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Idaho corrections seeks ongoing funding for data tools and transparency software
Summary
The Department of Correction asked the Joint Finance Preparations Committee to fund continued use and expansion of data analysis tools from Recidiviz and several transparency platforms, citing operational benefits and private philanthropic matching of public dollars.
The Idaho Department of Correction requested ongoing general-fund support for a suite of data and transparency tools, including continued work with the nonprofit Recidiviz, during the Joint Finance Preparations Committee hearing on Feb. 4.
Agency budget analyst Noah Peterson told the committee the Management Services Division has requested $910,000 in general-fund appropriation for “recidivism case management software” and $668,100 for transparency software to support inmate access to court documents and staff response to records and subpoenas. Director Josh Tewalt described Recidiviz as more than “software,” calling it a nonprofit that “surface[s] data in correctional systems” and “automate[s] a lot of processes that take a lot of staff time.” He said the tools have been used in probation and parole and the agency hopes to extend them to prison case managers to “automate as much of the back end work” and better inform classification decisions.
Why it matters: The department said previous appropriations were one-time funds to build tools and that ongoing appropriation would support continuous development. Tewalt said philanthropic partners match each public dollar Recidiviz receives, increasing the effective investment; committee members requested documentation of outcomes and the agency’s comparison of Recidiviz with other vendors.
Details and debate: Peterson said Recidiviz work in 2021 and 2023 cost about $1.5 million in federal funds and had been used to build tools now in probation and parole. Tewalt said Recidiviz integrates data across outdated systems and builds overlays and dashboards that help supervisors spot outliers, triage casework and “allow us to look comparatively at other systems.” He added that every dollar the state spends is “leveraged against private philanthropic dollars.”
Senator Cook and Representative Tanner asked for measurable return-on-investment and comparative procurement information. Peterson said hard ROI numbers were not immediately available and offered to work with the agency to provide data. Tewalt agreed to provide dashboards and other visualizations used for supervision and officer-level outcome analysis, while cautioning the committee the agency is sensitive about how officer-level comparisons are used. Tanner asked whether the state controls the data; Tewalt said the department retains control via data-sharing agreements and that Recidiviz pulls data from the department’s systems rather than “recreating data.”
Other Management Services requests: Peterson outlined additional requests in the division packet: $640,000 one-time for GPS geo-tracking implementation pilot at Idaho State Correctional Institution, $77,400 one-time for training mannequins and a light-duty vehicle for the training center, and $1.8 million for IT replacement items recommended by the Office of Information Technology Services. Peterson said the governor recommended these items, plus a three-year pilot special assistant U.S. attorney position focused on drug trafficking in North Idaho (one-time $85,000).
Next steps: Committee members asked the agency to provide usage dashboards, evidence of outcomes, and comparisons with alternative vendors and to supply more precise ROI and funding-match documentation.
