Jail Standards Board and Community Corrections Council could be eliminated

The Judiciary Committee heard testimony Jan. 27 on provisions in the governor’s proposed budget to cut costs related to jails and corrections.

LB390, introduced by Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford at the request of Gov. Dave Heineman, would:
• eliminate the Jail Standards Board and replace it with a manual of recommended guidelines published by the Crime Commission, providing an annual savings of nearly $300,000;
• eliminate the Community Corrections Council and replace it with a Community Corrections Division of the Crime Commission, providing an annual savings of nearly $30,000;
• restructure certain personnel in the Crime Commission; and
• eliminate the responsibility of the Crime Commission to annually produce a homicide study.

“These are challenging times that require policy makers to make difficult decisions,” Heineman said in a letter to the committee.

As read by Ashford, Heineman wrote that the recommendation did not come “lightly” and that he recognizes the benefit that the Jail Standards Board and Crime Commission provided to local jails.

Most of the testimony centered on the elimination of the Jail Standards Board. The current role of the board is to develop standards for local jails and to inspect them for compliance with those standards.

Michael Behm, executive director of the Crime Commission, testified in support of the bill.

“Having no jail standards in place is not unusual for a state,” he said, adding that there currently are eight facilities in the state that are out of compliance with the current standards.

Dan Williamson, a sheriff for Sarpy County, testified in opposition to the bill, saying he is concerned about the elimination of the Jail Standards Board.

“The inspection process over the years has been helpful in identifying problems with jails,” he said. “By eliminating this and having recommended guidelines, it’s going to put every jail in the state at odds.”

Mike Thew, deputy county attorney of Lancaster County, said he opposes the bill because the expertise of the Jail Standards Board is invaluable.

“We have used their annual inspection reports in virtually every case that I’ve tried,” he said.

Willis Luedke, Saline County commissioner, also opposed the bill, saying that most county officials are not experts in jail facilities.

“We need support in running our local jails,” he said. “Without these standards, counties will be susceptible to lawsuits.”

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.