Inmates confined to their cells

David Kihara

Friday, April 14, 2006 | 7:19 a.m.

Inmates at the state women's prison in North Las Vegas were placed in lockdown Thursday after a report that staff members had encouraged prisoners to contact the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.

Howard Skolnik, deputy director of the state Corrections Department, said the Southern Nevada Women's Correctional Center was put in lockdown to gather staff members together.

"We were told senior staff was passing out information on how to contact the ACLU," said Skolnik, who said it was "not appropriate" for managers to do so. "We are trying to verify that rumor."

A handful of prison staff members, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal, said officials searched cells and interviewed inmates about whether they had tried to contact the ACLU or Assemblyman Harvey Munford, D-Las Vegas, who had toured the prison recently.

The lockdown and search of inmates' cells and interviews with staff were strongly criticized by the ACLU and some prison staff members who called it an attempt to intimidate prisoners and employees.

Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, called the lockdown and searches an outrageous and gross violation of inmate rights.

"The have no business shaking the inmates down and asking whether or not they tried to contact the ACLU," Peck said. "We are talking about the right to counsel and the right to legal representation."

Allen Lichtenstein, attorney for the Nevada ACLU, said that the search of inmates and questioning of staff appear to be an attempt to stop inmates from accessing the judicial system and the system of redressing grievances - both "absolute, unequivocal rights that inmates have."

When asked whether staff members were going through inmates' cells to look for any related material, Skolnik said "shaking down" a prison is part of the operation.

"We do that routinely," he said.

Skolnik said the department's inspector general's office is conducting the investigation and said the information was "critical of the institution" and was passed out by "those responsible for the operation of the institution."

He said the inmates who were interviewed were clerks for the staff members who allegedly passed out the information.

"What's the issue?" Skolnik asked. "We're allowed to talk to inmates."

The lockdown comes after a series of complaints were lodged against the prison system. Prisoners have alleged that they had not been receiving proper medical care, a charge that prison officials deny, and some employees have recently filed formal equal rights complaints.

A day after Munford toured the prison without the knowledge of top prison officials, the woman who gave him the tour was fired. Last week Mary Hester, who oversaw a vocational program, was told she was "rejected from probation." Hester, who had earlier this year filed a harassment complaint, was still on her yearlong probation.

On Thursday, Gov. Kenny Guinn's chief of staff, Keith Munro, said prison officials would begin looking into the medical conditions of the women's prison next week.

"They are going to look at the medical procedures and ensure that they conform to state and federal" standards, Munro said.

Munro said the state had received some complaints about the medical conditions at the women's prison, and those types of complaints must be examined.

"Anytime we get a call about the prisons, we take them seriously. We check them out," he said.

The women's prison has faced numerous complaints in the past over the allegedly poor medical conditions. On Tuesday the ACLU sent a letter to the director of the Corrections Department, Glen Whorton, expressing concern over allegations of inadequate medical care and retaliation against employees who speak out about the problems.

Skolnik said the ACLU was welcome to tour the prison and to talk to inmates. He said the prison system would have no problems with an external audit.

"We feel comfortable that we can withstand very close scrutiny," he said.