Inside the Walls: NLJ’s Symposium Sheds Light on Prison Health Care Crisis

Written By Mike Weatherford 

The Nevada Law Journal’s symposium on prison health care had an almost “ripped from the headlines” quality — though it took place months before national debates about Medicaid cuts or news about private prisons. 

In February, the NLJ staff hosted Shadows of Confinement: Illuminating Public Health Struggles Behind Bars. Nearly every seat was filled in the 110-seat Thomas & Mack Moot Court Room for the first post-COVID in-person NLJ symposium at Boyd Law. 

One panel featured Nevada activists from the Fines and Fees Justice Center and the Return Strong organization, which even set up a replica solitary confinement cell. Their work complemented presentations from national scholars and keynote speaker Margo Schlanger, a University of Michigan Law School expert on civil rights and detention. 

“The unifying theme was awareness of health care issues behind bars,” said Justin Iverson, Research Librarian and Assistant Professor, who researches and writes in the area of prison reform.  “People without resources really struggle, but they struggle publicly. People in prison struggle more, and they’re less visible.” In prison, he adds, “You don’t get fillings if you have a cavity. You get a tooth pulled — and you pay for it.” 

Members of the state's prison system were able to hear from and interact with scholars, prison reform advocates, and formerly incarcerated people in attendance about pressing issues in the field. The aim of the symposium was to raise awareness of the prison experience and create a platform for both modest and robust solutions. Ultimately, collaboration and cooperation among interested parties is essential to improve prison conditions and better achieve the community's public safety goals.   

A full recap of the event is available on the Nevada Law Journal’s website, Issue 3 of Volume 25.