IDAHO FAMILIES FOR SENTENCING INTEGRITY

Taken August 10, 2024

Contrary to public opinion, not everyone in prison has committed a violent crime. Many incarcerated today are non-violent offenders who could better pay their debt to society through some other means. In fact, those inmates who have committed heinous crimes are in the minority. At least half of Idaho prison inmates are addicts and/or the mentally ill whose bad decisions have brought them into the system. Idaho incarcerates these unfortunate “low-end” offenders and calls this “treatment,” when in fact, no actual treatment is provided. These individuals are ill-equipped to handle the issues of prison. Believe me! I know this.

We are also aware that prison staff continues to place the vulnerable, non-violent, and/or older inmates with the delusional and violent. And medical treatment is negligible. It’s a system that ruins lives and impoverishes families, feeding into homelessness. Once released, offenders must follow rigid probation rules, and they are quickly drawn into circumstances which may land them back in prison without benefit of a hearing. (“Go to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.")

As we seek justice for our son Milo Warnock who died as the result of homicide at the Idaho State Correctional Center on December 10, 2023, The Warnock Family has joined the “Idaho Families for Sentencing Integrity,” which seeks for Idaho criminal justice reform. If interested, you can find the link here. As the name indicates, this is an Idaho organization, and the survey asks for your legislative district. Since Mike and I maintain an official address in Washington, we circumvented the question of legislative district with “Washington resident.” KW