Idaho Prison Blog

Thanksgiving is over for this year - thankfully. While it was once one of my favorite holidays, these days it just brings to mind minimum expectations of the quality and quantity of holiday fare of days gone by. As is the norm of late, I was not disappointed in my significantly lowered expectations - and this year it came with a twist... The ISCC Thanksgiving meal menu consisted of: Turkey slice Stuffing Mashed potatoes and gravy Green beans Cranberry sauce Pumpkin pie w/whipped cream(?) (2) Slices white bread Absolutely nothing wrong with the Turkey, mashed potatoes/gravy cranberry sauce - except maybe there wasn't as much as a typical American would expect (then again, we do eat a lot on Thanksgiving). On the other hand, the stuffing had the consistency of drywall mud, and tasted little better. It was almost as if the ingredients weren't mixed completely, and it wasn't baked completely through. Couldn't stomach that at all. Next - how in the world does someone screw u...

According to a memo posted at the ISCC on 11/21/23 the ISCC is staging a special visiting and gift-giving event for prisoners and their children at the prison December 21, 2023. While the memo states the presents for children will be paid for by the prison, there is no indication from what prison (or prisoner) budget the money for these gifts will come from, the types of gifts which will be distributed or other such details. Based on this, if you want child to participate, have your incarcerated friend/loved one get their concern form in ASAP (concern forms can only be submitted by prisoners, not by people on the outside). While the memo doesn't make it clear, the wording implies that only children of prisoners would be eligible for the gifts (as opposed to nieces, nephews, etc.), but I could be wrong about that. Contact the prison if this is a question you want answered (see the FACILITY INFORMATION link in the sidebar on this page). It is also unclear and unknown whether the prog...

On 4/14/23 Dale Shackelford, a prisoner at the ISCC sent a Health Services Request (HSR), notifying the medical department that his chronic care medications (related to high blood pressure and other issues) expired on that date, that the prescriptions needed to be renewed, and he had not been seen by the contract medical provider for renewal. This issue should have been done automatically, without need for Shackelford to submit the HSR. Several days later, Shackelford was seen by a medical provider, and the prescriptions were all renewed. On or about 5/9/23 the medical department (in league with the Inmate Accounts department) charged Shackelford's account a $2.00 co-pay for submitting the HSR - in violation of IDOC policy (and contract with medical provider Centurion) - which prohibits prisoners from being charged co-pay for chronic care issues. Per SOP, Shackelford immediately sent the medical department a Concern Form asking that the $2.00 co-pay be reimbursed. Because there was...

Just days after the article "ISCC ADMINISTRATORS DENY SPECIAL MEAL FOR ACTUAL VETERANS ON VETERAN'S DAY - WHILE ALLOWING BANQUET/FEAST FOR OTHERS" was posted on this site, the following memo, adorned with the official seals of the various military services, was posted throughout the ISCC facility: ATTENTION VETERANS * Are you interested in living on a tier with fellow veterans? * Would you like the opportunity to live in a patriotic environment where you can focus on your rehabilitation and reintegration into society? * Are you interested in PTSD/TBI and peer-to-peer support groups that focus on your specific needs? * Are you looking for opportunities to continue to serve your community, state, and nation? Submit a concern form to Officer Thompson stating you want to like be on the veteran's tier today! Just a day or so later, I had the opportunity to speak with Officer Thompson regarding this memo. I asked if this "Veterans' Tier" was the tier which was...

There is no doubt that I believe (and actual proof exists) the American Legion - as it exists at the Idaho State Correctional Center - is no more than a gang of thugs and opportunists, with a majority of the inmates involved nothing more than a bunch of sycophants, but nobody can deny that allowing this group, along with the Sons [of the American Legion], to have a banquet on Veteran's Day this year, while denying even a special meal to actual Veterans, is sickening. As noted in previous posts on this site, American Legion Post 201 at the ISCC allows inmates with dishonorable discharges, and other disqualifying status to become members of the Legion. Indeed, the inmate who "runs" the Legion at the ISCC - and had himself voted the "Lifetime Commander" of the Post - was dishonorably discharged from military service, despite the Constitution of the American Legion, and the Congressional Charter authorizing the American Legion to exist expressly prohibiting persons ...