LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Last month, the Nevada Department of Corrections announced it was planning to close two conservation camps by July 1.
Director James Dzurenda previously said the agency determined the cost of keeping Carlin Conservation Camp and Jean Conservation Camp open was no longer beneficial. NDOC officials told me that some offenders will be reassigned to other conservation camps, some will be moved to transition centers or house arrest, and some may be assigned to higher-security facilities.
That announcement led to several inmates at Jean Conservation Camp reaching out to Channel 13 by sending letters with several questions and concerns. We took those questions and concerns to the NDOC to learn more and see if we can provide answers to those inmates and their families.
Inmate concern:
"The relocation of many of us to Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center means we will be involuntarily moved to a maximum custody facility that is not only overpopulated but also understaffed."
NDOC response:
"Staff at Jean Conservation Camp will be offered the ability to transfer to vacancies at other facilities (including Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center). However, Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center is currently operating at 75.8% of offender capacity — which is the lowest capacity of the six major facilities that NDOC operates. Jean's population is currently just 54 offenders. Several of the offenders at Jean Conservation Camp will be transferred to Casa Grande Transitional Housing instead of FMWCC, so FMWCC's population will not be increased by a large margin."
Inmate concern:
"[FMWCC] This overpopulated and understaffed institution with an increasing drug problem that's hidden is a safety issue for inmates and staff alike."
NDOC response:
"The NDOC is combating drug issues at every facility. The STARS program is an intensive in-house substance use disorder treatment program that is operated at FMWCC."
Channel 13 has been following efforts to make prisons safer, as well as several proposed solutions that NDOC staff are researching. Some of those solutions include scanned copies of mail instead of physical copies of mail, as well as drug canines.
Inmate concern:
"The move will cause a loss of 'stat' time due to no programming or job availability due to overcrowding, and we are told to just be patient. Yet, the male population has a multi-institute selection and jobs, program accommodations, and minimum custody housing for minimum custody inmates."
NDOC response:
"No offenders will lose statutory good time credits unless they commit significant misconduct. Additionally, no JCC offender will lose their custody level because of the JCC closure. Each affected offender will continue to have the ability to earn work credits at the same level they currently do, so their sentence calculation will not be negatively impacted. Finally, FMWCC has numerous programming opportunities for offenders to earn merit credits."
I've seen some of that programming first-hand. I went to FMWCC a year ago to learn more about the partnership between NDOC's prison education program and the College of Southern Nevada.
At the time, some of the offerings included an Associate of Arts degree, an Associate Business degree, and skill certificates in culinary, welding, hospitality, and HVAC. CSN staff told me they also launched a construction certificate last fall.
Inmate concern:
"We will be without access to jobs and educational, mental health, and re-entry programs for a period of time, which will result in us gaining seven days to a month to our sentence."
NDOC response:
"'Stat credits' refers to statutory good time credits that are allowed for good behavior and is authorized under NRS 209.4465. That law allows all offenders to earn 20 stat credits each month, regardless of their housing location or approved custody level. These credits will only be forfeited by offenders if they participate in misconduct. The JCC offenders are likely referring to 'work credits,' which are additional credits that can be earned by offenders through diligence in work, school, or programming. The amount of work credits an offender can earn varies depending on their approved custody level; offenders approved medium or higher custody can earn 10 work credits per month while offenders at minimum or lower custody can earn 20 work credits per month. Offenders housed at JCC will not have their approved custody level increased because of the JCC closure, so the amount of work credits they can earn will not be changed."
Inmate concern:
"In the process of relocation, we will be forced to donate or discard any items of ours which cannot fit in one box and one duffle bag, all items which we have had to purchase on the minimal earnings provided by the state or by our friends and family. Many can't obtain these items again."
NDOC response:
"All offenders are restricted to certain property limitations outlined in AR 711 and facility transfers are typically an opportunity for NDOC staff to enforce those limitations."
Inmate concern:
"While the NDOC has multiple locations for the male population, including multiple camps, jobs, program accommodation and minimum custody housing for minimum security inmates, NDOC is showing the lack of equality by blatantly forcing women to accept the mistreatment and injustices due to budget cuts."
"This letter is to raise awareness and ask for a voice inside the institution that we don't have. It's a call to ask you to use your platform and to please help us be heard."
NDOC response:
"The NDOC currently has 9,614 in-house male offenders and 889 female offenders (8.4% of the total NDOC population). Additionally, female offenders will still be able to house at Casa Grande Transitional Housing, which is lower custody than a conservation camp, in addition to FMWCC after the JCC closure. Lastly, the Community Transition Program authorized under AB004 will soon provide an opportunity for many of the low-risk offenders to transition into the community instead of being housed at an NDOC facility."
All offenders at Carlin and Jean will be relocated before June 30.
The Carlin property will be given to the City of Carlin, while the Jean closure is expected to have no impact on the unincorporated town of Jean.