Prison investigation centers on confidential data leak

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Prison officials have put two employees on administrative leave as part of an investigation into a leak of confidential information.

Director of Corrections Howard Skolnik said the investigation centers on an unauthorized release of private information from the file of at least one inmate. He said state law provides that certain information about inmates is confidential to protect their privacy.

"Somebody printed a page from our internal information system which is not public information and sent that out," he said.

He said the data was apparently shared fairly widely with people not authorized to have access.

Skolnik said he knows nothing about a rumor that federal officials are investigating the misuse of prison computer equipment to hack into and sabotage a Website operated by inmate advocates.

He said he doubts computers inside the prison were used.

"I'm sure I would have heard about that and I have not been told that."

A supervisor at the Reno office of the FBI also denied there is such an investigation under way saying he, too, is certain he would know about it.

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