High Desert State Prison, Nevada
Encyclopedia
High Desert State Prison is a state prison
in unincorporated
Clark County, Nevada
, near Indian Springs
. It is the largest institution of the Nevada Department of Corrections
and the newest having opened on September 1, 2000.
along highway 95. It was designed as the most secure prison within the Nevada Department of Corrections system. High Desert State Prison contains 12 housing units designed to house 336 inmates each. Each of units 1-8 are separated into four (4) sections called "pods". Each set of two "pods" shares a common control center and staff office. Each set of two pods also shares a sally port
and an activity room. There is also a 26,000 square foot (2,400 m2) infirmary at the institution. All of this is on a 160 acres (64.7 ha) site which is kept secure by a lethal electrified fence and seven armed towers, as well as a roving perimeter patrol officer. Construction completed in 2009 added 1,344 beds to the original 2671 for a total capacity of 4,176.
The Tonopah Conservation Camp is associated with the prison. The Clark County School District
provides the education program on site using 8 classrooms and 2 libraries.
in Pershing County
.
Ronald Joseph Radke, former lead singer for Post-hardcore
band Escape the Fate
and current lead singer of Falling in Reverse
was held there from August 2008 to December 2010.
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Clark County, Nevada
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, near Indian Springs
Indian Springs, Nevada
Indian Springs is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 1,302 at the 2000 census.-History:Indian Springs is named for the artesian spring that provides the area with water...
. It is the largest institution of the Nevada Department of Corrections
Nevada Department of Corrections
The Nevada Department of Corrections is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Nevada. The NDOC headquarters is located in Building 17 in the Stewart Facility in Carson City.-History:...
and the newest having opened on September 1, 2000.
Facilities
The 1576000 ft2 complex lies approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) northwest of Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
along highway 95. It was designed as the most secure prison within the Nevada Department of Corrections system. High Desert State Prison contains 12 housing units designed to house 336 inmates each. Each of units 1-8 are separated into four (4) sections called "pods". Each set of two "pods" shares a common control center and staff office. Each set of two pods also shares a sally port
Sally port
The primary modern meaning for sally port is a secure, controlled entryway, as at a fortification or a prison. The entrance is usually protected in some way, such as with a fixed wall blocking the door which must be circumvented before entering, but which prevents direct enemy fire from a distance...
and an activity room. There is also a 26,000 square foot (2,400 m2) infirmary at the institution. All of this is on a 160 acres (64.7 ha) site which is kept secure by a lethal electrified fence and seven armed towers, as well as a roving perimeter patrol officer. Construction completed in 2009 added 1,344 beds to the original 2671 for a total capacity of 4,176.
The Tonopah Conservation Camp is associated with the prison. The Clark County School District
Clark County School District
The Clark County School District, , is the 5th largest school district in the United States. It serves all of Clark County, Nevada, including the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, and Mesquite; plus the census-designated places of Laughlin, Blue Diamond, Logandale,...
provides the education program on site using 8 classrooms and 2 libraries.
History
The institution opened on 1 September 2000 and became the reception unit for southern Nevada. This facility was designed to be the first of several prisons to be built at this location. The facility presented many design challenges such as electrical backup and water supply, plus staff retention due to the remote location. The closest populated area to the prison is Indian Springs, 8 miles (12.9 km) north of the prison. To date, there have been two expansions. The first expansion, completed in 2004, added a 60000 ft2 prison industries building and a gymnasium. The second expansion added four more housing units. High Desert is one of the largest prisons in the United States. High Desert State Prison is a Medium security prison. High Desert is structurally the most secure prison in the Nevada Department of Corrections.Selected residents
Following his conviction in December 2008 former Buffalo Bills Running Back O.J. Simpson was briefly a resident of High Desert State Prison. He has since been transferred to the Lovelock Correctional CenterLovelock Correctional Center
Lovelock Correctional Center is a Nevada Department of Corrections prison in unincorporated Pershing County, Nevada, near Lovelock.-History:Lovelock is located in Pershing County and is the seventh major institution of the Nevada Department of Corrections. It was constructed and opened in two...
in Pershing County
Pershing County, Nevada
Pershing County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 6,693. Its county seat is Lovelock. The county was named after army general John J. Pershing . It was formed from Humboldt County in 1919, and the last county to be established in...
.
Ronald Joseph Radke, former lead singer for Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is an American post-hardcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed in 2005 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They have released three EPs and three full-length studio albums. Dying Is Your Latest Fashion was the band's debut album and only album to feature vocalist Ronnie Radke...
and current lead singer of Falling in Reverse
Falling in Reverse
Falling in Reverse is an American post-hardcore band signed to Epitaph Records. They released their debut album, The Drug in Me Is You, on July 26, 2011, which peaked at number 19 one the Billboard 200, selling 18,000 copies in its first week of sales. "Raised by Wolves", "The Drug in Me Is You",...
was held there from August 2008 to December 2010.