My name is Yasmin Martinez. I am writing this today to raise my concern due to this Covid-19 pandemic. There’s many concerns about family members that are incarcerated. I understand everyone is taking their precautions to help stop the spread of this virus but there are other states releasing inmates due to the panic this virus has caused. Governor Sisolak ordered a stay at home and to minimize groups no larger than 6-10 people but have prisons full and over populated with each facility holding over 150 inmates. 

I’m writing this as a concern for my husband who is currently incarcerated at the Carlin Conservation Camp - As well as ALL inmates with the Department of Corrections of Nevada who’s health is at risk due to The Coronavirus. Nevada prisons are currently over populated and not enough staff as it is. If this pandemic was to get bigger than what it already is, not only would it affect more inmates than anything but as well as staff. Online articles state that NDOC is making sure on having facilities cleaned and only taking temperatures before entering facilities to begin their shift for work. With this virus going around it affects each person differently and a person (correctional officer in this case) goes home and can come back with it and have no symptoms as it is. Seems like NDOC is only worried about employees and not inmates. NDOC has not tested any inmates till this day, only employees and still fails to see that not all inmates are dangerous and not all inmates are violent. 

My husband has underlining conditions that if he was to be in contact with the virus it would affect him. Corona virus affects the respiratory and with my husband having severe asthma it could potentially affect him worse than your average person. He will finish his sentence August 28, 2021. Leaves him about less than a year and a half left and it scares me that he’s in a place with more than 150 people and with this situation going on he would be more prone to catching this virus and potentially kill him with his condition. He’s had his faults and understands why he is there but his charges are non violent and has been dealing with this case and charges since he was 17 years old. He’s not the only one either. There so many other inmates that have not been released and are approved to be on parole. There’s non-violent offenders who have health issues who deserve to be out with families. 

I’m asking if there’s something you can do to help families out with inmates incarcerated with underlying health conditions and have been good and almost done with their term to be released or put on home confinement. To keep inmates in prisons during a situation like this is cruel, injustice and unconstitutional! In my opinion they’re asking for a lawsuit in order to have this taken seriously. 

I raise my concern now more than ever because it’s a scary thought to know a virus like this that is not only affecting Nevada but the entire world and is reaching the prisons and they're not doing anything to protect the incarcerated. They are human and have families as well. 

Please I ask you look into this matter and give us and other families the opportunity to have them home. Thank you for your time. Please sign and share this to get these inmates out!!