Editorial: Change in plan that is welcome

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 10:23 a.m.

Earlier this year Gov. Kenny Guinn proposed that a state prison in Jean be refurbished so that it could handle the rising number of female inmates in Nevada. That development would have meant that, in turn, the female inmates currently housed at a privately run prison in North Las Vegas would be transferred to the center in Jean. But earlier this week state Prisons Director Jackie Crawford abruptly shifted course, telling state legislators that she wants to keep the female inmates at the privately run prison in North Las Vegas after all.

Government officials are reluctant to make a sudden -- and a significant -- change in policy, fearing that they'll be accused of a flip-flop. This is a situation, though, where Crawford should be credited for applying common sense to a situation, making a needed change despite a prior commitment.

In this instance, Crawford said she wants to find a way to reduce the number of women in prison -- and simply transferring them from one prison to another isn't going to do that. Instead Crawford wants the state to secure federal grants and matching state funds to send the female inmates to re-entry and community-based programs. Those likely to use the programs would be inmates who haven't been able to stay out of prison because of parole violations. About 40 percent of the women freed from prison are sent back for failing drug tests as part of the condition of their parole, according to Crawford.

The 1980s and most of the 1990s saw politicians adopt a lock-'em up attitude, passing tough-on-crime laws that substantially increased the number of inmates. Violent criminals deserve lengthy sentences, but recent years have spurred questions as to whether this same approach to nonviolent crimes -- especially long terms for illegal drug use -- is necessary and cost-effective. Prisons are eating a huge amount of the state budget, and that means less money for deserving programs, such as education.

During the last legislative session, in 1999, the Legislature approved Guinn's proposal to create a program that would transfer nonviolent prison inmates -- who are within two years of being released -- into the supervision of local drug courts. While the program is off to a sluggish start, the promise of getting these inmates intense counseling and drug testing -- so that they don't return to prison -- is the kind of approach that's needed. In that vein, it is hoped that Crawford can develop a plan that can offer safe community-based programs for some nonviolent female offenders.