What Is 'Retained Jurisdiction' and Why NICI Houses These Residents

"Retained jurisdiction" is a sentencing alternative. The court sends someone to prison for a set period of programming and evaluation to determine whether they're a good candidate for probation instead of continued incarceration. The evaluation period is what makes this different from a typical sentence: the focus is on targeted programming and assessing how the person responds, not just serving time in general population.

NICI is a program-specific prison with an operating capacity of 428 male residents. That "program-specific" label matters because NICI's role is closely tied to the retained jurisdiction process. Rather than housing a broad mix of sentence types, the facility primarily houses residents serving retained jurisdiction sentences. This fits with NICI's focus on programming and evaluation.

For families, the biggest takeaway is that retained jurisdiction is tied to a decision point. Your loved one's time at NICI is connected to completing programming and being evaluated for possible probation, not treated as a standard long-term placement from day one. That can make conversations about "what happens next" feel urgent. It helps to keep questions focused on the retained jurisdiction purpose: programming, evaluation, and what information is being considered.

1. Call NICI with your specific question: Use 208-962-3276 and ask about retained jurisdiction programming and evaluation questions.
2. Email if you need a written response or follow-up: Send your question to nici@idoc.idaho.gov.
3. Use the right facility point of contact: NICI’s warden is Aaron Krieger. If you are unsure who handles your question, ask staff to route it appropriately.