Wilson Criscione
@wilsonc.bsky.social
News and investigations editor at InvestigateWest
Rep. Tarra Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated lawmaker in WA, had her convictions vacated in 2023 and said it felt like being freed from an "invisible prison."
This year, emails show, she supported cuts to legal aid groups that help others do the same. www.investigatewest.org/make-it-make...
This year, emails show, she supported cuts to legal aid groups that help others do the same. www.investigatewest.org/make-it-make...
WA lawmaker backed cuts to legal aid for people like herself
After being fired from the legal aid group she once led, Rep. Tarra Simmons supported state cuts that crippled similar organizations
www.investigatewest.org
November 11, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Rep. Tarra Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated lawmaker in WA, had her convictions vacated in 2023 and said it felt like being freed from an "invisible prison."
This year, emails show, she supported cuts to legal aid groups that help others do the same. www.investigatewest.org/make-it-make...
This year, emails show, she supported cuts to legal aid groups that help others do the same. www.investigatewest.org/make-it-make...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
In the state that incarcerates women at the nation's highest rate, @wilsonc.bsky.social and I uncovered rampant sexual abuse by Idaho women's prison guards. After a year of reporting, we published 6 stories examining the system that failed to protect them. 🧵 1/
November 5, 2025 at 10:30 PM
In the state that incarcerates women at the nation's highest rate, @wilsonc.bsky.social and I uncovered rampant sexual abuse by Idaho women's prison guards. After a year of reporting, we published 6 stories examining the system that failed to protect them. 🧵 1/
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
Grantees @wbryen.bsky.social & @wilsonc.bsky.social investigated sexual assault reports made by 25 women against more than 40 prison guards and revealed how the Idaho Department of Corrections systematically tolerates the sexual abuse of inmates. @investigatewest.bsky.social
👉 bit.ly/47W9JAz
👉 bit.ly/47W9JAz
November 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Grantees @wbryen.bsky.social & @wilsonc.bsky.social investigated sexual assault reports made by 25 women against more than 40 prison guards and revealed how the Idaho Department of Corrections systematically tolerates the sexual abuse of inmates. @investigatewest.bsky.social
👉 bit.ly/47W9JAz
👉 bit.ly/47W9JAz
👇
"In Idaho prisons, more than two dozen women say guards prey on them with little fear of consequences — and those who speak up are often punished."
The U.S. is a leader in women's incarceration, and behind bars, women are anything but safe. 🧵
The U.S. is a leader in women's incarceration, and behind bars, women are anything but safe. 🧵
Staff sex abuse in Idaho women’s prisons largely unchecked
InvestigateWest reporting exposes sexual abuse by guards, retaliation against victims and a system that fails to track the scope of the problem
www.investigatewest.org
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
👇
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
39 people died in WA prisons last year, a number that rose during the pandemic. At least three other prisoners died of infections during FY 2024, one of whom was 45 years old. Read this story by @brandonblock.bsky.social - www.investigatewest.org/how-a-wa-pri...
October 30, 2025 at 3:51 PM
39 people died in WA prisons last year, a number that rose during the pandemic. At least three other prisoners died of infections during FY 2024, one of whom was 45 years old. Read this story by @brandonblock.bsky.social - www.investigatewest.org/how-a-wa-pri...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
From youth labor violations to housing abuses to pandemic aid fraud, Cascade PBS investigative reporters cast light into undercovered corners of Washington. Our final Impact Report and a thread of some of the team's best work: www.cascadepbs.org/impact-repor...
Investigations team caps four years with state law, policy reforms
From youth labor violations to housing abuses to pandemic aid fraud, Cascade PBS investigative reporters cast light into undercovered corners of WA in 2025.
www.cascadepbs.org
October 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
From youth labor violations to housing abuses to pandemic aid fraud, Cascade PBS investigative reporters cast light into undercovered corners of Washington. Our final Impact Report and a thread of some of the team's best work: www.cascadepbs.org/impact-repor...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
"For the next five minutes, the woman listened as four men — a prosecutor, defense attorney, judge and police detective — debated what, exactly, Rogers meant by vagina."
Hard to say what's the most shocking part of this @investigatewest.bsky.social series. But this courtroom dialogue is up there.
