Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center (SWIJDC)

Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center (SWIJDC) basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 208-454-7240

This facility is for juvenile residents.

The Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center (SWIJDC) is a medium to low-security detention center located at 222 N 12th Ave Caldwell, ID that is operated locally by the Juvenile Justice Department and holds youths awaiting the determination of punishment for the crimes which they are accused. Most of the adolescents are here for less than two years.

Juvenile detention, as part of the juvenile justice continuum, is a process that includes the temporary and safe custody of juveniles whose alleged conduct is subject to court jurisdiction who require a restricted environment for their own and the community’s protection while pending legal action*. Juvenile detention may range from the least restrictive community based supervision to the most restrictive form of secure care.

Out of a twenty-four hour day you go to school for five hours. After school you will get an hour of gym, then later on in the day you get an hour of leisure time. In the old facilities, the cells are 8 feet by 10 feet and there are 18 of these cells with 2 holding cells. In the new facilities, the rooms are 8 feet by 5 feet, there are 60 of these new cells so there’s always room. There’s one window in your room you are forbidden to look out of it unless told to. You can never trust the food because it’s made at the Canyon County Jail and you never know what those inmates might put in it or do to it. These are some descriptions of the beautiful clothes that you get to wear; the pants are green and white striped, orange, and blue, the shirts are dark green, white, light green, and orange. The only items that you are allowed in your cell is; one book, one bible, one deck of cards, and any of your mail. Your parents and grandparents can visit you on Wednesday and Sunday for one hour. You get your blankets at 7:00 p.m. and have to fold them and put them outside your cell at 5:30 a.m. You love your blankets because it gets pretty cold in here. It’s a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit and even colder after you get out of the shower. You must obey all rules and the staff and respect them and the other juveniles if not you will be put in lock down.

The critical components of juvenile detention include:

• Screening to ensure the appropriate use of detention,
• Assessment to determine the proper level of custody, supervision and placement,
• Policies that promote the safety, security and well being of juveniles and staff,
• Services that address the immediate and/or acute needs in the educational, mental, physical, emotional and social development of juveniles.

The mission of the Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center is to furnish architecturally secure detention for those youths within Idaho’s Third Judicial District who have violated the law and present a threat to the community, subject to the determination of the courts. Further, the Center shall be an integral part of the Juvenile Justice system as it exists in Canyon County and all participating counties.

SWIJDC is committed to uphold and follow the guidelines of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act which are contained in the four core requirements, which are:

• Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders
• Jail Removal
• Sight and Sound Separation of Juvenile from Adult Offenders
• Disproportionate Minority Contact

SWIJDC is also committed to support the tenets of the “Balanced Approach,” upon which the Idaho Juvenile Corrections Act is based. Those are:

• Community Protection,
• Accountability, and
• Competency Development.

Programs

ARISE Program

in approximately 2013, Officer Muntaga Bah found information about the ARISE program, and became a faciltator. The Arise program is used to teach the residents topics including, but certainly not limited to fatherhood, gang resistance, anger management, healthy lifestyles, self esteem, nutrition, hygiene, finances, etc.

Horses!

Several times per year, Officer Candy Martilla teaches the residents about horses in the classroom, and then actually brings three of hers in for the kids to groom and ride. At the end of “Horse Week,” parents can come in and watch their son or daughter ride.

Bikes!

The Juvenile Probation Community Service Coordinator, Ross Garven, brought a load of bikes in for our residents to triage, fix, salvage or do whatever we could with them. Officer Nathaniel Ashby has been our resident expert in this program. The bikes are then donated to needy families.

Small Engines

Deputy Director Sean Brown spearheaded a small engine “repair” group. We have had several donations, and the kids dig into the engines to see what makes them work. Some things actually do get repaired, but there are no promises! Staff have used some of their own equipment as guinea pigs, with surprisingly good results.

Pat Andersen School Garden

In Spring 2011, the SWIJDC began the Pat Andersen School Garden with a grant from the Idaho State Department of Education and through the help of more than a dozen local sponsors who donated seeds, soil, mulch, plants, fertilizer, irrigation supplies, lumber and other items.

The garden acts as an outdoor classroom for the juvenile detainees and gives them a hands-on experience as they work towards the common goal of creating a thriving vegetable garden.

Under the direction of Garden Coordinator Craig Olsen, the Pat Andersen School Garden has harvested over 6,000 pounds of produce that has been donated to charities across Canyon County.

visitation Info

Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center – Visitation

Visiting Hours

Sunday
1:30pm-2:45pm (last names A-L)
3:00pm-4:15pm (last names M-Z)
Thursday
6:30pm-7:45pm (last names A-L)
8:00pm-9:15pm (last names M-Z)