Idaho Prison Blog

When the boilers that provide hot water to the main facility at the ISCC went down in late 2022, there was little to no hot water for more than a month before parts for the ageing system could be procured and installed. Indeed, it wasn't until late January that the system was back to providing hot water at levels necessary for proper hygiene and cleaning - despite what the IDOC told the news media who started covering the problem in late December (see the post ISCC PROVIDES MISINFORMATION TO NEWS MEDIA LOOKING INTO DECREPIT CONDITIONS IN THE PRISON on this site). In an effort to cover their... bases, IDOC administrators entered into a contract with United Site Services of Nevada, a company that rents trailers containing '"7 - 8 [shower] stalls" (depending on configuration needs) to provide two such trailers on site at the ISCC. Cost to the taxpayers to rent the two trailers for the duration of the contract? A mere $20,013.18, per month, beginning 12/30/22, and ending ...

If Idaho House Bill 170 is signed into law, the ISCC sponsorship of American Legion activities in the prison will come to an end - as well they should. The State of Idaho, by and through the ISCC sponsors American Legion (and "Sons" of the American Legion) activities by and through providing (physical) meeting and work areas, food, staff supervision, prison jobs (to accommodate Legion activities) and other privileges/assets, all paid for by the taxpayer. Many of the ISCC inmates who are part of this organization are not veterans, and several (including the inmate Post "Commander") who were somehow associated with the U.S. military received a Dishonorable discharge, precluding their membership as set forth in the Congressional Charter and Legion's Constitution. Somehow, someone weaseled an "exception" to this restriction for this one prison Post at the state level. The American Legion is a corporation, nothing more, nothing less... just like Coca Cola, ...

In an email sent to prisoners, Keefe Commissary states they have removed sugar from the available commissary goods they sell. According to the email, is was done at the request of the IDOC. The email as received is recreated below. "Message from Keefe To: IDOC Residents From: Keefe Commissary Date: 28 February 2023 Subject: Item Removal To whom it may concern: Effective immediately, IDOC has requested the removal of Keefe Pure Granulated Sugar 12oz (2093) from the commissary menu. -Keefe Commissary IDOC -Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline -Free Call (208) 398-HELP (4357)". Whether the restriction involves the entire IDOC or just specific facilities is unknown.

In a disturbing trend, the ISCC has once again given an inmate the ability to oversee, grant privileges to, and even discipline other prisoners, citing as their justification, staff shortages. In late 2022, Jason Boyd, Education Manager and longtime employee and second-in-command of the Robert Janss School District at the ISCC transferred to another facility. In December, the school principal David Mehlhaff retired from the school district which is comprised only of IDOC education and vocational training classes, leaving only classroom educators at the state's largest prison. Though the remaining academic teachers and vocational instructors at the facility have their own duties, two of the instructors are said to be "filling in" for the vacant administrator positions, though the only person left to fulfill the day-to-day duties of the two former administrators is actually the (education department) inmate clerk. Indeed, this clerk has been granted the authority to oversee...