Specialty Courts

Prison Reentry Court Overview

Court Judge

Honorable Connie Steinheimer
Department 4

Manager
Brooke Howard

Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Hearings
Tuesday: 4:30 p.m.

Court Description: The Prison Reentry Court in the Second Judicial District Court began as one of the nation's first two federally funded Prison Reentry Courts. The goal of the Court is to reduce the number of nonviolent defendants in prison by providing them with intensive supervision and treatment in an effort to break the cycle of crime associated with drug use.

The Court receives referrals from the Nevada Department of Corrections. While in prison, the inmate must work with their case manager on the application for referral to this Court program. To qualify, the defendant must demonstrate a willingness to: engage in employment; participate in vocational rehabilitation, or job skills training; meet any existing obligation for restitution to the victim of their crime and must be within 2 years of their release date from prison.

Prisoners are not eligible to participate, if they: committed a serious infraction in prison; failed to perform faithfully and in an orderly manner their prison assigned duties; have been convicted of a felony crime wherein they used force or violence against a victim; have been convicted of a sexual offense; or escaped or attempted to escape from a jail or detention facility.

Accessible Services and Support: The Prison Reentry Court values a holistic approach to help the participants pursue and stop the cycle of substance use, and criminal behavior. A multidisciplinary team consisting of a judge, defense and prosecution counsel, court officers, treatment providers, parole and probation officers, and drug testing staff work with defendant. The Court partners with local providers specializing in certain areas of expertise, such as, substance use counseling, case management, drug testing, and vocational and academic programs.

The mission of the Second Judicial District Court's Specialty Courts is to improve quality of life, reduce recidivism, and increase community safety and awareness by engaging the drug and alcohol abusing defendant, or the defendant with a mental health illness, in an intensive, court supervised, treatment program. A multidisciplinary team of a judge, defense and prosecution counsel, court officers, treatment providers, parole and probation officers, and drug testing staff work with the defendant.