JANUARY 2, 2001

The History

The Warm Springs Correctional Center (WSCC) was authorized by and constructed through appropriations from the 1961 Legislative session and was a women’s prison until September of 1997 when it was converted to a medium security men’s prison. The institution has been remodeled and expanded four times over the past 39 years. A second housing unit was added in 1979, and a third in 1987. The core services building, which houses food services, health care services, education facilities, and the gymnasium, was added in 1981. The 1995 and 1997 Legislatures authorized a fourth housing unit, two towers, a new security fence, additional classrooms, and a complete remodel of the kitchen, dining room, and entrance building. The completion of this project in July 1998 (funded in part with federal monies) brought the budgeted capacity of WSCC from 260 to 510 inmates.

The Organization

The Warm Springs Correctional Center, the Silver Springs Conservation Camp (SSCC), and the Northern Nevada Restitution Center (NNRC) together make up a Tri-Facility Organization which is administered by the Warden of WSCC. The Associate Warden’s of Operations and Programs at WSCC assist the Warden in administering the three facilities. Local supervision of SSCC and NNRC is provided, respectively, by a Camp Lieutenant and a Center Manager.

Staffing

WSCC is staffed by 141.5 employees. 107 are funded through the WSCC budget account, including 3 Administrators, 93 Correctional Officers and Supervisors, 4 Caseworkers, 3 Food Service Workers, 2 Skilled Craftsman, and 2 Clerical positions. Inmate Health Care Services at WSCC are funded through the Department’s Medical Division and include 1 Physician, 7 Nurses, 1.5 clerical positions, 2 Psychologists, 1 Psychiatric Nurse, ½ Psychiatrist, ½ Dentist, and ½ Dental Technician. Four other positions are paid for through the Offenders Store Fund and include 2 Storekeepers (Canteen and Coffee Shop), 1 Law Library Supervisor, and 1 Physical Education/Recreation Specialist. High School, Adult Basic Education and Vocational Training are provided through the Carson City School District and staffed by 5.5 academic teachers.

The Physical Plant

The Warm Springs physical plant consists of architectural designs spanning four decades, from 1962 to 1998, including five major buildings with nearly 120,000 square feet of space.

Programs: Vocational Training, Educational Opportunities, and Treatment Services

WSCC provides a range of program opportunities, including literacy training, high school, adult basic education, vocational training, community college, addiction recovery (Therapeutic Community), street readiness programs, and a variety of socialization programs offered by the out-patient psychology division. WSCC also accommodates a variety of religious services through a very active chapel.

Like all of the prisons in Nevada, the high school and adult basic education programs at WSCC are operated by the local school district. The Carson City School District has assigned 5.5 academic teachers to provide instruction at WSCC. Vocational training includes culinary arts and computer science; both of which are operated under the auspices of the local school district. Enrollment in the Carson City School District educational programs averages 292 per month which is approximately 86% of our educational program capacity. Evening college classes are provided through the Western Nevada Community College, off-campus programs division. Eight classes are typically offered per semester. Enrollment in the community college program averages 15 inmates per class. Literacy training at WSCC is supervised by an Education Coordinator assigned to the Director’s Office, and is heavily reliant on inmate tutors and trainers. The average monthly enrollment in the literacy program is 26 inmates.

Prison Industries

Effective December 20, 2000, WSCC launched its first Prison Industry. A crew of twenty inmates recycle playing cards for a company which contracts with most Nevada gaming establishments. The work involves trimming the corners of decks with an industrial cutter (to denote that the decks may not be used again in a casino), sorting the cards to ensure each deck is complete, and packaging the cards for resale in gift shops and retail outlets.

Wild Horse Gentling Program

In October of 2000, the Wild Horse Gentling Program was launched at WSCC. This is a joint venture between the State Department of Agriculture and the Department of Corrections. Endangered horses removed from the Virginia Range in western Nevada are brought to a holding facility at the Stewart Conservation Camp (Prison Ranch). From there, they are transported to the gentling facility at WSCC where inmates, working under the guidance of a vocational instructor, practice “resistance free” training methods. Gentled horses are offered to the public during adoption days held at WSCC every two months. The program employs a professional horse trainer who is assigned as the vocational instructor for this program. When the program is operating at full capacity, there will be 24 inmates assigned to various positions. Proceeds from the adoptions will be used to offset the costs of managing the Virginia Range horses.

Comstock Wild Horse Training Program, November 2000