There seem to be a lot of inmate deaths in Nevada but it may just be from the news reporting each one. I think there are 14,000 prisoners in NV so it would be helpful to know how many die each year and how many are from old age. Then you would need the same stat for every other state in the US to see if there is even an issue here. Perhaps NV is the best. Without a comparison people are just speculating.
Classifying a 24 year old’s death classes as natural obviously demonstrates we cannot use the stats presented by corrections and the coroner. We need more granularity. how many drug overdoses, beatings, fights, disease etc. deaths. Saying the prisoner died from a natural lack of oxygen does not cut it when it is 8 days after guards took aggressive action
In fairness, what is known about his physical condition, health?
Drug related, obstructive causes, anemia or impair oxygen transport, respiratory failure, lung disease, cardiac causes, obesity?
“In addition to the 98 deaths attributed to natural causes in the last two and a half years, 25 deaths were ruled an accident, 18 were determined to be a homicide, 13 were deemed a suicide, and 12 cases are still pending.
Accidental deaths are determined to be the cause when the deaths are neither a result of homicide, natural causes, or suicide, said Donald Southward, the chief of offender management with NDOC, adding examples could be “accidential overdose” or taking the wrong medication. “
The US death rate is about 9 per 1000. If there are 14,000 inmates, 126 deaths per year would be expected if the population demographics were similar to the US overall. If the numbers are correct (166 deaths) and it is actually over 2.5 years, NV corrections seems to have a lower mortality rate than being an average american. The mortality rate should be far higher since the US has 0-18 year olds that lower average and the prisons do not.
The mortality rate should be far lower in prisons than the general population.
First, you’re not looking at age-adjusted numbers. the 9/1000 rate includes infants and old people. When you look at the 20-55 age range, it’s between 1-5 per 1000.
Second, these aren’t just regular people, they’re under the control of the state. A criminal incarceration should not be a death sentence.
If CCSD had a student death rate of 9/1000, there would be riots on the streets (and I would be there). There’s almost 300k students in CCSD, so that would be what, 270 deaths per year? In what world would that be anywhere close to acceptable?
What does CCSD have to do with the point you are trying to make. The mortality rate in 6-18 year olds is nearly ZERO.
Math should be a required course to pass the bar.
The population of the US includes a huge group (over 25%) that has a near zero mortality rate included in the 9 per 1000. Thus, you would expect the NDOC mortality rate to be far higher, not lower.
Additionally, given the numbers in the article, it looks like the mortaility rate in NDOC is only 166 divided by 2.5 years = 66 per year over 14-18000 inmate population. That gives you under 4 per 1000 mortality rate.
Therefore, we should be researching how they accomplish such a LOW mortality rate since it is half of what the entire population experiences.
Former prosecutor and defense attorney here. Jail and prisons are not safe places. Neither are hospitals–how many die from infections and botched medical treatment. So many inmates at Rikers Island in New York commit suicide because conditions are so awful. Prisons are terrible places. You would think it would be a deterrent from criminal behavior to go to jail or prison. But it is all relative. Prisons are safer here than in California by comparison or
New York. Every so often you hear about riots at prisons over awful conditions.
The mean age in NDOC is 40. Kind of impossible to get a range of 20-55 unless you argue that the distribution is skewed toward 55 and everyone dies at 55 in prison.
You should likely delete the CCSD part of your post as it is not cogent in any world outside of strawman debating class.
Maybe we have the answer why the northern office needed to be purged? 3 years and they have done nothing with the case with how few cases the office was actively pursuing?
Or a RICO murder. The MS-13 murder case was in federal court here. Actually, any murder involving a firearm could be tried in federal court as firearms always are transported across state lines (no firearms are manufactured in Nevada)
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
August 5, 2026
The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) reports that on August 4, 2026,
Offender Derick Butler, 1292015, was pronounced dead at Centennial Hills
Hospital in Las Vegas. Butler, 38, was serving a sentence of 24 to 60 months at
High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs for ex- felon in possession of a firearm.
He came to NDOC on December 20, 2024, from Clark County. An autopsy was
requested per NRS 209.3815. Next-of-kin was notified.
There seem to be a lot of inmate deaths in Nevada but it may just be from the news reporting each one. I think there are 14,000 prisoners in NV so it would be helpful to know how many die each year and how many are from old age. Then you would need the same stat for every other state in the US to see if there is even an issue here. Perhaps NV is the best. Without a comparison people are just speculating.
