The Nevada State Prison System

The Nevada State Prison System comprises prisons, jails, treatment centers, immigration detention, transitional housing, juvenile facilities, conservation camps, and other facilities, all managed by the Department of Corrections (DOC) and local government agencies. The DOC maintains law and order and protects society by ensuring the safe incarceration of offenders or convicts. While preparing incarcerated persons to re-enter society, the DOC also ensures that incarcerated persons live in good conditions. The DOC’s rehabilitation programs comprise education, substance abuse treatment, vocational training, and mental health.

The DOC oversees about 22 facilities in the state, housing more than 13,000 inmates.

What is the Difference Between Jail and Prison in Nevada?

Jails and prisons hold persons accused of crimes or violations of the state code; however, jails and prisons serve different purposes in Nevada. Prisons are larger facilities, as prisons hold persons serving longer sentences. For example, persons convicted of felony crimes serve the applicable incarceration sentence in state prisons. In Nevada, as provided by NRS 193.130, the minimum imprisonment term for felony crimes is one (1) year. Jails, on the other hand, are usually small. Compared to prisons, jails hold a smaller number of persons. Persons awaiting trial and persons held for short terms serve time in jails. Offenders charged with misdemeanor offenses serve time in jails; as provided by NRS 193.140 and NRS 193.150, the penalty for gross misdemeanors and other misdemeanor offenses do not exceed 364 days.

Local government entities such as county sheriff offices and police departments manage jails, while state government agencies like the Nevada Department of Corrections manage prisons. Additionally, Nevada prisons are in remote areas, while jails are closer to courthouses. This is because jails house persons awaiting trial or who are in pre-trial, and such persons may need to be closer to the courts.

How Many Prisons are in Nevada?

There are seven (7) correctional facilities and ten (10) conservation camps in Nevada:

Carlin Conservation Camp

Ely Conservation Camp

Ely State Prison

Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center

Humboldt Conservation Camp

High Desert State Prison

Jean Conservation Camp

Lovelock Correctional Center

Northern Nevada Correctional Center

Pioche Conservation Camp

Stewart Conservation Camp

Southern Desert Correctional Center

Tonopah Conservation Camp

Three Lakes Valley Boot Camp

Three Lakes Valley Conservation Camp

Wells Conservation Camp

Warm Springs Correctional Center

How do I search for an Inmate in a Nevada State Prison?

As in many states, the Nevada Department of Corrections offers an Inmate Search website where interested parties may search for Nevada inmates. Users may search the website using simple criteria such as:

• Offender ID
• First name
• Last name

Interested parties may also download offender booking, alias, demographic, release, and parole data from the website. Additionally, interested parties may contact the administrative staff in the facility that holds the particular inmate to obtain inmate location information. Requesting parties may also obtain inmate information by contacting the Family and Community Services Unit of the Department of Corrections at:

ATTN: Family & Community Services
Nevada Department of Corrections
P. O. Box 7011
Carson City, Nevada 89702
info@doc.nv.gov
(775) 977–5707
(775) 977–5721

Are Incarceration Records Public in Nevada?

As provided by Nevada Public Records Law, incarceration records and criminal history records are public. The public records law states that upon request, records generated and maintained by government agencies, including the Department of Corrections, must be open to public inspection and copying. However, some information, such as social security numbers, may be confidential. The Records Bureau of the Nevada Department of Public Safety maintains criminal history records, and interested parties may obtain criminal history reports by submitting completed forms for requests and for inspection. The Records Bureau may charge fees to make copies of the requested records.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How to Look Up Jail Records in Nevada?

Nevada jail records contain information about persons incarcerated in jails in the state. Typically, jail records contain the inmate’s personal identifying information, such as name, age, race, and gender. Jail records also contain the inmate’s criminal history, including the inmate’s current offense, sentence length, and probable release date. Persons seeking jail records in Nevada must contact local agencies such as counties and police departments to obtain jail records. County Sheriffs and jail administrators manage jails in Nevada. Consequently, interested persons must contact the administrator or Sheriff in the county where the inmate is held to obtain jail records.

Requesting parties may contact the appropriate agency in person, by mail, or by telephone; however, counties like Clark County provide jail inmate search tools, which requesting parties may use to find jail records online. Requesting parties may search using the:

• Inmate ID
• JC case number
• Inmate’s name

Can Jail Records be Expunged in Nevada?

Nevada state laws do not allow expungement; however, it is possible to seal jail and criminal history records in the state. While a sealing does not destroy jail records, the court removes sealed records from public view and restricts access to the records. Nevada laws allow for the sealing of conviction and non-conviction records provided that the record subjects meet laid-out criteria.

If the court dismisses charges against an accused person, acquits the accused, or declines to prosecute, such a person may petition the court for a sealing eight (8) years after the arrest or at any time after the statute of limitations runs out.

For conviction records, record holders may petition the court to seal the record of eligible offenses if:

• The court set aside the conviction.
• The offender completed probation.
• The offender completed an alcohol treatment program after the court set aside the offender’s conviction.
• The offender completed a re-entry program.
• The offender was convicted of a minor drug offense.

The waiting period for sealing records in Nevada ranges from one (1) to six (6) years, depending on the nature of the offense. Persons convicted of misdemeanors must wait one (1) year after completing sentence requirements before filing for sealing, while persons convicted of gross misdemeanors, harassment, stalking, misdemeanor battery must wait two (2) years after completing sentence requirements, including probation or parole.

To file a sealing motion with the court, interested parties must contact the relevant court for required filing information.