Sheriff seeks solution to jail vandalism by inmates

Inmates appear to have somehow damaged this thick plexiglass window in a hallway, apparently burning a small hole in it. Inmates won't admit to causing the damage, and officials are considering closing off the windows (which don't open) with bricks.

By Ben Holman

Nevada Herald

Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman says that inmates at the county jail are continually damaging windows in the cell area. He met with the county commissioners recently to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

Several years ago, windows were installed in the hallways outside the cells to allow natural light into the cells. "They were installed several years ago but I don't know exactly why," said Peckman.

The windows can not be reached from inside the cells but inmates are allowed out of the cells during visitation. There is a door at the end of the hallway through which an inmate and visitor can communicate but the inmate has access to the windows.

"They don't have anything better to do, so they just damage stuff," said Peckman. "The windows should've been installed higher where they can't mess with them," he said, but admitted that the inmates would probably still find a way to damage them even if they were placed higher.

When the jailer notices the damage, none of the inmates will admit to causing it. Damage to the windows doesn't always get noticed immediately after it occurs so it is difficult to determine who caused the damage.

Peckman went to the commission with a bid from Mason and Morris Masonry to block up the windows permanently -- the bid was $600.

Other options were suggested by the commissioners, such as installing bars or a grate over the window so that inmates can't tamper with it. They said they were unsure about whether or not they could just seal up the windows because they didn't know if they had been installed because of some legislation or court case involving constitutional rights of prisoners. "We have to look at the state statutes and also at court cases to see if there's anything that says these windows must be there," said David Darnold, presiding commissioner.

"I think that if they don't appreciate the windows then they should lose them," said Peckman. "If they keep damaging the windows and we keep having to fix them I'd rather get rid of that cost to the taxpayers."

The commissioners said that they would look into the legal issues surrounding the windows before making a final decision as to what to do.