Hard to say what's the most shocking part of this @investigatewest.bsky.social series. But this courtroom dialogue is up there.
Idaho's prison sex abuse law only protects inmates when genital contact is involved, making it hard to prosecute prison staff. Even when charges are filed, plea deals allow accused guards to escape prison time while victims serve years for drug offenses, DUIs and parole violations bit.ly/42CqXQE
How Idaho’s prison sex abuse law protects predatory guards
When guards are charged, plea deals offer leniency
www.investigatewest.org
October 15, 2025 at 4:59 PM
"For the next five minutes, the woman listened as four men — a prosecutor, defense attorney, judge and police detective — debated what, exactly, Rogers meant by vagina."
Hard to say what's the most shocking part of this @investigatewest.bsky.social series. But this courtroom dialogue is up there.
Hard to say what's the most shocking part of this @investigatewest.bsky.social series. But this courtroom dialogue is up there.
The Idaho Department of Correction issued a news release in response to our Guarded by Predators series. It repeats agency policies but does not dispute our findings.
October 15, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The Idaho Department of Correction issued a news release in response to our Guarded by Predators series. It repeats agency policies but does not dispute our findings.
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
Highly recommend this series by my colleagues Whitney Bryen & @wilsonc.bsky.social They spent a year interviewing women who were sexually abused by prison guards & staff in Idaho, digging through court recordings, and public records and it SHOWS in this work.
Guarded by Predators
A new series by InvestigateWest exposing rape and abuse by Idaho’s prison guards and the system that shields them.
www.investigatewest.org
October 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Highly recommend this series by my colleagues Whitney Bryen & @wilsonc.bsky.social They spent a year interviewing women who were sexually abused by prison guards & staff in Idaho, digging through court recordings, and public records and it SHOWS in this work.
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
A year of reporting by INVW has uncovered the unjust reality for the roughly 1,300 women currently in Idaho prisons: Once behind bars, they’re kept there by mostly male guards who can harass, grope, and sexually assault them with confidence that it will be kept quiet.
In Idaho women’s prisons, guards get away with sexual abuse and victims are blamed – RANGE Media
A yearlong investigation finds rampant sexual abuse by guards, systemic cover-ups, and punishment for victims
rangemedia.co
October 15, 2025 at 1:31 AM
A year of reporting by INVW has uncovered the unjust reality for the roughly 1,300 women currently in Idaho prisons: Once behind bars, they’re kept there by mostly male guards who can harass, grope, and sexually assault them with confidence that it will be kept quiet.
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
Damn, what a story.
In summer 2024, 7 women accused Idaho prison workers of sexual misconduct. The allegations spanned decades, took place at various facilities and involved different perpetrators. One thread connects the claims: none were thoroughly investigated by state police. www.investigatewest.org/case-closed-...
October 14, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Damn, what a story.
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
This series on rape and sexual abuse by Idaho prison workers has some chilling, enraging and tender writing and reporting throughout - and exposes the ways our system continually lets alleged perpetrators off the hook. Please give it a read:
In summer 2024, 7 women accused Idaho prison workers of sexual misconduct. The allegations spanned decades, took place at various facilities and involved different perpetrators. One thread connects the claims: none were thoroughly investigated by state police. www.investigatewest.org/case-closed-...
October 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
This series on rape and sexual abuse by Idaho prison workers has some chilling, enraging and tender writing and reporting throughout - and exposes the ways our system continually lets alleged perpetrators off the hook. Please give it a read:
Idaho incarcerates women more often than any other state.
Once thrown behind bars, many of those women are sexually abused by guards shielded from consequences — while victims are blamed.
Read the latest in our "Guarded by Predators" series www.investigatewest.org/in-idaho-wom...
Once thrown behind bars, many of those women are sexually abused by guards shielded from consequences — while victims are blamed.
Read the latest in our "Guarded by Predators" series www.investigatewest.org/in-idaho-wom...
In Idaho women’s prisons, guards get away with sex abuse
A yearlong investigation finds rampant sexual abuse by guards, systemic cover-ups, and punishment for victims
www.investigatewest.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Idaho incarcerates women more often than any other state.
