Pregnancy tests of inmates being conducted

Thursday, Aug. 7, 2003 | 10:54 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Widespread pregnancy testing of female inmates in Nevada prisons has begun after one inmate was found to be pregnant and she named a corrections officer as the father.

Howard Skolnik, assistant director of the Nevada Department of Corrections, said today there are about 750 women in prison and those of child-bearing age and who do not have hysterectomies will be interviewed and a blood sample taken.

"We want to determine if this is an isolated incident or a more pervasive problem," Skolnik said. "Nothing like this has happened since 1975. We would like to go another 30 years."

If prison officials find a major problem, he said, the policies and procedures will have to be reviewed and possibly changed.

Scott Olifant, attorney for the inmate who became pregnant, said he did not know if there were any other pregnant women in prison. "But if you ask if more sex is going on between employees and female inmates, I expect so."

The woman, who has not been identified, was in the women's prison in North Las Vegas that is run by Corrections Corp. of America, based in Nashville, Tenn. A male corrections officer has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

The woman has been moved to the prison medical center in Carson City and the baby is due sometime in January. Skolnik said a DNA test will be done on the infant once it is born to determine if the male prison worker was the father.

Skolnik said testing will not only be done at the North Las Vegas prison, but also at other places where females are housed. The testing started two days ago and he did not have any idea when it would be completed.

Jackie Crawford, director of the Department of Corrections, will reveal the results when the testing is completed, he said.

Skolnik said he does not think the prison tests female inmates for pregnancy when they are received. But he said the state is usually notified by the county of origin when a pregnant woman is transferred after conviction.

Corrections Corp. of America notified the state of the pregnancy and put the male employee on paid administrative leave. A criminal investigation has begun. It is a felony for a prison employee to have sex with an inmate.

Skolnik said he was told the woman said the sexual relations were consensual, but Olifant said he doubted that.

"If it turns out to be an employee, I hope they will step up to the plate and do the right thing," Olifant said. "Just because they don't find inmates pregnant doesn't mean sex is not going on over there (at the North Las Vegas prison.)"

Olifant said he intends to file a civil rights lawsuit against Corrections Corp. of America and may name others as defendant. He indicated he wants to wait for the birth of the child.

"One consideration is the birth of the child. Various factors may affect the lawsuit. If the child is a normal healthy child, it will have a certain value.

"If the child is a special needs child, it will have another value," he said.