Does Nevada have chronic prison staffing shortages?

In September 2021, state correctional officers warned the Nevada Board of Health that the requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 would cause mass resignations, further exacerbating existing staffing shortages. As recently as July, Nevada's correctional officer vacancy rate was 32%.

The issue is not new. As an increasing number of inmates began receiving medical care outside of prisons, in 2017 the Nevada Legislature declined to approve additional medical transport positions — forcing officers to induce overtime — driving 18% of overtime expenses. In 2018, then-Governor Brian Sandoval declared that Nevada had a fiscal emergency after the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) was $15 million over budget, thanks to soaring overtime costs due to short staffing. According to the Chief Human Resources officer of the NDOC, Kimberly Smith, the staffing shortage is due to “pay, mandated overtime, and lack of merit increases, promotion and opportunity.”