Are State Prison Policies Unsafe For Corrections Officers and Inmates?

Old Prison PhotoPhoto byLaw Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast

LAS VEGAS, NV – State prisons are notoriously hazardous, but new concerns are emerging about whether Nevada's prison policies are exacerbating the risks for corrections officers and inmates. Tim Santoro, a former corrections officer, shared his harrowing experience in a State Corrections Mental Health Care facility, where a violent cell extraction and forced medication routine left him with lifelong disabilities, ultimately ending his career.

Santoro spent seven years in a psychiatric detention center, where he gained deep insights into the intersection of mental health, substance abuse, and the justice system. He played a crucial role in developing and managing the facility's intake unit for two years. Currently, Santoro works as an independent security contractor and consultant.

Santoro argues that the State's prison policies may be unsafe for corrections officers. He highlights the broader impact of these policies on staff and recounts his service in a State run mental and psychiatric facility located near schools, a fact largely unknown to local residents.

He also discusses a specific case involving an inmate frequently featured in local news. Despite the inmate’s notorious past and disturbing behavior, a court-ordered forced medication led to a significant transformation, underscoring the severe consequences of untreated mental illness.

An internet web search reveals two state mental facilities: Lake's Crossing Center with 86 beds and the Stein Forensic Unit with 12 beds. The Nevada Department of Corrections website provides limited information, noting that each major institution includes medical and dental clinics with some infirmary capacity. Two institutions have acute care infirmaries with a total of 91 beds.

In contrast, Florida has a structured process for the involuntary treatment of inmates who refuse necessary mental health care, involving petitions to the circuit court and legal representation for inmates.

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Attributions

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State of Nevada Department of Corrections

Florida Division of Corrections