SOUTHERN DESERT CORRECTIONAL CENTER,

THREE LAKES VALLEY CONSERVATION CAMP, AND

THREE LAKES VALLEY BOOT CAMP

Cold Creek Road

P.O. Box 208

Indian Springs, Nevada  89070-0208

702-879-3800

 Administrative Staff:

Brian Williams, Warden

 The Southern Desert Correctional Center was the fifth and largest major institution in the Department of Prisons. The institution was opened in the early 1980's and became the reception unit for Southern Nevada.

 The design of the Southern Desert Correctional Center, like that of the Southern Nevada Correctional Center, was different from older, traditional correctional facility designs. The original six, and later seventh, single cell housing units are identical to Housing Unit 5 at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, but were expanded from 90 to 102 cells per unit. The institution has an irregular perimeter and, originally, there were no perimeter towers. There was one small tower to control the vehicle sallyport and house the institution’s armory. While the design was consistent with the operational concept, the institution is less secure than traditional or contemporary designs. The operational hub is in the center of the institution with the gymnasium, school, and kitchen, but away from the control room and administrative buildings. Visibility of this central area, called Time Square, was very limited. An armed officer was later assigned on the roof of the gymnasium to allow visibility and to provide for staff protection and control of inmates.

The Southern Desert Correctional Center, like every other institution in the department, has been added to incrementally and remodeled to respond to changing needs. The original perimeter security of the institution was to be provided by coils of razor ribbon between the perimeter fences as well as by a sophisticated perimeter detection system. The perimeter detection system malfunctioned almost immediately and never worked properly. It was ultimately abandoned. The razor ribbon alone proved to be an inadequate perimeter security barrier and four towers were built to enhance the security of the perimeter. In the early 1980's, a seventh housing unit was built outside of the original perimeter, further adding to the irregular shape of the facility. This seventh unit is now the reception unit at the institution. In the late 1980's, an eighth high security, 200 cell housing unit was constructed near the center of the institution to provide secure cells for disciplinary and administrative segregation housing; 320 inmates are housed there. Unit 1 is a general population housing unit but one of its three wings is used to house the overflow of inmates in the reception process at adjacent Unit 7. Units 2 through 6 are medium security, general population housing units.

 The warden of the Southern Desert Correctional Center also supervises the combined Three Lakes Valley Conservation Camp and Three Lakes Valley Boot Camp. These two minimum security facilities house 228 inmates: 168 in the conservation camp and 60 in the boot camp. The conservation camp is for inmates assigned to the Nevada Division of Forestry and to camp operations support assignments. The boot camp inmates are assigned to a program of regimental discipline for evaluation prior to final sentencing by the court.

STAFFING:

 The Southern Desert Correctional Center has 246 staff:

 ADMINISTRATION 4

PROTECTIVE SERVICES 15

CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS 186

PROFESSIONAL 14

SKILLED CRAFT 10

FOOD SERVICES 5

TECHNICIANS 6

CLERICAL 6    

The Three Lakes Valley Conservation Camp and Three Lakes Valley Boot Camp have a staff of 23:

 PROTECTIVE SERVICES 2

SR. CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS 2

CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS 17

PROFESSIONAL 2

  CAPACITY:

 The capacity of the Southern Desert Correctional Center is:

                                            Design: 914 Operating: 1354 Emergency: 1458

 The capacity of the Three Lakes Valley Conservation Camp and Three Lakes Valley Boot Camp is:

                                              Design: 228 Operating: 228 Emergency: 228

 WORK PROGRAMS:

 Inmates are employed in the usual institutional work assignments including maintenance, food service, labor crews, janitorial, laundry, law library, infirmary. Some inmates are employed in prison industry programs like the Shelby Cobra, Imperial Palace Vehicle Restoration, and upholstery programs.

 EDUCATION PROGRAMS:

 The education program at the Southern Desert Correctional Center is provided by the Clark County School District. The district provides 11 staff to the program.