Inmate placement bill bracketed

Senators bracketed a bill on general file Jan. 24 that would transfer authority to place inmates in a Nebraska rehabilitation facility.

LB313, introduced by Imperial Sen. Mark Christensen, would allow only the director of Correctional Services to assign inmates to the Work Ethic Camp in McCook. Currently, the director, courts and the Nebraska Board of Parole place prisoners at the camp.

Christensen said the purpose of the bill is to address prison overcrowding by giving the state Department of Correctional Services the ability to ensure the “most appropriate” inmates are placed at the work camp and that the facility is “utilized to its fullest extent.”

Currently, Christensen said, the courts are not sending enough inmates to fill the 12-15 spaces being reserved for them at the camp. Additionally, courts occasionally have sent minors to the camp, which, he said, is a violation of federal guidelines.

Omaha Sen. Bob Krist filed a motion to bracket the bill. He said elements of LB313 should be considered as part of the Legislature’s upcoming discussion about prison reform this session.

LB313 was bracketed until March 4, 2014 on a 34-0 vote.