Nevada’s Little-Known Prison Program Offers Skills, Savings
CARSON CITY, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Most Nevadans are unaware of Silver State Industries, a state-run program that quietly trains inmates for real-world jobs while simultaneously reducing costs for taxpayers. The program deliberately avoids public advertising and direct competition with private businesses.
Silver State Industries operates within several Nevada correctional facilities, including the Northern Nevada Correctional Center (NNCC) in Carson City. The program is entirely self-funded, focusing on providing inmates with marketable skills ranging from welding and woodworking to auto body repair, garment production, and metal fabrication.
“We’re not on the general fund,” explained Bill Quenga, who oversees prison industries at NNCC. “Idle hands in a prison are dangerous. The focus isn’t the money, it’s about providing offenders with a skill so they can successfully re-enter society.”
A Program Hidden in Plain Sight
Dating back to the 1970s, Silver State Industries began as a single mattress factory and has since expanded statewide. A significant portion of the goods produced within these facilities are supplied directly to the State of Nevada, including custom cabinets, desks, cubicles, chair kits, and kiosk frames, resulting in cost savings for government agencies. However, the public also has the opportunity to order custom items, such as desks, furniture reupholstery services, and vehicle repairs performed by inmate mechanics.
Currently, approximately 90 inmates participate in the program at NNCC, with a statewide total nearing 480. Participation is voluntary but highly competitive, requiring applicants to undergo an interview and classification review to be accepted into the shops.
“We try to mimic the private sector as much as we can,” Quenga said. “They apply, they interview, and they’re evaluated. Safety is critical. We have dangerous tools back here, from plasma cutters to forklifts.”
‘Making the Time Work for Me’
For inmates like Josh Newport, the program has been transformative. “This is my fifth term,” Newport said. “This time, I decided to make the time work for me instead of just doing the time.”
While incarcerated, Newport earned a college degree in welding technology and now serves as the lead in the metal shop, overseeing projects and certifying other inmates’ welds. “This isn’t just a job,” he said. “It’s a career move. I already have job offers for when I get out.”
Newport attributes his change in direction to personal loss. “I lost too much this time — my parents passed away, my kids got older, I’ve got grandkids I haven’t met,” he said. “Life’s moving forward without me.”
Skills and Structure for a Second Chance
While not every trade learned within the prison system directly translates to outside employment, administrators emphasize the value of the routine and accountability the program instills.
“They learn how to get up in the morning, go to work, and follow a routine,” Quenga explained. “They may not take carpentry directly outside, but they take discipline, management skills, and work habits that apply anywhere.”
Jesus Benitez, another inmate participant, echoed this sentiment, stating that the diverse range of experience he gained inside prison has opened up opportunities he never previously considered. “All these skills are tools for your tool belt,” he said. “No matter what you decide to do, you have more options.”
Benitez earned an associate’s degree in welding while incarcerated and also gained experience in administrative roles and auto body repair. “I didn’t have any marketable skills before I came here,” he said. “Now I do.”
Pay, Costs, and Considerations
Inmates participating in the program earn between one and three dollars an hour for traditional work. Certified trades, such as welding, may command higher wages under federal guidelines.
Prison officials acknowledge the low wages but explain that the program operates under a different economic model, as inmates do not incur costs for food, housing, clothing, or medical care while incarcerated. They also stated that paying minimum wage would likely render the program financially unsustainable.
Silver State Industries is legally prohibited from advertising and from displacing private businesses. Instead, it collaborates with local companies to manage overflow work and, in some instances, facilitate job placement for inmates upon their release.
Long-Term Impact
Supporters believe the program’s true value lies in its long-term impact on inmates after their release. “Providing skills changes their mindset,” Quenga said. “When they come back to the community, they can be productive.”
Products from Silver State Industries are available to government agencies and the public through the Nevada Department of Corrections website. To order items, contact Teri Vance at tvance@doc.nv.gov.
For the inmates involved, the program offers more than just a paycheck; it provides a pathway toward a more promising future.