Once thrown behind bars, many of those women are sexually abused by guards shielded from consequences — while victims are blamed.
Read the latest in our "Guarded by Predators" series www.investigatewest.org/in-idaho-wom...
Once thrown behind bars, many of those women are sexually abused by guards shielded from consequences — while victims are blamed.
Read the latest in our "Guarded by Predators" series www.investigatewest.org/in-idaho-wom...
Just under a year ago, my colleague Whitney Bryen and I began hearing about women in Idaho prisons being sexually abused by staff. We investigated — and what we've found since has shocked us.
Today, the first two stories in our 6(!)-part series were published.
Today, the first two stories in our 6(!)-part series were published.
October 12, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Just under a year ago, my colleague Whitney Bryen and I began hearing about women in Idaho prisons being sexually abused by staff. We investigated — and what we've found since has shocked us.
Today, the first two stories in our 6(!)-part series were published.
Today, the first two stories in our 6(!)-part series were published.
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
Our investigation has found:
-At least 59 documented allegations of staff sexually abusing imprisoned women since 2020. It's an undercount.
-37 prison workers accused in the last decade
-Of those, 18 were guards who resigned. 8 were fired.
www.investigatewest.org/staff-sexual...
-At least 59 documented allegations of staff sexually abusing imprisoned women since 2020. It's an undercount.
-37 prison workers accused in the last decade
-Of those, 18 were guards who resigned. 8 were fired.
www.investigatewest.org/staff-sexual...
Staff sex abuse in Idaho women’s prisons largely unchecked
InvestigateWest reporting exposes sexual abuse by guards, retaliation against victims and a system that fails to track the scope of the problem
www.investigatewest.org
October 12, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Our investigation has found:
-At least 59 documented allegations of staff sexually abusing imprisoned women since 2020. It's an undercount.
-37 prison workers accused in the last decade
-Of those, 18 were guards who resigned. 8 were fired.
www.investigatewest.org/staff-sexual...
-At least 59 documented allegations of staff sexually abusing imprisoned women since 2020. It's an undercount.
-37 prison workers accused in the last decade
-Of those, 18 were guards who resigned. 8 were fired.
www.investigatewest.org/staff-sexual...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
In the first story, @wilsonc.bsky.social and Whitney Bryen look at the only women's prison guard sentenced to prison for sexual misconduct in the last decade. He served a nine-month alternative sentence. www.investigatewest.org/the-idaho-pr...
An Idaho prison guard preyed on women. The system hid it
This is the first installment in a new InvestigateWest series called “Guarded by Predators,” exposing rape and abuse by Idaho’s prison guards and the system that shields them
www.investigatewest.org
October 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
In the first story, @wilsonc.bsky.social and Whitney Bryen look at the only women's prison guard sentenced to prison for sexual misconduct in the last decade. He served a nine-month alternative sentence. www.investigatewest.org/the-idaho-pr...
Heavy-hitting story from Kaylee Tornay and Aspen Ford: How Oregon let a wood treater pollute a town's water source
www.investigatewest.org/oregon-wood-...
www.investigatewest.org/oregon-wood-...
How Oregon let a wood treater pollute a town's water source
Nearby tribe calls on state, federal agencies to end a “decade-long pattern of reckless violations”
www.investigatewest.org
August 28, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Heavy-hitting story from Kaylee Tornay and Aspen Ford: How Oregon let a wood treater pollute a town's water source
www.investigatewest.org/oregon-wood-...
www.investigatewest.org/oregon-wood-...
New story, reported with with the Mercer Island Reporter, about how the school district kept allegations of sexual misconduct by a teacher quiet for years. www.investigatewest.org/a-beloved-me...
A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.
Gary "Chris" Twombley was put on administrative leave in December 2023
www.investigatewest.org
August 11, 2025 at 10:07 PM
New story, reported with with the Mercer Island Reporter, about how the school district kept allegations of sexual misconduct by a teacher quiet for years. www.investigatewest.org/a-beloved-me...
