Southern Nevada Correctional Center

Southern Nevada Correctional Center is a medium-security prison in southern Nevada in the United States owned and operated by the Nevada Department of Corrections. Located approximately 30 miles south of Las Vegas, off Interstate 15, in Jean, the correctional facility houses over 500 inmates. A small contingent of the prison population consists of women.

History

Built during the 1970s, the facility originally housed prisoners who were serving sentences that resulted from their having been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. Later a psych center was established in Desert Hall which housed a medium security psychological treatment facility for inmates deemed to be too impaired to be allowed among the general population. In the 1980s the prison contained mostly sex offenders, other offenders who had been on protective custody in other prisons in the state and "lifers" who had been in custody for many years with no problems.Fact|date=June 2007 ((former inmate 1984-1992)) Currently the facility is a womans' minimum custody work camp and has been renamed the Jean Conservation Camp.

In 2006 the center installed the first in the nation electronic tracking system for all prisoners. [KLAS broadcast October 20, 5PM]

Description

The cell blocks are situated alongside the left, right, and rear sides of a central campus and, from the outside, resemble condominiums or apartments constructed in free-standing modules. Each housing unit consists of two "wings". Each wing has a central rotunda with two tiers of cells. The cells are fitted for two people with a bunk bed, sink and toilet. There are no bars. Each cell has a door with a small window in it. There are no shrubs, trees, or grass inside the compound, which is double fenced. The interior fence, a heavy-duty chain-link fence, is approximately 20 feet tall, curves inward near the top, and is topped with a roll of razor-wire. The outside fence is also a heavy-duty chain-link fence. It is taller than the interior fence, also curves inward near its top, and is equipped with not one, but two, rolls of razor-wire along its top. Another roll of razor-wire is attached along the bottom of the exterior fence, making even an approach to the fence difficult, if not impossible. Instead of grass, shrubs, and trees, the compound inside the double fence contains raked gravel which is tan in color.

Sidewalks, which are identified by an alphanumeric code at their heads, lead to the modules and the cafeteria. At the south end of the compound is the gym, and the north end contains the chapel, school and administrative building and visiting center.(Ref. - former inmate 1984-1991)

Entrances

Visitors enter the prison through one entrance, after having their personal possessions inspected and stepping through a metal detector. Staff and others, such as chaplains and instructors, enter the facility through another entrance. Doors are locked and a corrections officer must unlock the doors by pressing a switch in order to admit guests or personnel. Their personal belongings are also inspected, and, like visitors, they must step through a metal detector. They are allowed to bring only their driver's license and car keys inside the facility. These articles are exchanged for a visitor's badge that must be worn inside the prison at all times. A corrections officer or a guard escorts temporary staff members and remains in the chapel or classroom at all times during religious services or academic instruction. The entire facility is under constant video surveillance.

References

((former inmate 1984-1992))