Idaho’s prison problem keeps getting costlier

Seven years ago, then-Gov. Phil Batt tried to ease Idaho prison overcrowding by pushing a package of laws designed to ease the flow of minor offenders into the state system.

The four bills approved by the Legislature gave the Commission for Pardons and Parole more flexibility to grant parole; changed the definition and amount of money necessary for someone to be charged with grand theft; increased the dollar amount to bring felony charges for writing bad checks; and dropped felony penalties for individuals caught a third time for driving without privileges. By being hard-nosed about nonviolent offenders, Batt realized, Idaho might be safer to some extent. But the state would continue to embrace the necessity to construct additional prisons to meet the demand.

Despite Batt’s best efforts to slow the prison flow, the crowding in Idaho’s prison system has reached crisis stage, fueled in part by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne’s decision to crack down on epidemic methamphetamine use. No one can argue that Kempthorne was wrong in targeting the drug of choice for so many of today’s addicts and pushers. However, any gains made by Batt’s bills have been wiped out as Idaho’s prison population has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

Now the state knows the number for locking people up short term and long term: About $12 million extra to satisfy a court order by sending 302 overflow prisoners to Minnesota for the next two years and $160 million to build three new prisons to satisfy space needs for the near future.

Idaho can no longer ignore its prison crisis, nor can it buy time simply by easing laws and opting for more home monitoring and supervised release. Nor is loosening the meth crackdown the answer. As hard as it is to do so when state funds are desperately needed to boost spending for education, health and welfare, and other worthy services, the 2006 Legislature must address prison building needs while continuing to investigate sentencing alternatives. It doesn’t make sense – short- or long-term – to squander $500,000 per month, and growing, to house Idaho prisoners in other states.

Interestingly, neighboring Montana is going through a similar prison space crunch, which requires the state to harbor 176 prisoners in county jails and consider shipping inmates to Colorado or Minnesota, according to the Helena Independent Record. Montana is trying to circumvent the move to ship prisoners out-of-state by seeking bids soon for a private business to run a prison for 256 inmates with special needs, caused by age, illness or mental problems. Also, the Big Sky state asked for bids last month for a methamphetamine-treatment prison for 120 inmates.

Montana has tackled its problem with prison overcrowding head-on. Idaho must do so, too. The crisis isn’t going away.