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Monday, Oct. 15, 2012 | 2:51 p.m.
CARSON CITY — Nevada prisons are understaffed, leaving guards vulnerable and unable to properly oversee inmates, correctional officers on Monday told the Board of State Prison Commissioners.
Michael Gavin, a correctional officer at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, said there are 180 inmates for each guard at the prison. He also complained that officers are unarmed, and inmates have access to shovels and brooms that can be used as weapons.
Greg Cox, director of the state Department of Corrections, said staffing levels meet standards and that armed officers among the inmates would be a safety issue, because weapons could be wrested from the guards.
Officers in towers that surround the prisons are armed “to respond to a disturbance,” he said.
But that didn’t satisfy Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, who said she was “concerned about the safety and level of officers.” She called for an independent study of prison staffing and was supported by Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Since the issue was not on the posted agenda, the board will have to wait until its next meeting to officially make the request.
Cox said he could ask the National Institute of Corrections to conduct a study of staffing levels. In line with directions from Sandoval to submit a flat budget for the next two fiscal years, Cox has not asked for additional officers.
An evaluation of prison staffing needs was performed during the administration of Gov. Kenny Guinn, but the Legislature did not fund a request for more officers, prison officials said.
Move the inmates to Greg Cox's house. Bet you he would change his mind and hire more officers. Correction officers have a difficult and dangerous job. They have one of the highest job related injury careers and are under payed. Where do you think all the people who hack up their spouses or molest kids go. It's out of sight, out of mind, and most citizens rather not think about it. But are quick to say lock the criminals away and throw away the key. I have yet to see a "I Support My Correction Officer" bumper sticker. I took a tour of a facility and let me tell you that they couldn't pay me enough to do that job. Kudos for those working behind the walls and bared wire.
When you look at officer to inmate ratios there are many factors involved that can misguide your thinking and make believe they are adequate in proportion. For example, although a reasonable ratio would be based on custody levels, activities, physical plant etc, there are many [too many in fact] officers assigned on posts that are administrative and not in direct contact with inmates. Also the number of staff scheduled off on weekends and holidays reduce that number even more thus on any given time, the ratio has been diluted by "unavailable" officers doing tasks either on an administrative level or not present during the weekends or evening or graveyard hours when these officers are most vulnerable. I suggest the DOC director conduct a "real" roster staffing pattern adjustment with reallocating more officers to the line positions removing them from admin or "other" duties not directly related to supervising inmates to bring the numbers back to safe levels. This will enhance public safety, staff safety and inmate safety reducing violence and the opportunities for misconduct. Bottom line = don't look at the numbers = look at available and reassess "essential posts" versus "non-essential posts"