Prison population tops expectations in budget

CARSON CITY -- A law designed to reduce the Nevada prison population has not yet worked as intended as the number of inmates is far more than anticipated in the $645 million budget approved by the Legislature in June.

"We are sitting with well over 1,000 extra inmates crammed into our system," Corrections Director Howard Skolnik said Tuesday during a break in the meeting of the Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice. "I don't think we are going to see the substantial savings anticipated during the legislative session."

He said the overcrowding situation is critical at the maximum-security state prison in Ely where plans are under review to house inmates in what has been the prison gym.

While facilities to house 2,400 additional inmates are under construction, nationally recognized prisons consultant James Austin predicted that Nevada's prison population, now 13,450, will reach 22,141 by 2017 unless more diversionary programs are created.

"By the time someone gets to us, the community wants them to be with us," Skolnik said. "There has to be programs to keep them from coming to us."

They made their comments during a commission meeting teleconferenced between Carson City and Las Vegas. The commission has been directed by the Legislature to develop recommendations to control prison population growth.

In approving the prisons budget, legislators allocated money to house 12,753 inmates during the current fiscal year and 13,383 during the fiscal year that begins June 2008 and ends in June 2009.

Gov. Jim Gibbons had sought funds to house about 600 additional inmates each year. But in an effort to reduce prison spending, legislators approved Assembly Bill 510, which increased good-time credits for most inmates and was projected to lead to the early release of 1,400 inmates. It costs more than $20,000 to house an inmate for a year in Nevada.

Skolnik told the commission the growth problem is caused in part because 470 to 520 inmates who recently were granted parole cannot be released. He said the Parole Board imposed conditions on their releases -- such as they enter drug or alcohol treatment programs -- and there are no spaces available in those programs.

Another 600 inmates are scheduled to go before the Parole Board during the next four months under the law that increased their good-time credits and gave them a chance for early release.

Supreme Court Justice Jim Hardesty said many of them also will remain behind bars because there is no space in treatment programs, nor are there enough parole officers to supervise them.

Hardesty predicted that within a few months, as many as 800 inmates who have been granted parole will remain "warehoused" in prison where they will worsen already overcrowded conditions.

"Maybe the fiscal status of the state could be improved if we spent less on prison beds and more on treatment?" said Hardesty, chairman of the Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice.

Austin said the state should consider increasing non-prison programs for many people convicted of crimes.

If not, then he predicted it will cost the state "a big chunk of money" to construct new prisons. During the session, that cost was estimated at $1.9 billion over the next decade.

Austin said the older inmate population has skyrocketed and prison systems across the country will be hard-pressed to keep up with their need for medical care. He said prison overcrowding could be reduced if some older prisoners were released for health care reasons.

But Skolnik said most older prisoners in Nevada are behind bars because they committed very serious crimes and he does not favor their release. He noted that a 94-year-old man recently was sent to prison in Nevada for child molestation.

Hardesty also railed against a Gibbons administration directive that prevents Skolnik from filling computer technician, psychologist and other non-correctional officer positions.

Without the computer personnel, Skolnik said he cannot properly track the effects of AB510.

"This is stupid," Hardesty said.

Hardesty said Gibbons is sparing the Corrections Department from the possible 5 percent budget cuts for most state agencies because of lower than expected tax revenues, but non-essential employees are not being exempted.

"It doesn't make much sense," Hardesty added. "The Department of Corrections is exempted and critical positions cannot be filled."

"I won't take issue with you," Skolnik replied. "But remember who I work for."

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or (775) 687-3901.