David Birch interviews for Idaho Sex Offender Management Board seat; vote deferred

David Birch, a longtime Idaho corrections official, appeared before the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee to be considered for appointment to the Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). The committee heard from Birch about his experience and did not vote on the appointment; committee members said votes on appointments occur at a later meeting.

Birch told the committee he has worked for the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections and “in the justice system in the state of Idaho for just over 28 years now,” including time as a probation officer and supervisor for adult and adolescent populations. He said he has worked with treatment providers, evaluators and polygraph examiners and “feel[s] like I have a lot of experience, that would be beneficial to me being placed on the … offender management board.”

Senator Cherie Buckner-Webb (by role reference Senator Wintrow in the transcript) and Senator Keiser asked Birch to describe the board’s responsibilities and his relevant skills. Birch said the SOMB serves as a regulatory body for evaluators, treatment providers and polygraph examiners and emphasized the importance of “the highest quality folks in place.” He cited a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in management and leadership and described operational experience in juvenile and adult corrections leadership.

Committee members also asked about the board’s “Rider” program (a program mentioned in the hearing transcript). Birch described the Rider program as an opportunity for judges to place candidates into institutional treatment and then return them to the community as appropriate, calling it “a great opportunity” for certain candidates to receive treatment and demonstrate readiness for community supervision.

The committee chair thanked Birch and noted that votes on appointments are taken at subsequent meetings; the committee did not conduct a vote during this hearing.

The transcript shows no formal action on the appointment at this hearing; the committee recorded only the candidate’s testimony and questions.