Prison money might be used for mental patients

Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2002 | 8:50 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn says one of his top construction priorities in the next two years will be expanding the mental health facilities in Clark County, and he hopes to do that with savings from a prison building program.

There are only 20 beds for seriously mental ill patients in Southern Nevada, the governor said, adding that the size of the planned expansion will depend on the amount of money available. Guinn said he talked with Clark County Sheriff Jerry Keller, who told him his department picks up people they encounter on the streets with mental deficiencies. The release of state prison inmates without any mental services adds to the problem, the governor said.

In addition, Guinn plans to expand the clinics that dispense drugs to people with mental problems.

Guinn's statement about the expansion of mental health services came at a meeting of the state Prison Board, of which he is chairman.

Jackie Crawford, state director of corrections, outlined her plans to scrap building a 1,000-bed addition to the High Desert Prison that was scheduled to cost $39 million.

She said she intends to focus that money on developing work and education programs.

Her plans call for delaying construction and using $10 million to $12 million for a 604-bed minimum-custody community work center at the Indian Springs Conservation camp with educational and programming facilities.

Crawford said she wants to allocate $4 million to upgrade the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City to a facility for geriatric inmates and people with special long-term medical needs.

She estimates that by re-focusing toward rehabilitation, the state will save $3 million a year. Her plan would save $26 million in construction costs, Crawford said.

Guinn said he is in favor of Crawford's plan to change the direction of the prison. But he said he wanted to make sure there is enough construction money for mental health facilities in Clark County. He said $10 million to $15 million might be available.

Prison officials told the board there were 6 percent fewer male inmates than predicted this year and 12 percent fewer female inmates than expected.

The statistics also showed there were only three persons in the prison for possession of marijuana and none serving time for trafficking in marijuana.

Crawford attributed that to the drug courts in Las Vegas and Reno.

"They're the best thing that ever happened to the state," she said. "I would think you would want to continue them."

People charged with drug offenses are assigned to the drug courts, which send them through rehabilitation programs rather than sending them to prison.

"They are very successful," Crawford said.

Crawford said the state has enough beds to house serious offenders but should concentrate on non-violent property and drug inmates to get them ready for the street.

Crawford's program was endorsed by board member Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, although she said she was "offended" to see the prison had amassed $9 million in overtime in the last year.

Del Papa said that comes at a time when budgets are tight and that it was not fair to employees in other departments.

Crawford said she was "embarrassed" by the $9 million and added it "was uncalled for." She suggested there were abuses at one unidentified prison and there have been "personnel changes."

"At one institution, people were exploiting the situation," she said. "I apologize to the board. It's something that happened and I'm not proud of it."

She said overtime has been reduced by 60 percent in recent months.

The board agreed to allow Crawford to negotiate a contract with Community Rehabilitation Services, a Las Vegas nonprofit agency, to join a program to provide transitional housing to inmates leaving prison and returning to Southern Nevada.

There is a lag between when an inmate gets parole approval and when he leaves prison because often there is no job or no housing arrangement. This nonprofit organization can apply for grants and other funds that the prison cannot, Crawford said.

The inmate would be released to the housing unit and be given up to a month to find a job.

Crawford estimates there are up to 500 inmates a year who spend extra time in prison because of the release delay, and that is costly to the prison.

Those who would be released to this planned housing unit would pay for the room and board after they secured a job.