Lori Vallow Daybell in Prison: Same ‘As Anyone Else’

At the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center, convicted killer Lori Vallow Daybell isn’t an inmate. She’s a resident, just like all the rest of the facility’s 350+ residents, who range from low risk offenders to Robin Row, Idaho’s only woman on death row.

Vallow Daybell was sentenced this week to life in prison without parole for the murders of two of her children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, and conspiracy to murder her fifth husband’s first wife, Tammy Daybell, as CrimeOnline reported. That husband, Chad Daybell, will be standing trial on the same charges next year.

The warden of the Pocatello facility, Janell Clement, couldn’t speak about a specific resident but talked with EastIdahoNews.com about life generally in the women’s prison, pointing out that while Vallow Daybell comes in with a certain amount of notoriety, she’s no different from anyone else housed there.

“Everyone’s treated fairly and respectfully, and their confidentiality is maintained. They’re going to go through that same process as anyone else,” she said.

The process begins when the residents arrive on a bus from a county jail and go through the intake process.

“They are given clothing items, and they’ll be met by a case manager and have a nursing assessment,” Clement said. “From there, they will be moved down to a housing unit. Over the next 14 days to four weeks, they’ll be given different assessments through dental, medical, mental health and case management needs to assess what they may need during their stay.”

While there, residents can take high school and college courses and have employment opportunities in the prison.

Clement said the prison works “really hard to help people return back to society — to be a better member of society, a better neighbor, a better friend.”

Of course, Vallow Daybell will spend the rest of her life behind bars, although she will be extradited to Arizona to stand trial on a conspiracy charge in the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.

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[Featured image: Lori Vallow Daybell/Idaho Department of Corrections]