Classifying a 24 year old’s death classes as natural obviously demonstrates we cannot use the stats presented by corrections and the coroner. We need more granularity. how many drug overdoses, beatings, fights, disease etc. deaths. Saying the prisoner died from a natural lack of oxygen does not cut it when it is 8 days after guards took aggressive action
In fairness, what is known about his physical condition, health?
Drug related, obstructive causes, anemia or impair oxygen transport, respiratory failure, lung disease, cardiac causes, obesity?
“In addition to the 98 deaths attributed to natural causes in the last two and a half years, 25 deaths were ruled an accident, 18 were determined to be a homicide, 13 were deemed a suicide, and 12 cases are still pending.
Accidental deaths are determined to be the cause when the deaths are neither a result of homicide, natural causes, or suicide, said Donald Southward, the chief of offender management with NDOC, adding examples could be “accidential overdose” or taking the wrong medication. “
The US death rate is about 9 per 1000. If there are 14,000 inmates, 126 deaths per year would be expected if the population demographics were similar to the US overall. If the numbers are correct (166 deaths) and it is actually over 2.5 years, NV corrections seems to have a lower mortality rate than being an average american. The mortality rate should be far higher since the US has 0-18 year olds that lower average and the prisons do not.
The mortality rate should be far lower in prisons than the general population.
First, you’re not looking at age-adjusted numbers. the 9/1000 rate includes infants and old people. When you look at the 20-55 age range, it’s between 1-5 per 1000.
Second, these aren’t just regular people, they’re under the control of the state. A criminal incarceration should not be a death sentence.
If CCSD had a student death rate of 9/1000, there would be riots on the streets (and I would be there). There’s almost 300k students in CCSD, so that would be what, 270 deaths per year? In what world would that be anywhere close to acceptable?
What does CCSD have to do with the point you are trying to make. The mortality rate in 6-18 year olds is nearly ZERO.
Math should be a required course to pass the bar.
The population of the US includes a huge group (over 25%) that has a near zero mortality rate included in the 9 per 1000. Thus, you would expect the NDOC mortality rate to be far higher, not lower.
Additionally, given the numbers in the article, it looks like the mortaility rate in NDOC is only 166 divided by 2.5 years = 66 per year over 14-18000 inmate population. That gives you under 4 per 1000 mortality rate.
Therefore, we should be researching how they accomplish such a LOW mortality rate since it is half of what the entire population experiences.
Former prosecutor and defense attorney here. Jail and prisons are not safe places. Neither are hospitals–how many die from infections and botched medical treatment. So many inmates at Rikers Island in New York commit suicide because conditions are so awful. Prisons are terrible places. You would think it would be a deterrent from criminal behavior to go to jail or prison. But it is all relative. Prisons are safer here than in California by comparison or
New York. Every so often you hear about riots at prisons over awful conditions.
The mean age in NDOC is 40. Kind of impossible to get a range of 20-55 unless you argue that the distribution is skewed toward 55 and everyone dies at 55 in prison.
You should likely delete the CCSD part of your post as it is not cogent in any world outside of strawman debating class.
How about the student that was killed on his way to school–beaten to death by students by a gang. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/father-of-las-vegas-student-beaten-to-death-is-suing-the-clark-county-school-district/
The DOJ can investigate and…oh wait, never mind.
Maybe NIH should investigate since the being in prison in NV seems to have a lower mortality rate than being free and in society.
Magistrate Craig Denney tells DOJ/Office of US Attorney to get its act together.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DbpH7GCkhTW/
Maybe we have the answer why the northern office needed to be purged? 3 years and they have done nothing with the case with how few cases the office was actively pursuing?
What is a murder case doing in federal court?
That is where murders that occur in “indian country” are tried?
indian country or on federal land.
Or murder of a federal officer, or murder in a drug deal, or hate-crime murder…
Or a RICO murder. The MS-13 murder case was in federal court here. Actually, any murder involving a firearm could be tried in federal court as firearms always are transported across state lines (no firearms are manufactured in Nevada)
STATE OF NEVADA
Department of Corrections
Acting PIO W.C. “Bill” Quenga: wquenga@doc.nv.gov
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
August 5, 2026
The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) reports that on August 4, 2026,
Offender Derick Butler, 1292015, was pronounced dead at Centennial Hills
Hospital in Las Vegas. Butler, 38, was serving a sentence of 24 to 60 months at
High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs for ex- felon in possession of a firearm.
He came to NDOC on December 20, 2024, from Clark County. An autopsy was
requested per NRS 209.3815. Next-of-kin was notified.
Bill retired, I wonder if he’s back on contract or they’re not changing the letterhead?
“Acting PIO”