Three suicides in eight months at an Idaho jail exposed a lack of accountability and oversight of the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, according to a new report by Whitney Bryen, a reporter at InvestigateWest, with support from the Fund. For a story republished by Idaho’s largest newspaper and other outlets, Bryen analyzed video footage, jail policies and investigative files, documenting how staff violated internal safety protocols that could have prevented the deaths. Suicides are a leading cause of death for jail detainees in Idaho and nationwide, but Bryen reported that agencies like the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office have declined to implement training, developed by health care providers and law enforcement, meant to reduce fatalities.
Deputies at Idaho’s Canyon County Jail violated policies that could have saved lives, grantee reveals
