What Makes SICI's East Dorm Different: A Guide for Families

East Dorm at South Idaho Correctional Institution (SICI) is a 152-bed men's housing unit built with one clear purpose: helping residents prepare to return to their communities successfully. That reentry focus is what sets it apart. According to the Idaho Department of Correction, there are no other units like East Dorm in Idaho's system, and only a few comparable ones exist anywhere in the country. For families, this means the placement isn't just about where someone is housed. It's tied directly to the bigger goal of getting ready for life after prison.

East Dorm sits inside a larger facility that houses both men and women. SICI has 300 male residents and 400 female residents overall. While East Dorm itself is a men's unit, the mixed institutional population can affect how housing, programming, and daily routines are organized across the facility.

SICI is also a work-focused environment. Most residents are assigned a job and work either inside or outside the facility, which shapes everything from schedules to availability for calls and visits. On the vocational side, SICI operates work projects that include road crews for the Idaho Transportation Department, along with conservation and firefighting crews connected to the U.S. Forest Service. If your loved one mentions work assignments, those are the kinds of roles available at this institution. It's one way SICI ties daily structure to real job experience.

Not sure where your loved one is currently housed, or trying to plan a visit? Go straight to the source. Contact SICI visiting staff to confirm a resident's housing location and the visiting schedule tied to that unit. This is especially helpful if you've heard "East Dorm" mentioned but don't know whether it's a current placement. Housing details are the kind of thing families often only learn through the facility itself.

• ✓ Ask visiting staff to confirm your loved one’s current housing location.
• ✓ If you believe they are in East Dorm, confirm the unit name specifically (East Dorm).
• ✓ Confirm the visiting schedule that matches the resident’s housing location.
• ✓ If they are in East Dorm, ask whether the placement is connected to its reentry-focused purpose (a unit designed to support successful return to the community).