High Desert State Prison is a new-generation design correctional facility capable of handling multi-classifications of new inmates and custody levels of medium, close, and maximum lock-up or segregation. This institution consists of seven (7) housing units, each with a potential capacity of housing 332 inmates; one (1) Intake housing unit with a capacity of 332 inmates and one (1) Segregation housing unit with a potential capacity of 166 inmates. The physical plant design of each housing unit creates, in essence, two (2) separate housing pods sharing a common maintenance core. The housing units are designed to accommodate a wide range of services and will provide staff a resource to manage inmates who range from high-medium security to those who are at risk to themselves and others. The housing can operate as free flow inmate movement, secure lock-up, or any level in between. The units allow effective observation and control of inmate movement, space for programs and activities, and office space for caseworkers and team management.

Additionally, High Desert State Prison contains all necessary support services including, but not limited to, Chapel, Culinary, Infirmary, Intake Processing, Education, Law Library, Laundry, Inmate Store, Coffee Shop and a Visitation Center. It should be noted that the Infirmary contains a 29-bed ward. The institutional Culinary has six (6) dining halls, each capable of seating 144 inmates. The Institution's Culinary spans about 50,000 square feet and is capable of feeding approximately 2,000 inmates. Phase Three construction will add equipment, which will bring our feeding capacity upto approximately 3,000 inmates.

As the reception and intake center, High Desert State Prison processes all inmates from the jails and courts of the southern part of the state. Inmates receive intake processing, identification, medical and mental health examinations and screenings. Initial classification is conducted to determine which institution the inmate will be assigned to and what their custody level will be. Inmates will receive an orientation, a rule book, classroom instruction on the rule book and sample of self-help programs. High Desert State Prison has incorporated a level management system that places personal responsibility on the inmate for his own behavior. The level system consists of five (5) levels where inmates earn incremental and sequential amounts of responsibilities, privileges and opportunities. Movement through the levels is dependent upon the inmates' behavior, attitude, work and programming performance. New inmates are allowed to volunteer for an accelerated path through the level system with a structured living program, which is a highly structured quasi-military curriculum.

High Desert is designed to meet the department's operational philosophy to ensure a safe secure environment for the community, staff responsible for inmate management, and for the inmates assigned to the facility. The first phase of the prison consists of four (4) Lovelock-style housing units. One (1) unit is the reception center. The adjacent unit is for administrative segregation and detention. The remaining two (2) units and the units of the second phase are for medium security general population housing.

The High Desert State Prison will be the most secure prison in the department. All cell doors in the units are operated by rack and pinion mechanisms from the unit control rooms. The prison has five (5) perimeter towers and one (1) yard tower as well as interior gunposts above the housing units, operations center, culinary building, and in each dining room. In addition, the complex has a lethal electric fence, perimeter observation towers, and a "no-man's land" inside the fence allows officers in towers to observe any inappropriate inmate movement toward the fence from inside the facility. Each two (2) housing units together form a secure compound and can be operated in whatever manner may become necessary. Access to the main compound is controlled by an armed officer in a protection post above each two (2) units.

The Warden of the High Desert State Prison also supervises the Tonopah Conservation Camp, which is a minimum security conservation camp that houses 146 inmates. The conservation camp is for inmates assigned to the Nevada Division of Forestry and to camp operations support assignments.