Prison guards bill hits a wall

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 | 10:55 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A legislative subcommittee deadlocked Tuesday over whether to add 17 more guards at the High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs despite prison officials' warnings that the additional guards are needed to maintain control at the prison.

Fritz Schlottman, administrator of offender management for the department, told the subcommittee that the prison sprawls over a relatively large parcel of land, and because of the staffing shortfall, if an officer is attacked, "we can't get people across the yard" in time to help that guard.

The prison, located about 46 miles northwest of Las Vegas, covers 21 acres and is two miles around the perimeter, Jackie Crawford, director of the state Department of Corrections, said.

Greg Cox, assistant state director of corrections, told a legislative budget subcommittee that the "layout of the facility causes us significant problems." He said fences have been added to help control the population but "we need staff to manage it safely."

Cox said High Desert houses some of the state prison system's most violent offenders, and the numbers of the those violent offenders are increasing. That has contributed to an "increasing number of assaults" at the prison, Cox said.

None of the members of the subcommittee asked for the numbers during Tuesday's meeting.

After the hearing, Crawford told the Sun that there had been three major incidents at the High Desert prison last year. One inmate was stabbed to death during an uprising between gangs. Another inmate was severely beaten by prisoners when he couldn't deliver on a drug deal. His medical costs reached $500,000, Crawford said.

Another inmate was stabbed six times while in the prison yard, and there have been other numerous other less serious incidents, from fistfights to inmates throwing feces at guards, she said.

"We have been fortunate, and we want to be proactive" to prevent further violence, Crawford said. She said 250 Mexican gang members had to be transferred to a northern prison to try to reduce the chances of further violence.

According to the Sun archives, there were also at least two assaults on guards reported last year. And in the first week of January one inmate was in critical condition for more than a week after being beaten at the prison and another inmate was stabbed.

"It's a hell hole at High Desert," Ed Flagg, president of the Nevada Corrections Association, said outside the hearing. "There are lots of complaints about staff shortages."

The many complaints and warnings weren't enough for a majority of the subcommittee members, however. The Senate side of the subcommittee voted 2-1 against adding new officers. The Assembly members voted 3-2 to approve adding the 17 guards.

The additional guards would have cost an estimated $1.5 million over the next two years, according to the information submitted to lawmakers.

Assemblyman Joseph Hogan, D-Las Vegas, argued that the investment was worth it.

"We need to ensure there is not a serious disruption," because otherwise the safety of prisoners, guards and the general public is put at greater risk, Hogan said.

Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, was one of the lawmakers who voted against the increase. He said it would set a precedent and other prisons would ask for the increased security.

But, Cox reiterated, the department is not asking for additional staff at other prisons in the state. High Desert is a special case, he said. After the vote, Crawford said she would strongly lobby both the Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for the new staff. "We are sorely in need of protection for staff and inmates. This issue is not dead," she said.

Gov. Kenny Guinn's proposed budget did include 17 more guards for High Desert. But Guinn's budget also had subtracted out funding for 18 existing positions at the prison.

The state had been housing inmates from Wyoming and Washington at the prison, had been using money from those states to pay for 18 guards that were responsible for those out-of-state prisoners.

Those prisoners have been returned to their home states, but their 18 correctional officers are still needed at High Desert because the cells that previously housed the out-of-state prisoners now are full of Nevada prisoners. The subcommittee approved the 18 guards for that portion of the prison.

High Desert has been open since September 2000 and has an authorized staff of 341 people, Crawford said.

The subcommittee also approved the budget for the opening of the Casa Grande transitional housing unit in Clark County. Inmates, granted parole, will be placed there to help them get jobs, line up housing and take care of other items when their freedom date arrives.

Casa Grande was scheduled to be opened this July but now won't be ready until December due to construction delays, prison officials said.

It will accept 50 inmates every two weeks until it reaches its capacity of 400. The state will provide $1.8 million next fiscal year for Casa Grande's operational costs and $2.5 million the following year.

The inmates will contribute to their room and board.

The subcommittee also agreed to make up with state money the loss of an annual $300,000 in federal funds for the prison drug rehabilitation programs called Oasis at Southern Desert Correctional Center and Wings at the Warms Springs Correctional Center in Carson City.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said she did not want to see inmates being released who could not adjust to society. She said that is a "major issue of public safety."

Hogan said it would be short-sighted to let these drug abuse programs be curtailed. "We're worse off if we permit important programs to languish," he said.