LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's top office-holders are looking at ways to reduce crowding in the state prison system.
Officials from all three branches of state government met in Lincoln on Wednesday to hear from the Council of State Governments, a national group that works with states to develop policy.
Marc Pelka, a program director for the group, says Nebraska's prison crowding is driven by a combination of factors. Last year, 41 percent of the inmates admitted to a Nebraska prison were convicted of low-level felonies and misdemeanors. Most of those convictions were for non-violent crimes.
Pelka also says many sentences don't allow much time for post-release supervision, which leads some former prisoners to reoffend.
Nebraska's prisons were operating at 157 percent of their total design capacity as of September 30th.
© Associated Press
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Horton man arrested following weekend shooting
Hiawatha man facing sex, drug charges waives prelim hearing
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Falls City man sentenced to Federal Prison
Two arrested Thursday in Jackson Co on meth-related charges
Jackson Co traffic stop leads to arrest
Ground Broken for new Sac and Fox Trad'n Post
One held for past Atchison shooting
Inmate dies at Lansing Correctional Facility
Early Thursday storms leave damage, outages, locally
Jackson Co crash confirmed as fatality
MO grass fire battled Thursday
Mound City Mayor Duane Nauman remembered
Community Healthcare System hires new CEO
Brown Co Planning Commission established
Falls City School Board approves personnel moves and purchases
Valley Falls' future set for Wednesday eve discussion
LATEST STORIES
Jackson Co crash confirmed as fatality
90 mph+ downburst winds blamed for Thursday damage
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Rates to increase at Brown Co landfill
NOAA weather radio event set in Seneca
Falls City man sentenced to Federal Prison