sprint through cones in 30 seconds (known as the “Illinois Agility Test”)
• Drag 120-pounds for 30 feet
• 15 squat-thrusts in 3 minutes (stand, squat down placing both hands on the ground, thrust feet into a plank, bring feet back in, and then stand up)
• While squatting, open a locked box 3 times (without standing or resting a knee on the ground)

Requirements include:

• Being at least 18 years old
• Possessing a high school diploma or GED
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Passing a background investigation
• Meeting agency hiring standards

Benefits may include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• PERSI Retirement benefits
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Life insurance options
• Employee assistance programs
• Career advancement opportunities
• State-sponsored training and development
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Correctional Officers with the Idaho Department of Correction maintain the safety and security of Idaho’s prison facilities while helping prepare people for successful reentry into their communities. Officers supervise daily activities, conduct security checks, enforce facility rules, respond to emergencies, model prosocial behavior, and build professional relationships that support positive change.

The hourly rate for Idaho Correctional Officers is $24.60 ($51,168 annually). Idaho Correctional Officers receive opportunities for advancement, overtime opportunities, and comprehensive state employee benefits (valued at $24,922).

Correctional Officers typically work 12-hour day or night shifts. Mandatory overtime may occasionally require a 16-hour shift.

A successful correctional officer requires a balanced combination of strong communication, psychological resilience, and tactical skills to maintain safety and rehabilitation standards within our facilities. The primary skills required for success include:

• Rehabilitative Mindset and Community Impact: A core desire to help those under our jurisdiction change their lives. Successful officers understand that by supporting rehabilitation, modeling positive behavior, and guiding residents toward programming, they directly contribute to lower recidivism rates and safe communities.
• De-escalation and Crisis Communication: The ability to verbally defuse tense situations and resolve conflicts peacefully before they escalate into physical confrontations.
• Situational Awareness: High attention to detail and environmental awareness to detect anomalies, contraband, or changes in resident behavior that could signal a security risk.
• Emotional Intelligence and Integrity: The capacity to remain professional, objective, and fair under high-stress conditions while maintaining strict boundaries.
• Critical Thinking and Decision-Making: The ability to evaluate risks rapidly and make decisive, policy-compliant judgments during emergencies.
• Written and Verbal Reporting: Strong documentation skills to write clear, legally defensible incident reports and communicate effectively with medical, legal, and administrative staff.
• Physical Conditioning and Defensive Tactics: Maintaining the physical readiness necessary to respond to emergencies, perform searches, and ensure facility security.

New officers receive professional paid training that covers:

• Safety and security procedures
• Communication and de-escalation skills
• Emergency response
• Defensive tactics
• Professional ethics
• Idaho correctional policies and procedures

Training helps prepare officers for long-term career success and confidence.

Correctional Officer positions may be available statewide. We have facilities located in North Idaho, East Idaho, and the Boise area, providing options for candidates seeking careers near major cities or rural areas.

Corrections offers stable employment, competitive benefits, opportunities for advancement, meaningful public service, and the ability to positively impact Idaho communities. Correctional Officers play a critical role in public safety and rehabilitation.

Yes. Mentoring is completely voluntary for both the mentor and the participant. We want to make sure that the relationship ends on a good note as much as possible. We may ask you for some input as to the reason for ending it so that we can continue to improve the program.

The following are reasons for termination of the mentorship:

• Loss of the participant’s release date – remember, that the mentorship should only be about 6-9 months before release. Any longer than that needs to be approved on a case-by-case with IDOC.
• Participant recitivates – this means that while in the community he/she ends up back in an IDOC facility within three years of release, not a county jail.
• Violation of mentor agreement and rules.
• By decision of IDOC staff in there is a determination that the mentorship may become harmful to either party, to the public, or to the IDOC or any of its staff.

Yes. IDOC recognizes that positive, appropriate contact with the participant and their families, both inside and out, is critical to the reintegration efforts and continued success upon release.

Yes. You will be the judge of what your time constraints allow as you establish and build an effective mentorship.

Yes. There are differences between the Free2Succeed mentor program and volunteer services in the prisons and thus the participation and training requirements are different.

