Private women's prison operator claims bad rap

Leaders of Corrections Corp. of America, the private prison operator that built and has run the state women's prison in North Las Vegas since 1997, complain the company has unfairly criticized for its treatment of inmates.

John Tighe, vice president of health services for Corrections Corporation of America, says the company has lost $1 million a year, mainly from supplying quality health and mental health services to the 464 inmates at the Southern Nevada Women's Correction Facility.

Tighe and CCA spokesman Steve Owens said they wanted to correct "inappropriate and misinformed allegations" against the company. They said the company deals humanely with the inmates and will continue to do so until Oct. 1, when the state takes over the prison.

Dr. Ted D'Amico, director of medical services for the state Department of Corrections, said the company focused on its profit margin and "the mental health and health care were not as good as we thought it should be."

But Tighe said that during the first quarter of this year CCA's medical department had an "extraordinarily high" total of 8,000 contacts with patient. That included visits with doctors, nurses and mental health technicians or picking up prescription drugs.

"What these facts reveal is that contrary to suggestions otherwise, inmates at SNWCF are not only receiving medical services - they are receiving a lot of medical services," said Tighe.

He suggested that the state, when an inmate became ill at a conservation camp or other institution, sent her to the North Las Vegas prison, jacking up the cost to Corrections Corp. of America.