Individuals committed to the custody of the Department are sent to a Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for evaluation and classification.
During the RDU process, prison residents receive a physical examination, a psychological evaluation, an educational assessment, and a substance abuse evaluation.
Most residents will be assigned a custody level based on the following (civil commitments and residents under the sentence of death are not classified):
- Current crime
- Criminal history
- Escape history
- Age
- Institutional behavior
- Proximity to release
- Detainers and warrants
- Placement matrix
- Risk posed to the public, staff, and other residents
- Programming needs
Classification Types
Close Custody
Close custody residents are confined within a secure perimeter and under staff supervision 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Movement of close custody residents within the institution is limited, controlled, and supervised by facility staff.
Close custody is designed to house residents who typically have the following:
- Escape history from a secure perimeter or secure facility; and/or
- Serious institutional disciplinary history (class A disciplinary offense reports) and/or displayed dangerous behavior while incarcerated.
Medium Custody
Medium custody residents are confined within a secure facility. Residents must report for regularly scheduled counts. Movement of medium custody residents within the institution will be structured and monitored.
Medium custody is designed to house residents who typically have the following:
- High or low-risk crimes with an institutional disciplinary history that does not require close custody placement
- Long-term sentences
- High-risk crimes (until nearing a release date)
- Have detainers or felony detainers and/or
- Escape history from a non-secure facility
Minimum Custody
Minimum custody residents may be assigned to a facility with a non-secure perimeter. Residents must report for counts, except when on work assignments or on work release. Movement of minimum-security residents within the facility may be unrestricted.
At a work camp and offsite vocational work projects when residents are outside the assigned perimeter, they may be unescorted; however, staff or a designated person will make visual observation of them at least every two hours. Facility heads may approve exceptions to the two-hour observation requirement for specific jobs or programs.
At facilities with work release programs residents must report for counts, except for when away from the facility on an approved release. Movement within the facility may be unrestricted. When outside the assigned perimeter, the resident may be unescorted and will be required to report to the facility as directed by staff.
Minimum custody is designed to house inmates who typically have the following:
- No recent class A or B disciplinary offense reports
- Nonviolent and/or low-risk crime
- High-risk crime but nearing a release date and no classification points for disciplinary offense reports
- Do not present an obvious escape risk and
- Do not present an obvious threat to public safety
Retained Jurisdiction: Rider – Court
Retained jurisdiction, often called a rider, is a sentencing option available to judges in Idaho. Clients sentenced to a rider are incarcerated in an IDOC facility but are under the judge’s jurisdiction as they receive treatment and programming.
Sentencing judges can place the resident on probation upon successful completion of the rider, or they can relinquish jurisdiction and sentence them to prison based on their behavior and progress during the retained jurisdiction period.
Retained Jurisdiction: Rider – Parole Commission
Parolees under the jurisdiction of the Commission of Pardons and Parole may return to an IDOC facility in lieu of a parole revocation. During this period, residents will receive treatment and programming opportunities. The Commission of Pardons and Parole may reinstate the client on parole or proceed with the revocation process based on their behavior and progress during the retained jurisdiction period.