In August, CSG Justice Center staff presented at the final Justice Reinvestment Implementation Coordinating Committee (JRICC) meeting. The 24-member committee, chaired by the Governor, Speaker, and Chief Justice, reviewed implementation progress and data metrics on the seven main LB 605 policies expected to impact the prison population and received recommendations for maximizing the impact of justice reinvestment reform efforts. Additionally, the Chief of Information Services for the Nebraska Crime Commission (NCC) presented on crime, case volume, and sentencing trends as part of an effort to transition data analysis.
During the JRICC meeting, committee members discussed sustaining JR reforms and current pressures on the state’s criminal justice system. Two Senate members called for the committee to continue to meet, but the governor disagreed. Members also asked about undertaking justice reinvestment for a second time and emphasized the importance of transparency and future collaboration. Furthermore, the county attorneys, public defenders, and local jail representatives on the committee discussed an increased workload from probation reforms in LB 605, and the probation administrator said she would work to address those concerns. In addition to the committee members, about 80 audience members attended the public meeting, which was covered in Nebraska’s two main newspapers, the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star.
As of July 31, 2017, Nebraska’s prison population has decreased by 142. The prison population is 780 greater than the projected impact of JR policies, but 230 less than the baseline prison population projection. Both prison admissions and releases are flat, although LB 605 should have led to decreased admissions and increased releases. However, there has been a much greater than expected increase in the total number of felony cases in the court system, up 21% since January 2015, which may be mitigating the impact of LB 605. Promising data analyses from the Crime Commission show that judges have adopted new sentencing practices for low-level, nonviolent felony offenses, sentencing a greater number of people to probation and a decreasing number of people to prison. To maximize impact, CSG Justice Center staff recommend that Nebraska state leaders focus on continuing to find additional ways divert low-level, nonviolent felonies away from prison; ensure more people are parole ready in the institutions to foster more timely release from prison; and accelerate work to reduce probation and parole revocations to prison.
Additionally, the state has taken steps toward JR sustainability: Plans are in the works to hire a justice reinvestment data analyst position at the Crime Commission who will be responsible for analyzing and reporting on criminal justice data; the steering committee has committed to continue to meet and collaborate; Seamless System of Services meetings are held on a regular basis and allow for agency leaders and staff to work in partnership across branches of government; and the legislative Committee on Justice Reinvestment Oversight continues to meet.
Since the steering committee decided to shift from a traditional JR coordinator role to a JR data analyst, the current JR coordinator left her position on August 31. CSG Justice Center staff will be working with individuals at each of the agencies to close out BJA subaward monitoring, reporting, and reimbursement.
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• Meeting with Board of Parole Chair, Director of Supervision and Services (Board of Parole), Program and Fiscal Analyst (Board of Parole), and JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to discuss CSG's final recommendations and prepare for JRICC.
• Meeting with AOP Administrator, State Court Administrator (Nebraska Supreme Court), AOP Deputy Administrator, and JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to discuss CSG's final recommendations and prepare for JRICC.
• Meeting with NDCS Research and Planning Director, NDCS Deputy Director, and JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to discuss CSG's final recommendations and prepare for JRICC.
• JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to prepare for upcoming meetings.
• Meeting with Speaker (NE Legislature) and JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to discuss CSG's final recommendations and prepare for JRICC.
• Meeting with JRLOC, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, 4 Senators, and top aides to discuss CSG's final recommendations and prepare for JRICC.
• Meeting with the Governor and top aides to prepare for the next day’s JRICC meeting.
• Meeting of the 24-member JRICC, chaired by the Governor , Speaker of NE Legislature, and Chief Justice to discuss Nebraska’s implementation progress and JR sustainability at the end of Phase II implementation assistance. In addition to the committee, the meeting was attended by approximately 80 audience members, including the media.
• 8/1: Call with Director of Supervision and Services (Board of Parole) and Program and Fiscal Analyst (Board of Parole) to discuss current parole data trends, implementation progress, and the upcoming JRICC meeiting
• 8/4: Call with Chief (Information Services Division, Nebraska Crime Commission) and Amy Prenda (JRI Coordinator, NDCS) to discuss data analysis for the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/10: Call with Inspector General for Corrections (Office of the General Counsel) to discuss ongoing criminal justice issues in Nebraska and justice reinvestment implementation in preparation for the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/14: Call with Steering Committee, including AOP Administrator, NDCS Director, Board of Parole Chair and State Court Administrator (Nebraska Supreme Court) to discuss the upcoming JRICC meeting and sustainability planning.
• 8/16: Call with JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to discuss prepare for the upcoming JRICC meeting and discuss the impact of the ACLU lawsuit against DCS.
• 8/18: Call with Director of Strategic Communications (Governor's Office) to discuss a press release in conjunction with the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/18: Call with NDCS Research and Planning Director to discuss the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/18: Call with Chief (Information Services Division, Nebraska Crime Commission) to discuss his sentencing trend data analysis for the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/18: Call with JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to prepare for the upcoming JRICC meeting.
• 8/19: Call with Chief (Information Services Division, Nebraska Crime Commission) to discuss additional data analyses for the upcoming JRICC meeting and the future of the justice reinvestment data analyst position.
• 8/31: Call with JRI Coordinator (NDCS) to wrap-up her last coordination tasks on her last day.
Lincoln Journal Star: Large Justice Committee Will End Work, but Reorganize to Continue Mission http://csgjusticecenter.org/jr/media-clips/large-justice-committee-will…
Omaha World Herald: Nebraska’s Work with Prison Reform Council Ends; Ricketts Says ‘Adding More Cooks to the Kitchen Is Not the Solution http://csgjusticecenter.org/jr/nebraska/media-clips/nebraskas-work-with…
The Grand Island Independent: State Prison Reforms Should Get More Time http://csgjusticecenter.org/jr/nebraska/media-clips/state-prison-reform…
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