Nevada receives $978K federal grant to reduce recidivism

CARSON CITY — Nevada has received a $978,000 federal grant to combat and reduce recidivism among inmates convicted of property crimes and drug offenses, the state Department of Corrections announced Wednesday.

The grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will fund a program targeting male property crime offenders between the ages of 18 and 55, who are assessed as moderate to very high risk of reoffending and where substance abuse was a factor in the crime. Inmates serving sentences for drug crimes are also included.

“We know that property crime accounted for 80 percent of all crime in Nevada in 2014,” James Dzurenda, director of the Department of Corrections, said in a statement. “It makes sense to begin focusing our evidence-based programming on those offenders who commit the majority of crimes in order to have the most significant impact on public safety.”

Dzurenda said the money will be used to implement a strategic statewide recidivism reduction plan, which includes enhanced case management for supervising released inmates with an emphasis on public safety, offender accountability and community programs.

The effort will involve the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation, UNLV, University of Nevada, Reno, the state Department of Health and Human Resources and the Veteran Services Administration.

“It is imperative agencies have cross-access to information and this grant will enable us to develop that data management system strengthening communication and information sharing, which will boost success rates,” Dzurenda said.

The Department of Corrections has set a goal of reducing recidivism rates by 15 percent over two years and 50 percent over a five-year period.

Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3821. Follow @SandraChereb on Twitter.