State wants to run women’s prison

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Corrections Department says it could do a better job running the women's prison in North Las Vegas than a private company, but it will mean more than $1 million a year in added costs.

The department said it would have a better-qualified staff and provide "superior programming" for the prison, which houses about 460 female inmates.

"Under a private vendor, the women's correctional system would continue to be fragmented from the rest of Nevada's correctional operations and remain subject to the allegation that Nevada's female offenders are denied equal protection or treated like 'second class citizens,' " the department said.

The prison has had problems in the past year that included an inmate becoming pregnant. DNA testing showed a guard was the father. In addition, inmates signed a petition that complained of poor food quality and medical care, among other things.

Among the North Las Vegas prison's high-profile inmates are convicted husband-killer Margaret Rudin, and Jessica Williams, the dancer who killed six teens when she drove her vehicle into them as they picked up trash in the median of Interstate 15 north of Las Vegas.

Corrections Corporation of America, which built and has operated the prison since 1997, is pulling out on Sept. 30 at the end of its contract.

Three private companies have submitted bids to the state Purchasing Division to continue to operate the prison. They have been identified as Civigenics Inc. of Marlborough, Mass., Cornell Cos. of Houston and Management and Training Corp. of Centerville, Utah.

The costs of their bids were not disclosed and an evaluation team is studying the applications.

While the private bids were not revealed by the Purchasing Division, the Correction Department said the proposed costs by the three bidders range from $6.6 million a year to $7.2 million. The department estimated its cost at $8.2 million a year.

The Corrections Department will make its presentation on running the Southern Nevada Women's Correctional Facility to a legislative subcommittee on Thursday in Reno in an attempt to convince lawmakers to junk private operation of the prison.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said he has not seen either the bids by the private company or the proposed budget by the prison. Raggio, chairman of the subcommittee, said it would examine the proposals and then wait for a recommendation from Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Raggio said it would be up to the Interim Finance Committee to decide whether to go forward with a private company or allow the state to assume control.

Guinn has expressed his preference that the state operate state institutions rather than private companies.

None of the three private bidders submitted proposals for the medical care of the women. So the state will take over the health care program, regardless what legislators decide. All three of the companies have proposed subcontracting the food service out.

The Corrections Department estimates it could run the women's prison for $48.91 per day per inmate, compared with the highest private bid of $42.85, submitted by a company identified only as "Vendor A."

"While Vendor A is a quality company and could competently operate the women's prison, NDOC seeks to assume responsibility for operating our women's facility, rather than to privatize it again," the department says in its presentation to be outlined Thursday.

The state says the private company "A" proposes to pay correctional officers $27,000 a year plus benefits of about 27.7 percent. The starting pay for a correctional officer in the state is $33,800 plus benefits of about 42 percent.

The department said the pay scale proposed by the private firm may not be competitive in the Las Vegas job market. Even the prison, which would offer a higher salary, has difficulty in recruiting qualified staff.

Company "A" would pay its warden $80,000 and its assistant warden $55,000, compared with the state rate of $86,447 for the warden and $68,557 for his assistant.

"NDOC will be able to offer employees a reasonable wage and benefit package with opportunities to transfer and promote within the entire NDOC system, thus enhancing the possibility of our acquiring better-qualified employees and retaining them longer," at the women's prison.

The department says it will have a professional full-time programming staff including a psychologist, mental health counselors, social workers, a chaplain and a program officer.

"Prior experience has shown that Nevada female offenders are 'high maintenance' and have a high level of emotional and mental health issues that require constant attention by qualified staff," the state agency said.

"Programming and mental health cannot be an adjunct of custody but must be addressed with equal priority," said the department that added it will provide "a more comprehensive drug and alcohol treatment strategy."

The state will have an "economy of scale" in providing plant operation, employee training and in other items.