Bill would provide early release incentives for good behavior

A bill that could further reduce incarceration time for well-behaved inmates and parolees advanced from general file Feb. 22.

Currently, the state Department of Corrections can reduce the time an inmate or parolee serves by six months for each year of his or her time served and prorate any time served which is less than one year.

Under LB191, introduced by Omaha Sen. Brenda Council, the department additionally could reduce the time by three days each month during a 12-month period of incarceration during which an inmate has not been found guilty of a Class I or Class II offense or has not had more than three Class III offenses of the department’s disciplinary code.

The bill also directs the Parole Board to reduce a parolee’s term by an additional 10 days for each month of his or her term, for good conduct in conformity with the conditions of parole. Parolees currently are eligible for a reduction of two days for each month.

The bill would apply only to inmates admitted after its effective date.

Twenty-five percent of the state’s current inmate population could meet the requirements of the bill after one year, Council said. The per diem cost of housing an inmate is $15.41, she said, estimating that the bill would save the state approximately $108,000.

Providing inmates and parolees an incentive to behave also could improve public safety, she added.

Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha spoke in support of LB191.

“This bill will help us with some cost savings without putting the public at risk,” he said.

The bill advanced on a 31-0 vote.