Nevada sentencing board says Sisolak shouldn’t depopulate prisons

The Nevada Sentencing Commission on Wednesday twice rejected recommending that Gov. Steve Sisolak move to depopulate the state’s prisons in an effort to stave off the coronavirus’ spread.

The board, however, unanimously agreed to ask the governor to consider speeding up the enactment of a “geriatric” parole statute, which is set to take effect July 1. Such a move would mean that about six people older than 65 in Nevada Department of Corrections, which houses roughly 13,000 inmates, could have a chance at early release, prison officials said during the meeting.

Department Director Charles Daniels, who holds a vote with the commission, told fellow members during a more than seven hour meeting that 39 inmates had been tested for coronavirus and none were positive. He said 11 prison workers had tested positive. The latter figure had jumped from five prison employees who had tested positive the last time the commission met two weeks ago.

Several board members strongly opposed sending a letter to Sisolak that would have asked him to consider releasing inmates who met certain qualifications for release during the outbreak.

If the motion have passed, Sisolak would have been asked to consider freeing vulnerable prisoners with underlying health conditions, nonviolent offenders and those who have already been granted parole.

But Daniels and others suggested the plan was not thoroughly vetted.

“Release of inmates is not a trivial matter,” Daniels said. “Public safety is paramount and must be taken into consideration with every decision and recommendation. What are we releasing inmates to? We still have not addressed core survival issues an offender will encounter when released. Let me repeat them: lack of jobs, no source of income, no housing or shelter, limited to no health care, and special consideration regarding the release of sex offenders.”

Distancing among inmates

Washoe County Public Defender John Arrascada asked Daniels to elaborate on social distancing inside the prisons.

Daniels said that when inmates are not inside their cells “they typically social distance themselves.”

Clark County Public Defender Darin Imlay said he supported a plan to release nonviolent and elderly incarcerated people.

“We can’t keep people in prison just because of an economic downturn,” Imlay said. “I think it’s common sense … to prevent an outbreak.”

Arrascada said that the virus could easily spread throughout a prison.

“All it takes is one,” he said. “We have inmates within their cells together 22 hours a day, or for lengthy periods of time. It’s not a healthy situation. We can see that from other prisons throughout our country. They’re tinder boxes.”

But Anne Carpenter, who heads the state Division of Parole and Probation, sided with Daniels.

“If people are released without viable plans, like we’ve talked about, there will be consequences. If there’s no viable plan, then people may not do well,” she said. “If a lot of people are released to the street, and parole and probation had to supervise them, we probably are not equipped with the resources that we need to do the job, or at least do it well.”

Later, she asked: “Aren’t they safer where they’re at? I’m confused with that.”

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.