Bryan Kohberger Transferred to Solitary Confinement in Maximum Security Prison Amidst Controversy over Conditions and Treatment

Bryan Kohberger, who admitted guilt in the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, has been transferred to long-term solitary confinement at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI). This was confirmed by an IDOC spokesperson to KTVB on Thursday.

Kohberger is now housed in J Block at IMSI, which is Idaho’s only maximum-security prison and accommodates some of the state’s most disruptive male residents. The facility is located about nine miles south of Boise.

According to KTVB, J Block can house up to 128 people, including those in protective custody and on death row. Inmates in long-term solitary confinement are held in single-person cells, permitted one hour of outdoor recreation daily, and allowed to shower every other day, as confirmed by the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC).

Kohberger was placed in solitary confinement more than a week after being sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. During his sentencing hearing in late July, he declined to speak. The victims’ families are still seeking answers regarding his motive.

Criticism has been directed towards the conditions and treatment of inmates in solitary confinement at IMSI. Last year, 90 inmates organized a six-day hunger strike to protest delays in access to medical care, long periods of isolation, and unsanitary recreational areas, as reported by the Idaho Statesman.

Some inmates described the recreational areas as large chain link-like metal boxes, containing urine and feces. Inmates housed in a lower-security section of the facility have claimed that the space is often littered with trash and bodily fluids, and that the ventilation system hasn’t been cleaned in decades.

The IDOC stated to CNN in July that recreation enclosures are regularly cleaned, and individuals can request vent cleaning in their cells if needed. Following the hunger strike, the department reportedly developed ways to increase vocational and educational opportunities, religious services, and recreational opportunities.

In its statement to CNN, the department emphasized, “Safety is our number one priority for everyone living and working in our facilities.” The prison’s strict solitary confinement policies have drawn concern, with former IDOC Director Kevin Kempf stating in 2016 that inmates were confined alone for up to 23 hours a day with little human interaction, received meals in their cells, and were allowed showers only three times a week.

Since then, the corrections’ department has implemented a step-down program that gradually transitions inmates from solitary confinement to a more open environment, including stages where they can interact with others. According to KBOI, the department stated that long-term restrictive housing is not a disciplinary sanction, but rather a housing assignment designed to manage specific behaviors.