The Nevada Independent

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The Nevada Independent

Criminal Justice

Can the high-profile reentry program Hope for Prisoners survive its founder's fall from grace?

In the wake of Jon Ponder's arrest on sexual assault charges, program graduates and reform advocates consider where the organization goes from here.

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Nevada is supposed to compensate crime victims. Hundreds are waiting to get paid.

There are dozens of people who have been waiting for months to receive funds through the state's Victim Compensation Program, according to interviews with victims and advocates. The program, which is partially funded through federal dollars, is supposed to provide financial assistance to victims of violent crimes, helping them with everything from recouping medical expenses to lost wages. 

Guards walk inside High Desert State Prison as seen on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

Nevada prisons blame overdoses on the mail. Skeptics question the state's research.

To curb drug use, the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) is proposing restricting physical mail from entering facilities and replacing it with electronic copies — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from criminal justice advocates who see physical mail as a morale-boosting connection between inmates and the outside world.