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Intensive Supervision Programs (ISU)
The Nevada Department of Public Safety, Division of Parole and Probation,
has established the Intensive Supervision Unit to provide an enhanced level
of supervision for certain offenders. The primary goal of supervision for
offenders is total compliance with the terms and conditions of their parole
or probation and insuring public safety. These offenders may be ordered into
the Intensive Supervision Unit by the courts or Parole Board, but my also be
assigned by the Division through an assessment process. Some factors that
determine an offender's placement into the unit my include:
- Crimes of Violence
- Crimes involving drug trafficking or sales of controlled substance
- Criminal activity of a sophisticated nature
- Active gang affiliation
- Sustained or chronic substance abuse history
- History of mental illness
Once a probationer or parolee has been assigned to the Intensive Supervision
Unit they are subjected to increased community contact from their assigned
officer, frequent drug testing, searches, surveillance, and a lower tolerance
for noncompliant behavior. Officers in the Intensive Supervision Unit maintain
smaller caseloads in order to provide closer community supervision.
The Intensive Supervision Unit has two specialized sub-units that monitor
offenders, which require specialized tactics and close scrutiny. The first
specialized unit consists of offenders that are confirmed gang members or
are known to actively participate in gang activity. The Gang Unit officers
receive additional training to aid them in identifying gang affiliation, and
work closely with other law enforcement agencies in gang suppression efforts.
While under the supervision of the Division, offenders are not permitted to
associate with other gang members. However, active gang members will commonly
use colors, tattoos, logos, or hand signs to announce their membership with a
gang. Any violation that demonstrates continued gang membership may lead to an
offender's arrest.
It is hopeful that applying Intensive Supervision techniques to gang members
that it will deter offenders from future criminal activities. However, should
offenders continue their gang affiliation, incarceration is a likely consequence.
The second specialized intensive supervision program is the House Arrest Unit.
Offenders that are ordered by the courts or Parole Board to remain electronically
monitored during a term of their probation or parole will be assigned to this
unit. This authority is established through Nevada Revised Statute 176A.440 and
uses an electronic device that is attached to the offender's ankle. House arrest
officers enforce curfews in which the offender is not permitted to leave their home.
Most participants in the House Arrest Unit are required to work and are allowed a
reasonable period of time outside of their home for work. When not working or attending
counseling, offenders are incarcerated within the confines of their residence. Any
violation is reported electronically to on-call staff who will respond as needed.
Nevada Revised Statute 209.429 provides for inmates convicted
of DUI to serve a portion
of their incarceration under the division's house arrest program. Through the
offenders are serving their prison sentence in the community, they retain their
inmate status throughout their period of supervision. As a result, a zero tolerance
policy is instituted with these offenders.
Inmates that are convicted of nonviolent crimes are also eligible to serve a
portions of their incarceration under the house arrest program if they meet
certain eligibility requirements pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute
209.392. A
zero tolerance policy is also applied to offenders within this program due to their
inmate status.
Nevada Revised Statute 209.3925 allows for a compassionate
release of inmates who have become physically incapacitated to such a degree
that he or she is not a current or future threat to public safety or if they are
in poor health and expected to die within 12 months.
The last inmate program was established to assist offenders with drug problems and who
have been accepted in a Drug Court Program. An inmate, qualifying under Nevada Revised
Statute 209.4886. This is the only inmate program where
inmates may not be placed on electronic monitoring.
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