The ideal situation would be if the mentor in Orofino would move to Pocatello with the participant to continue the mentorship but we realize that just isn’t possible. When we know the offender will be released to Pocatello, we will start looking for a mentor in that area. Once one is identified, we will strive to ensure that the participant and that mentor start to have some contact even if just through the phone calls or letters. Once the participant arrives in Pocatello, we anticipate that the new mentor will have the information needed to begin mentoring in the community.

This is not by any means a perfect solution to this issue so feedback or suggestions regarding the geographical logistics are welcomed at mentoring@idoc.idaho.gov.

Maybe. We do want to make sure that the training is tailored to mentoring. However, if there is no enhancement training opportunities available, then yes, it will satisfy the requirement.

Rather than develop a hard and fast schedule for ongoing training throughout the year, we are looking at a more flexible and informal approach. The goal is to provide a variety of opportunities to address issues that come up, provide additional resources and contacts and be as accommodating as possible to the demands of the mentor’s personal and professional schedule.

The idea is to have enhancement training opportunties posted on the IDOC website so mentors can take advantage of them when possible. We will require mentors to participate in at least 6 hours of enhancement training annually. For example, enhancement training may be scheduled at regular intervals or on an as-needed basis and take the form of:

• Discussion sessions – small, informal groups of mentors meeting together for a TBD amount of time that cover a range of topics from skill development and problem-solving to boundary and manipulation issues.
• Seminars – may include guest speakers from the volunteer, government, private, faith-based, business, education, and civic communities that can provide additional insight and training regarding mentoring.
• Panel discussions – experienced mentors and participants may convene to share experiences as to what does or doesn’t work and may also serve as resources and even mentors themselves to the mentors.

As much as possible, you will be provided with information regarding programming, Probation/Parole Officer contact information, and the Probation/Parole Agreement along with other relevant, non-confidential information. This will be helpful when developing mentoring activities with your participant in the community.

That certainly can be taken into consideration. Please contact the Mentor Program Manager at mentoring@idoc.idaho.gov.

No, we do not. State law requires IDOC to provide sex offenders written notification of their duty to register prior to their release from confinement. Sex offenders must register with the sheriff’s office in the county in which they reside. The Idaho State Police maintains the master list of registered sex offenders living in Idaho. More information is available on the Idaho State Police website including photos of offenders classified as Violent Sexual Predators.

• Idaho Sex Offender Registry

All residents committed to the custody of the department are sent to the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for evaluation and classification. During the RDU process (usually lasting two weeks), the resident receives a physical examination, psychological evaluation, educational assessment, and a substance abuse evaluation. Information received during the reception and diagnostic process is reviewed by a classification committee and entered on a classification sheet.

The three resident classifications are close (those serving long-term sentences, have an escape history, or a disciplinary problem), medium (those who have demonstrated an ability to follow instructional rules and regulations, may have a considerable amount of prison time left to serve, and who may be an escape risk at a lower custody level), minimum (those who have continually demonstrated the ability to follow instructions and who don’t represent an escape risk).

• Resident Classification

The Department of Correction realizes the importance of support from the families and friends of residents. Visitation is allowed at every one of the IDOC’s nine prisons and five community reentry centers. If you are interested in visiting a resident, you must complete a visitation application. Residents and proposed visitors can expect a six (6) week minimum processing time for visitation applications. The visiting room officer’s supervisor will approve or deny the visitation application based on the review of the application, background check, and departmental policy.

Each institution sets its own visitation schedule. Residents can pass this information on to approved or potential visitors.

IDOC’s nine state-owned prisons and five reentry centers house a total of 8,000 incarcerated individuals. Some are also held in county jails and when necessary, out-of-state contract facilities.

• IDOC population statistics
• Information about individuals sentenced to death

The number of juveniles (under age 18) varies, but typically makes up a very small percentage of the overall population.

The average cost per day to house a prison resident in Idaho prisons was $99.66 for fiscal year 2025. The average resident cost per day at the community reentry centers was $75.30 for fiscal year 2025. CRC residents pay 35% of their wages to help defray those costs. Their wages paid (an estimated) $22.32 of the CRC cost per day for fiscal year 2025. The average cost per day for someone on probation or parole was $8.72 in fiscal year 2025.

