NE Corrections Moves To Propose New Prison To Deal With Overcrowding

Nebraska’s corrections department will propose to lawmakers a new, $230 million prison to reduce chronic overcrowding that the agency's director says is likely to get worse. Corrections Director Scott Frakes will present the plan in the upcoming legislative session with backing from his boss, Gov. Pete Ricketts. State officials have tried for years to ease crowding in Nebraska’s prisons by expanding parole, changing some sentencing laws and creating new diversion programs. But the population has continued to grow, and the department has struggled to fill prison jobs _ especially at the prison in Tecumseh, a small town more than 50 miles away from both Omaha and Lincoln.