SATELLITE TELEVISION CONTRACTORS DENIED ACCESS TO PRISONS DESPITE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

Pursuant to a contract between the IDOC and A+ Satellite of Meridian, Idaho (as described in the post IDOC ENTERS INTO CONTRACT WITH TREASURE VALLEY COMPANY TO PROVIDE SATELLITE AND CCTV SERVICES TO BOISE-AREA PRISONS on this site), satellite television service was to have been operational at all prisons in the South Boise Complex, as well as the ISCC and TVCRC by February 15, 2024.

It didn't happen.

According to Caleb Hansen, owner of A+ Satellite, IDOC facilities have refused to allow his workers to enter the prison because background checks of these people have not been completed by IDOC staff. Hansen also stated that some parts for the system have yet to be procured.

Failure of IDOC staff to perform background checks is nothing new. According to [Visiting Room] Sergeant Quinn at the ISCC, there is a backlog of nearly 3,000 visiting applications at the ISCC alone waiting for background checks. Some of these applications will expire before they can be approved.

The contract for satellite services was signed and in effect on December 4, 2023, so there is no valid reason for the delay in processing any background checks of contractors. Further, the delay has resulted in the loss of thousands of taxpayer dollars paid for Dish Network channels that cannot be viewed.

Mr. Hansen has stated that the contractors should be able to start work on the system in the prisons in early March, 2024, and that the system should be fully operational sometime in mid-March.