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Friday, Apr. 11, 2025

Has Nevada’s prison population decreased by about a third since 2019?

Isabella Aldrete, The Nevada Independent
yes

Nevada’s incarcerated population has decreased by about a third since 2019, when the Nevada Legislature passed a sweeping criminal justice package aimed at saving money on correctional costs and reducing crimes.

The year following the bill’s passage, Nevada’s incarcerated population decreased by nearly a thousand, from 13,400 in June 2019 to about 12,200 individuals in June 2020, according to statistics from Nevada’s Department of Corrections. 

Since then, the population has steadily decreased. As of March 2025, about 10,800 people are incarcerated in Nevada.

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The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.

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