Lawmakers balk at changes to women's prison design

Lawmakers objected Tuesday to eliminating a child reunion center from the proposed women's prison expansion.

Director of Corrections Glen Whorton said the change was made because he needs more regular cells to handle the booming female inmate population.

But Assembly members Chris Giunchigliani and Kathy McClain, both D-Las Vegas, and Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, said they don't want that program eliminated.

Whorton told them it wasn't a program, that no modeling or planning had been done to actually create the program allowing women inmates to reunite with their children while still incarcerated.

"Frankly, I'm unwilling to implement a program such as this inside an institution where we would have responsibility for child care without an extensive planning process," he said.

Giunchigliani said removing the program is a step backward.

Whorton said he has no choice, that the female inmate population has grown far faster than projected or budgeted for. He said he now has women prisoners housed in one wing of a male institution.

He said the previous administration under Jackie Crawford didn't plan for this much growth and the state could face possible legal action if more beds for women aren't available - and fast.

McClain objected to his comments about Crawford's tenure as director of corrections.

"I take great exception when you say your predecessor did not plan for this," she said describing Crawford's idea for a child reunion center as "brilliant."

She charged that with him in charge, "we're back in a man's world running a women's prison."

Whorton said the project may be a good idea, but that he won't know until they take a hard look at it.

He said it makes no difference to him if they want to keep the center, but that there may be an increased cost to the project - $38 million to add 400 beds to the women's prison in North Las Vegas - as well as the cost of developing and running that program.

"If you want to accept the cost, I'll accept the program," he said.

Interim Public Works Board Manager Gus Nuñez said, in any event, he needed an answer now so design can proceed; other wise the prison construction can't start next spring and get Whorton the beds he needs.

Giunchigliani moved the committee accept the changes Whorton proposed - including a larger infirmary and expanded storage - but keep the reunion center in the plans.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, objected saying they are approving expansion of a project without knowing how much it will cost. And Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, pointed out there are numerous other high priorities eating up the limited amount of state funding.

But the committee approved the compromise plan which will effectively allow the 2007 Legislature to decide whether to add funding to the project or change it.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.