It’s easy to stop unwanted telephone calls. Since all resident telephone calls are collect, you can just refuse to accept the charges. You also can call the institution where the resident is incarcerated, tell them what the problem is, and they can put a block on your telephone that prohibits the resident from calling. To stop a resident from corresponding with you, contact the warden’s office at the facility and asked that they be stopped. A resident who continues to write after being asked to stop will be disciplined.

Yes. Each institution has one officer assigned to collect and record intelligence on gang members. The information is then analyzed by IDOC’s gang unit. In addition, the department disperses criminal gang members and frequently changes security practices to ensure safety.

The department considers gangs to be a threat to security and seeks to discourage gang activity whenever possible.

The Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole operates independently from IDOC. All questions about parole matters should be directed to the commission. You can learn more about the process by visiting the Commission of Pardons and Parole.

The commission considers many factors when deciding if a prison resident will be released into the community. They include but are not limited to the resident’s behavior while in prison, psychological evaluations, and educational accomplishments.

The department has a formal grievance process that enables all prison residents, without the threat of reprisal, to resolve problems. The process is explained when residents begin their incarceration. A grievance must be submitted within 30 days of the incident about which the resident is complaining. The grievance should be specific and include facts like dates, places, people involved, a description of how the resident was affected, informal action taken to resolve the complaint, and the names of employees from whom the resident has already sought help regarding the grievance.

The department provides medical, dental, psychiatric and psychological services and treatment to prison residents. Emergency care is available 24 hours a day. Correctional officers undergo a yearly training program and are expected to respond to health emergencies within four minutes. Residents who have illnesses or injuries that cannot be adequately treated at the institution where they are incarcerated are transported to hospitals and clinics.

The department takes all forms of assault seriously. If a prison resident has been assaulted or feels they are in danger, they should immediately contact a correctional officer or sergeant. They will take steps to report and investigate the resident’s concerns and move them to a safe place at the institution. If the resident doesn’t feel comfortable talking with an officer, they can ask to talk with an investigator or shift commander.

Security is the top priority in everything the department does, and Idaho’s institutions are considered to be among the safest in the United States. When an individual enters the system, they are classified at a reception and diagnostic unit. Those who are considered to pose a risk to other prison residents are assigned living arrangements that provide higher security.

Likewise, residents who are thought to be especially vulnerable are given housing assignments where security staff can provide a higher degree of protection. Security staff periodically interview vulnerable residents in a private setting to assure they feel safe. Residents who assault staff or other residents are immediately segregated and face disciplinary measures. They include loss of privileges and the possibility of new criminal charges.

Information on crimes is available on our website.

• IDOC population statistics

Most questions can be answered by calling the institution where your family member is incarcerated. This should be your first stop for answers. If you have a question or concern that cannot be answered directly by the officer on duty, you may be referred to the warden’s office. You can also contact the Office of Constituent Services at Central Office with questions.

Transfers occur to maximize security and capacity at IDOC facilities and to prepare residents for re-entry into society. Residents are also moved to lower security facilities when their classification is lowered.

Our residents do work. Residents provide janitorial services and a majority of the maintenance work at the prisons and community reentry centers. Correctional Industries keeps more than 400 residents busy at the Idaho State Correctional Institution, the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center, and the Idaho Correctional Institution – Orofino. Correctional Industries participants work in trades such as furniture-making, upholstery, printing, sign shop, and metal shop. Every year, resident work crews assist the Idaho Transportation Department on road projects and the U.S. Forest Service on firefighting and forest rehabilitation. Residents are also active in numerous community projects throughout the year.

The department also manages our community reentry centers. A community reentry center allows residents to work while becoming reunited with families and the communities. The centers also provide protection to the community through high accountability and security.

All requests for records must be submitted through the IDOC Public Records Request process.

• Request for Records

No. Sentencing Records processes court orders issued by the court.

No. Sentencing Records cannot provide legal advice.

Parole decisions are made by the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole.