Jail sought for lesser offenders

Saturday, Dec. 10, 2005 | 9:08 a.m.

People convicted of misdemeanor crimes may soon have a new jail to call home in Clark County.

Mikel Holt, deputy chief of Detention Services for Metro Police, says the Clark County Commission is scheduled to vote Dec. 20 on whether to conduct a feasibility study on the creation of a low-level offender facility.

Ideally the facility would house 400 inmates who have been convicted and sentenced for misdemeanor charges such as domestic violence, simple battery, selling and possessing drugs. The facility would require between 38 and 43 corrections officers.

It will most likely take 90 to 120 days for the report to be completed, Holt said. If it concludes the facility is feasible, then construction costs, location and other details will be researched before putting it before the commissioners again.

Although it's only in the initial stages, Holt said, the commissioners "seem to be in favor of the project," and if all goes well he believes the jail could be constructed within three to five years.

The need for such a facility is yet another issue directly connected to the valley's population growth, Holt said. He said he expects a 7.2 percent increase in the number of beds needed at the Clark County Detention Center this year, which comes on the heels of an 11 percent increase last year.

This growth has caused an ongoing problem of bed availability for inmates.

As of 4:30 a.m. Thursday, there were 3,445 inmates registered at the Clark County Detention Center, but only 2,860 beds, Holt said. Just under 300 inmates are sleeping on cots and another 300 are in beds the county rents in jails operated by North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson.

More cost-effective inmate housing alternatives such as the low-level offender facility must be explored, he said.

"As we continue to grow we are going to have to find places to put inmates," Holt said. "Under this proposal we could detain 400 low-level offenders in less expensive beds, which will give us 400 beds for the really bad people."

The deputy chief said the new jail follows the basic law enforcement principle that "we need to keep the bigger threats inside these four walls because our mission is keeping people in the community safe."

Holt wouldn't speculate on what the project would cost, but said it would be a much different facility than the Detention Center. He said the low-level offender jail could feature "dormitory-style" cells and that the walls of the facility may not all be made of concrete and steel.

Land near the waste water treatment plant off East Flamingo Road is being discussed as a possible site, Holt said.

Matt Pordum can be reached at 474-1161 or at pordum@lasvegassun.com