investigativereportingworkshop.org VS.

fij.org

In a deeply sourced year-long investigation supported by the Fund, InvestigateWest uncovered pervasive staff sexual abuse in Idaho’s women’s prisons, documenting at least 59 formal allegations since 2020 and interviewing 25 survivors whose stories expose routine retaliation and institutional coverups. The reporting shows that over the past decade, 37 prison workers have been accused of misconduct, yet only a few faced criminal consequences, as many either resigned or were quietly dismissed. InvestigateWest’s team examined thousands of pages of court records, correctional audits, internal investigations and whistleblower accounts to show how Idaho’s Department of Correction often handles complaints internally – shielding perpetrators, suppressing public records and marginalizing inmates who speak up. In response to the reporting, Idaho’s governor ordered a review of the cases, and state legislators vowed to take action.