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Report on the Nevada Prison System and Alternatives to Incarceration

NCJ Number
78129
Date Published
1980
Length
230 pages
Annotation
This Nevada Legislative Commission report examines and makes recommendations regarding the need for additional prison construction in the State, the location and cost of such construction, the effectiveness of the State prison system in rehabilitating offenders, and alternatives to the incarceration of criminal offenders and the cost and efficaciousness of these alternatives.
Abstract
Data were gathered through committee hearings, meetings, and literature reviews. Investigators found that the legislature needs more reliable data on which to base inmate population projections. They suggest what steps are necessary in locating a new prison site and note that the evidence does not support the concept that prisons should be located 50 miles apart from each other. They suggest that improvements be made in the State's academic and vocational programs for inmates and recommended that certain inmates be diverted to multipurpose centers under structured supervision. Investigators found that the cost of housing inmates in these centers should be considerably less than housing them in a prison institution. Additional findings and recommendations along with data tables are included. Appendixes include prison population projections, prison site evaluations, inmate and staff profiles, evaluations of inmate vocational programs, educational statistics, a budget proposal for the multipurpose centers, and suggested legislation.