LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – In the final meeting of the year, Nevada government and prison officials got an earful about current conditions behind bars.
FOX5 is learning more about what was said from activists, and family members of loved ones on the inside at the meeting on Thursday.
Family members of prisoners want prisoners to have better access to medical care, healthier food options and more time outside.
One even says the recent prisoner swap between Ely and High Desert is to blame. They also described inhumane conditions on the inside.
Hearing all of this is the state’s top leaders.
The department of corrections is governed by the Board of State Prison commissioners which is made up of the attorney general, the secretary of state, and former sheriff, Governor Joe Lombardo.
NDOC’s director was also there.
They heard from an activist from Return Strong Nevada – a group dedicated to fighting for transparency and accountability from NDOC. “We as a society must ask ourselves, why should someone enter prison and leave as a broken individual sick, malnourished and further damaged because of the lack of medical care and nutritious food? This is not justice or rehabilitation. It is cruel. The lives of all incarcerated individual’s matter.”
A representative for the chief medical officer at that meeting says food inspections were recently done at 6 state prisons.
14 dietary and sanitation critical violations were found. 2 more violations than last year.
NDOC’s director did not comment after hearing that report.
We asked for a comment late Friday and will update this story when we hear back.
Attorney General Aaron Ford went on the record saying something needs to be done to give the prisoners healthier options.
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