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Criminal Justice

Syringes, used to inject Naloxone to treat an overdose in an emergency situation, on Nov. 17 2023, at a Northern Nevada Harm Reduction Alliance board memberís home in Reno.

Overdoses are skyrocketing in Nevada prisons and driving overtime, director says

In just a few years, overdoses in Nevada prisons have increased nearly tenfold, according to prisons director James Dzurenda. In 2021, the department only had 12 overdoses. In 2025, that number catapulted to 127 overdoses to date out of the system’s nearly 11,000 total inmates.

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Las Vegas Marshals Chris Fry and Joe Rauchfuss.
The back of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Baltimore Field Officer director Matt Elliston. His uniform reads "Police ICE."

Vegas man’s immigration arrest, caught on video, stirs questions about ICE transparency

The family — as well as some legal experts — contend that Lopez Gomez’s case highlights ICE’s lack of transparency on detainee whereabouts and their safety. Although many aspects about his case are not atypical — such as the manner of his arrest — the rare video footage and his daughter’s testimony shed light on what conditions can be like for ICE detainees in an increasingly tense political landscape.

James Dzurenda, director of the Nevada Department of Corrections, inside the Legislature in Carson City.

Audit: Lax oversight of overtime at Nevada prisons costs state $18M annually

The audit suggested increased enforcement of payroll practices, including training new administrators to oversee payroll practices, as well as bolstering recruitment and retention efforts. The agency said it will work to adopt the recommendations, but similar suggestions from prior studies were never implemented.

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