LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Las Vegas Valley residents continue to raise concerns over an expansion of a “maximum-security facility” for inmates with mental illness.
The planned “Southern Nevada Forensic Facility” is “a maximum-security facility for mentally disordered criminal offenders,” according to the Governor’s Recommended Capital Improvement Program.
The new facility would cost $381 million and be on the site of the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS) campus at the corner of Charleston Boulevard and Jones Boulevard.
The Muri Stein Hospital is located on the campus and treats “forensic” patients: inmates who need mental health resources and cannot be placed in the general inmate population. FOX5 took a tour of the facility last year, and doctors explained how patients need critical mental health care and medicine to restore competency.
According to state officials with the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, there are currently 151 patients on the SNAMHS campus. The planned facility would accommodate 298 patients.
A joint online and in-person petition has garnered more than a thousand signatures from residents in the area, calling for a pause on the project. The petition also calls to halt construction of the planned Campus for Hope on dozens of acres at the site.
Residents testified in person and over the phone at the Joint Meeting of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means and Senate Committee on Finance, voicing concerns over approval of the project.
“Transparency has been lacking in this, even the name of this project: forensics facility. It’s a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane that has a criminal record,” said one concerned resident, urging lawmakers to scrutinize the impact on the community.
“Escapes from this facility are a very real concern and more than just a possibility. There has never been a prison that has not had an escape,” resident John Rando testified by phone.
Other neighbors called for traffic and congestion studies to scrutinize the impact of development in the area; others ask, has another alternative site been considered?
“If we don’t get answers on all of these things, I think we as a community will have no choice but to take legal action to stop this facility from moving forward,” said petition organizer Jim Root.
Budget documents break down the dire need for more facilities for “forensic” inmates across the state.
“Currently, about 130 individuals are waiting in Nevada and the average time is 2-3 months. The facilities providing this service, Lake’s Crossing and Stein Hospital, are at or beyond capacity… Currently, DPBH is being sanctioned daily through fines imposed by the 8th Judicial District Court for DPBH’s inability to meet its statutory obligation. Of even more concern, cases are being dismissed, causing individuals to be released without being tried through the judicial process,” according to the Capital Improvement Recommendations.
Construction is expected to begin August 2026 and open in August 2029, according to state officials.
A spokesperson emailed FOX5 the following statements about safety concerns, security protocols and the need for a facility expansion:
“The forensic hospital run by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) has operated on the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS) campus since 2015. Throughout that time, DPBH has worked hard to have good relationships with the community and will continue to do so.
DPBH will maintain high-quality services along with safety and security. The new forensic building will replace a building that is inadequate for the purpose and allow Nevada to meet the demand for this level of service.
The Southern Nevada Forensic Hospital is designed to be a locked, secure inpatient psychiatric hospital specifically built for the forensic population. It will offer therapeutic and clinical care for those involved in the justice system in a secure environment. In addition, DPBH employs specially trained peace officers to provide 24-hour security. The facility is specifically built for this purpose and DPBH takes the safety and security of the inpatient individuals and the community very seriously.”
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