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Families and advocates tell prison board of widespread medical neglect and poor food after transfers
Summary
Multiple family members and advocacy groups told the Board of State Prison Commissioners that recent mass transfers and ongoing staffing problems have left incarcerated people without timely medications, specialist care, adequate nutrition and sanitary conditions, and asked the board to intervene.
Dozens of family members and advocates told the Board of State Prison Commissioners during two public‑comment periods on Dec. 19 that Nevada prisons are failing to provide adequate medical care, sanitary living conditions and sufficient food following a series of mass inmate transfers.
Lori Beecher Valenzuela, an activist with Return Strong, read a letter alleging that medical requests often go unanswered and that incarcerated people “are being served food that is labeled not fit for human consumption,” a phrase repeated by other speakers who described vermin, contaminated cells and missing hot water.
Several family members described specific medical incidents. Laurie Bridal said her nephew at Southern Desert Correctional Center missed insulin doses and went weeks without blood‑pressure medication, and said a recommended CT scan could take months to schedule. Christine Essex, identifying herself as legal guardian for her son, said he went five days without seizure medication at High Desert and urged the board to consider release to guardianship or other custody changes to secure care.
Return Strong board member Nicole Williams told the board the organization had collected 1,134 letters reporting “filthy” cells, limited yard access and routine delays or denials of medical and mental‑health care across High Desert, Ely and other facilities. Speakers cited missing property and trust‑account funds after transfers and contrasted care at out‑of‑state facilities with worse conditions reported in Nevada.
Advocates linked many problems to the mass transfer between High Desert and Ely State Prison. Kale Casorso relayed a letter alleging denied meals, use of force and malfunctioning cameras, and referenced a Nov. 7 homicide at High Desert. Jody Hocking, director of Richard Strong, said some people improved after out‑of‑state moves while others remained in conditions she compared to solitary confinement despite recent legislative limits on that practice.
Board members did not take immediate action on individual cases during public comment. Attorney General Ford and Director James Zarenda later addressed system‑level fixes, including kitchen equipment replacements and policy changes described elsewhere on the agenda. Several speakers asked that the newly created ombudsman office (AB 452) be made accessible and visible to families; Tanya Brown said the ombudsman had not appeared on NDOC’s website and she continued to rely on the inspector general for urgent matters.
The board did not vote on any case‑specific remedies in the public‑comment period; next procedural steps identified on the record included departmental follow‑ups and an offer to accept written submissions for consideration.
