LAS VEGAS—The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada and other advocates for criminal justice reforms are calling for answers at the Wednesday, April 29 meeting of the Nevada Sentencing Commission. They say police and corrections representatives need to respond to pressing questions about how the state’s jails and prisons are protecting those in their care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group contends that mass incarceration is a public health issue only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with facilities struggling to provide adequate medical care and preventive measures.
Recently released models from the ACLU show that failing to take action could lead to an additional 1,500 deaths in Clark County alone.
Issues the organization would like to see addressed include greater transparency with regards to conditions within prisons and the coronavirus, sharing of specific details about testing capabilities and number of tests administered, and safety of youthful offenders housed at adult facilities.
Wednesday’s Sentencing Commission begins at 9 a.m. The agenda is online at: http://sentencing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/sentencingnvgov/content/Meetings/2020/Agenda%204.29.20.pdf
