Bipartisan members of Idaho’s Joint Legislative Oversight Committee directed the state’s Office of Performance Evaluation to assess misconduct, including claims of sexual assault, in women’s prisons.
An October report from InvestigateWest, a non-profit newsroom serving the Pacific Northwest, exposed assault allegations against dozens of accused women’s prison guards, prompting lawmakers to request an independent review.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
InvestigateWest reported that internal emails show Idaho Department of Correction director emailed lawmakers with talking points before publication, while reporters found missing reports and concealed employment histories.
The Idaho Department of Correction updated its sexual misconduct policy and backed a House bill to close a legal gap, with lawmakers able to subpoena records if officials resist cooperation, after the committee’s March 13 directive.
Evaluators will probe why Idaho’s female incarceration rate has increased 50 times since 1980, amid oversight gaps highlighted in a prior audit of youth treatment homes.
Evaluations will likely begin after March 27, the scheduled end of Idaho’s state legislative session.
