The state of Idaho is a state that I now believe is often overlooked for its uniqueness. When we go home to watch television or read the newspaper weeks and months might go by before we even here Idaho mentioned. I have to admit that I had similar feelings toward the state. I came to learn that Idaho however has its own unique identity. In the following paragraphs I will share many interesting facts about Idaho and its government. I will focus a majority of my paper on its legislature, its politics, crime and punishment, education, politics, taxes, and influential factors that affect its government.

Idaho’s population is just under 1.3 million people. Idaho is ranked forty-first of the fifty states with only twenty-one percent of its people having a bachelor degree. Idaho is known as mainly as an agriculture state which is somewhat true. Idaho has over 22,000 farms and ranches, which cover about one-fourth of the state. Manufacturing and service industries have grown rapidly however and provide a majority

The Federal Government also plays a big role in Idaho. The federal government owns much of the land in mountainous areas of the state and controls logging and mining there. One source I had said that the federal government owns or controls over fifty percent of the states land. The federal government also has a strong influence because of the many National Parks located in the state. The federal government also has had to help Idaho in this area. Former President Clinton visited the state when he was in office to survey damage done by forest fires. The environmental agencies also play a big role because of the wildlife concerns the state offers. Government is also the third ranking service industry in Idaho. The state and federal governments play a large role in employment in this area as use its resources for profit.

Crime and Punishment is also a concern in Idaho. Idaho ranks very high among the states in domestic violence and child abuse. A counseling service was set up by the state to help with these problems. Using the Internet can even access the agency. The Idaho correctional facilities currently hold 5,500 inmates. If these numbers continue on their recent path the state will hold 5,800 by June of 2002. The state also has capital punishment. They currently have twenty-one inmates on death row (20males, one female). All of the inmates that are on death row have murdered at least one person. The year 2000 was one when Idaho lawmakers tried to tackle the issue of crime. One new law, allows crime victims one year to sue their offender after they are released from incarceration. This law supports a popular national trend to give rights back to the victim. Another is the elevation of battery against a household member to a felony offense.

Idaho is still governed by its original state constitution. The constitution was adopted in 1889 eleven months before the Idaho territory became a state. Since then, the constitution has been amended more than one hundred times. The governor is elected to a four-year term and may not serve over two terms. The highest court in the state is the state supreme court. It has a chief justice and four associate justices. The justices serve six-year terms. The voters elect two justices in one year, two others two years later, and one justice two years after that. The Supreme Court justices elect one of their members to serve as chief justice for a four-year term. After the Supreme Court, Idaho’s next highest court is the court of appeals. It has three judges elected to six-year terms. Voters in seven judicial districts elect district court judges to four-year terms. Each county has at least one magistrate.

The Idaho Legislature held its first session

Some topics in this essay:
Constitution Idaho, House Representatives, Using Internet, Game Department, Idaho Legislature, Lewis Clark, President Clinton, Republican House, Federal Government, Court Idaho’s, federal government, idaho legislature, four-year term, idaho government, crime punishment, terms voters, supreme court, house representatives, local government, elected four-year, six-year terms voters, terms voters elect, elections local government, united house representatives, elected four-year term,