Idaho Prison Blog

Hi all- On Wednesday, we learned of our first positive case among the incarcerated population. Yesterday we added two additional positive cases for a total of three. All three individuals were residing in one housing unit, E block, at ISCC when they became symptomatic. E block is a divided into three tiers and so far, all of the positive cases have been in the same tier. That entire housing unit has been in quarantine since yesterday and will remain so for 14 days so we can monitor the population for the new cases. ISCC has been placed into secure status so that we can conduct necessary contact tracing and prevent additional exposure to COVID-19. This means that programming activities have temporarily stopped. Once weve been able to fully assess the situation and determine its safe to do so, well resume programming. Well work with the Parole Commission as programming interruptions occur to try to prevent it having any negative impacts on your parole release. If you are experienci...

In a release on June 24, 2020, IDOC Director informed Idaho prisoners that a prisoner at the ISCC had tested positive for the coronavirus. The ISCC was placed on a modified lockdown status Wednesday afternoon, and will likely remain so for quite some time, allowing only essential (inmates) to go to work. Below is a copy of an email received by Idaho prisoners on June 24, 2020. The email had not been edited, and may contain some typos. Be well MSG FROM DIRECTOR JOSH TEWALT Hi all- I told you before that youd hear news directly from me and today Im writing with the news weve all been worried would eventually come. At approximately 1300 hours today, we were notified by the state lab that an incarcerated individual at ISCC tested positive for COVID-19. That person has been quarantined in medical since yesterday. This marks the first positive test for anyone under our jurisdiction and necessitates several immediate changes in ISCC. ISCC is on Level 3 Status: Effective immediately, ISCC is m...

MSG FROM DIRECTOR - COVID 19 UPDATE Hi all- It's been almost 12 weeks since Idaho experienced our first case of COVID-19. Since then, 3,260 people have tested positive and 85 people have died from COVID-19 complications. Our corrections system remains one of only a small handful of state systems without a positive coronavirus case. To date, we've tested 56 people in custody and all 56 tests have returned negative. 10 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Eagle Pass, TX, and all 10 have returned negative as well. Visiting and Volunteer Services Remain Closed: Governor Little has issued guidance to gradually reopen businesses and return people to work in the state. His "Rebound Idaho" plan specifies that visiting to jails and prisons could potentially be reopened in mid-June as part of Stage 4, but that the decision for jails, prisons, and assisted living centers has to be made based on the safety of the residents. Earlier today, Governor Little announced that Idaho met...

Although the IDOC and healthcare provider Corizon have encouraged prisoners to report any of the combination of symptoms related to the Coronavirus, prisoners are also being told that to do so will result not only in their being locked down, but that the entire tier in which they are housed will suffer the same consequence. At the sick call window, a prisoner recently reported to medical staff that he had a dry cough, a fever and aching in his joints. The nurse on duty advised the prisoner that he was likely suffering from allergies, and that he should sleep in a different position to alleviate his soreness. When the prisoner insisted that his symptoms were more aligned with COVID-19 than with any allergy, he was advised that he should "self-isolate" (which is impossible in the general population prison setting) for 2 weeks then come back if his symptoms persisted. When the prisoners (who presumably were housed on the same tier) behind the sick man heard what was going on, th...