Law Enforcement
AP Braves Authorities, Court In Defense of Truth
November 30, 2010 
Associated Press reporter Rebecca Boone works in the Boise bureau covering among other things, the courts. She released a WIRE STORY today of prison violence that is worthy of Pulitzer consideration.
With the resources of the AP and a lot of good old fashioned journalism, the news organization has done itself proud with a frightening tale of violence, cover up, and mismanagement at one of Idaho’s private prisons.
The GUARDIAN hopes this event will be disturbing enough to prompt prosecution of the private guards for “aiding and abetting” a violent assault and serve to show legislators how poorly private prisons work.
Here is the VIDEO version of the story that will put a shameful black mark on all of Idaho.
UPDATE 1:50 p.m. As if on cue in steps the FBI to investigate. The investigation had been underway, but the U.S. Attorney went on the record once the video became public.
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Comments & Discussion
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Nov 30, 2010, 3:50 pm
Had trouble with your link to the video. Thought I’d insert this one, hope it works…http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blog/show?id=784568%3ABlogPost%3A22660430&commentId=784568%3AComment%3A22663014&xg_source=activity
Nov 30, 2010, 6:01 pm
The same kind of lunatics who privatized management of this prison want to privatize your Social Security and Medicare.
They are also the same kind of morons who broke up MA Bell (and caused local, land line phone rates to triple), deregulated the airline industry (creating chaos, less safe air travel, and higher prices), gutted financial regulations (and ran the economy over a cliff creating uncalculable misery) – but it all worked out OK because the rich continue to get richer and we continue to get shafted.
Nov 30, 2010, 6:19 pm
The Statesman (online) article about the FBI getting into the act has the headline: “FBI investigating Idaho’s only private prison”.
Well, it is not a private prison, it is a privately managed prison. How about some basic (and I mean really basic) accuracy in media?
If the inmates have a nickname for the place – Gladiator School – then we can believe that something BAD is going on there. If our society chooses to lock people up for long periods of time (or even short term in the county jail) they have to be kept there safe from attack by other inmates, no ifs, ands or buts, and no matter what it costs.
Imagine being an accountant or something, convicted of some kind of white-collar crime, and being sent out there and thrown in with hundreds of violent guys.
Nov 30, 2010, 11:39 pm
I think if the TSA did checks at the prison gate we would find a heck of a lot more stuff than at the airport… Why don’t you get on it Butch.
Dec 2, 2010, 8:33 am
Rod, how can you compare the break up of ATT to privatization of prisons?
Indeed, ATT is an example of why not to privatize prisons. ATT prior to 1984 used its monopoly powers to keep away competition and the prying eyes of the public.
Yes, landline fees went up, but long distance charges went way down. In fact, long distance is now basically free. If ATT were still the monopoly that it was, our iPhones would have rotary dial pads. Deregulation of the airlines also resulted in lower fares not higher ones.
There’s no surprise here. Many warned about privatizing prisons. I’m too lazy to research it, but it would make for an interesting story. It’s just like many warned about complex derivatives way back in the early 80s.
Dec 2, 2010, 12:16 pm
I was totally repulsed by the beating and the lack of interference in the beating by the guards.
If you lock someone up you become responsible for their safety and health issues. Deliberatly putting someone in harms way inside a prison is just plain wrong and now Idaho Taxpayers will suffer the brunt of this case. Should have never happened and ignorance of the possiblity of physical violence on this guy is no excuse.
The guards in this deal need to be hauled up on criminal neglect charges.
Dec 2, 2010, 3:30 pm
I think the mass media is somewhat at fault here. I bet they ignore a lot of what they hear about these places… just as they do about other types of government fraud and incompetence… especially prosecutorial misconduct.
Rod, More pay and a government check to the same class of employee will do what to fix this nation-wide problem? The FBI is going to say “if it was public-run it would not happen” but we all know it does.
Dec 2, 2010, 5:45 pm
Thank you Guardian for posting this.
Dec 2, 2010, 10:03 pm
Zippy, I cannot speak to other states, but you better get some facts before you imply this type of conduct goes on in IDOC! Short of being able to prove something, I would strongly suggest you “stifle”!
Dec 4, 2010, 1:40 pm
boisecinyc, my point is that deregulation of any industry results in consumers being screwed. I consider the breakup of ATT a deregulation. I was always way more of a local phone user rather than a user of long distance phone serivces (so I always felt screwed since local rates went up and long distance rates went down), but that is now water under the bridge since they are all inclusive.
Zippo, prisons are too important to contract out their management. Look what happened when the Bush administration contacted out the support of the troops (food service, etc) in Iraq to Halliburton – massive theft of billions of dollars in taxpayer money, and they did a crappy job of supporting the troops.
Dec 6, 2010, 1:29 pm
Zippo, when they privatize/profitize justice, you are going to hate it. Be careful what you ask for.
Dec 6, 2010, 8:42 pm
The Repubs insist on privatising everything.
I like this article by Nader. He gets to the black heart of the GOP (Greedy Old Party):
“If there was a mental health hospital for institutions the Republican Party and its top leaders would be admissible as clinically insane.”
See it here:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/12/06-8