Our reporter Moe Clark digs into forest management in Washington and the influential "collaboratives" that critics say are too aligned with timber interests: www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
In wildfire-prone Washington, ‘collaboration’ on forest management gives way to timber interests
Forest collaboratives formed in the wake of the Pacific Northwest’s “Timber Wars” have become major power players operating largely out of the public eye
www.investigatewest.org
July 31, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Our reporter Moe Clark digs into forest management in Washington and the influential "collaboratives" that critics say are too aligned with timber interests: www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Good journalism matters: The state investigated Providence Sacred Heart only because they read reporting from InvestigateWest about a 12-year-old's death. Officials quickly found deeper issues with the hospital failing to properly screen patients. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Spokane hospital where 12-year-old died endangered other suicidal patients, investigators find
State health records show repeated safety violations at Providence Sacred Heart hospital
www.investigatewest.org
May 20, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Good journalism matters: The state investigated Providence Sacred Heart only because they read reporting from InvestigateWest about a 12-year-old's death. Officials quickly found deeper issues with the hospital failing to properly screen patients. www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
“Existing data shows Native Americans face the highest risk of deadly police violence in the United States — between three to five times the rate that others face. And that data is likely an undercount of the true figures”
In 2020, Bureau of Indian Affairs police shot and killed Kirby Paradise. There was no media coverage or public acknowledgement from BIA.
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Two killings, no explanation: Families left reeling after Bureau of Indian Affairs shootings
Lack of transparency in BIA police killings leave families searching for answers
www.investigatewest.org
May 16, 2025 at 7:39 PM
“Existing data shows Native Americans face the highest risk of deadly police violence in the United States — between three to five times the rate that others face. And that data is likely an undercount of the true figures”
In 2020, Bureau of Indian Affairs police shot and killed Kirby Paradise. There was no media coverage or public acknowledgement from BIA.
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Two killings, no explanation: Families left reeling after Bureau of Indian Affairs shootings
Lack of transparency in BIA police killings leave families searching for answers
www.investigatewest.org
May 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
In 2020, Bureau of Indian Affairs police shot and killed Kirby Paradise. There was no media coverage or public acknowledgement from BIA.
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Four years later, the BIA killed his cousin, Cody Whiterock, in Idaho.
Reporter Melanie Henshaw with the story:
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Washington state health officials — after reading @investigatewest.bsky.social's reporting — launched an investigation into a 12-year-old’s suicide at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
WA health department investigating Spokane hospital after girl’s suicide sparked public outcry
State regulatory officials, elected leaders learned of tragedy from InvestigateWest report
www.investigatewest.org
May 8, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Washington state health officials — after reading @investigatewest.bsky.social's reporting — launched an investigation into a 12-year-old’s suicide at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
Reposted by Wilson Criscione
“If this is happening, I would be hesitant to report a crime myself:" Idaho’s Owyhee County joins ICE agreement to enforce immigration law (for @investigatewest.bsky.social)
Idaho’s Owyhee County joins ICE agreement to enforce immigration law
ICE's 287(g) agreements — ended under the Obama administration following abuses like racial profiling of Latinos — are back
www.investigatewest.org
April 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM
“If this is happening, I would be hesitant to report a crime myself:" Idaho’s Owyhee County joins ICE agreement to enforce immigration law (for @investigatewest.bsky.social)
Nurses in the youth psych unit were concerned with Providence's decision to close it because they feared exactly this.
"We said this was going to happen," one former nurse in that unit says.
"We said this was going to happen," one former nurse in that unit says.
Tragic, must-read story from Whitney Bryen and Kaylee Tornay:
A 12-year-old girl died by suicide after workers say she was left unsupervised at Spokane's Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center — months after the hospital's closure of its youth psych unit.
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
A 12-year-old girl died by suicide after workers say she was left unsupervised at Spokane's Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center — months after the hospital's closure of its youth psych unit.
www.investigatewest.org/investigatew...
A 12-year-old killed herself at a Spokane hospital that recently closed its youth psychiatric unit
Workers say girl’s death is an example of what they feared from Providence closing the unit
www.investigatewest.org
April 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Nurses in the youth psych unit were concerned with Providence's decision to close it because they feared exactly this.
"We said this was going to happen," one former nurse in that unit says.
"We said this was going to happen," one former nurse in that unit says.