Actually, the drunken driver and the triple murderer were only a few points apart on their risk assessment score, a complex number system Idaho and other states use to classify prisoners as minimum-, medium- or maximum-security risks. The system scores inmates in categories such as the crimes they committed, how long they've been behind bars and whether they've broken any prison rules. [...]
Cox was designated a minimum-security offender but was sent to the Idaho State Correctional Institution south of Boise — a medium-security facility — to wait for a minimum-security bed to open up. Idaho's 10 prisons have been filled to capacity since last year, holding about 8,300 inmates. [...]
Ryan Labrecque, a Portland State University assistant professor and former correctional officer, noted a lot can be learned when inmate housing decisions end in adverse outcomes. His research examines how prison management, personality factors and even the physical condition of prison facilities can impact inmate behavior.
In most states, inmate classification is based on "static" factors such as behavior and criminal history, he said. But emerging practice shows there are also many "dynamic" factors, such as inmates' attitudes, associates and work experience.
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