Nebraska Jail Standards Board

Denny Macomber

The Nebraska Jail Standards Board is responsible for the development of minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of criminal detention facilities; for performing such other duties as may be necessary to carry out the policy of the state regarding criminal detention facilities and juvenile detention facilities; and for developing standards for juvenile detention facilities related to physical plant, care, programs, disciplinary procedures and operations.

69 adult detention, 3 juvenile detention and 3 staff secure facilities.

All counties that house prisoners, 75 facilities and their staff and inmates

1976

1980

None

83-4,124

Nebraska Crime Commission

12

The Governor appoints 10 members in addition to the Director of the Department of Correctionsl Services and the Fire Marshal.

NA

Must submit a Board request to the Governors Office for consideration for appointment.

None

For travel and meals only.

Three years

Terms Rotate

4

Lincoln, Kearney, North Platte, Lincoln

4

Lincoln, Kearney, Lincoln, Lincoln

4

Lincoln, Kearney, McCook, Lincoln

0

NA

$296,693.00

$301,384.00

$309,693.00

None

Crime Commissioin

The primary responsibility of the Jail Standards Division is the implementation and administration of the Jail Standards program. Major activities related to this function in since July 1, 2012 are listed below. Resource DevelopmentStaff continually develop and update resource documents, prepare reports, respond to information requests and sponsor workshops related to relevant topics such as Inmate Behavior Management (2013), Jail Administration (2014, 2015), Jail Management Development(2015), sharing of inmate medical information (2013) and policy and procedure development (annually). Some print resources that were provided during this period include: Model Policy and ProceduresModel Jail RecordsPolicy and Procedure Resource Manual and Inmate HandbookThe Jail Planning and Construction ManualJail Bulletin Training ModulesAnd a wide variety of National Institute of Corrections materials. Technical AssistanceJail Standards staff provide assistance, where possible, to assist jails in meeting standards. During this period, technical assistance was provided in the following areas:The Division has the responsibility for review of plans and specifications in jail facility construction and renovation. The Board must give final approval for all projects before they can be built. Staff establishes ongoing working relationships with architects, consultants and local officials through the duration of such projects, providing input into needs assessment, preliminary planning, pre-architectural programming and design development. Antelope County, Furnas County, Richardson County, Washington County, Seward County, Cheyenne County and Thurston County have had new facilities under construction or in planning stages during this period.The Division regularly provides problem solving and technical assistance to jails related to provision of medical services, policy and procedure development and legal issues. The Jail Standards BoardThe Jail Standards program as established in 1975 under Chapter 83, Sections 4,124 - 4,134 of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska, provides for a twelve-member Jail Standards Board appointed by the Governor. This Board is responsible for the promulgation and enforcement of minimum standards for adult and juvenile detention facilities and for the maintenance, operation and construction of all local criminal detention facilities. Staff support to the Board is provided by the Jail Standards Division of the Nebraska Crime Commission. The Board met quarterly during this period to consider inspection reports, address local facility requests and consider approval of facility construction or renovation plans. Data CollectionSince July 1, 2012, the Division continued to collect data on the characteristics and flow of inmate housing in jail facilities. For communities planning construction of new jail facilities, this data is essential in determining appropriate size and design characteristics. This provides an ongoing database that is critical to both state master planning and planning at the local facility Annual InspectionsStaff completed an annual inspection of all 69 adult jails, three juvenile detention centers, and three staff secure facilities in the state during this period. Written reports of these inspections were prepared and submitted to the Jail Standards Board for review and official action on a quarterly basis. During this time, sixteen different detention centers in Nebraska were officially out of compliance with the standards at some point. Adult facilities are inspected for compliance with standards regulating personnel, records and statistics, admission and release of inmates, classification, security and control, library materials, rehabilitative services, mail, visiting and telephone service, health services, food services, inmates rights, inmate behavior, discipline and grievance processes and existing and new facility design and construction. TrainingJail Standards staff provide a variety of training opportunities for detention facility staff across the State.During this period, Jail Standards staff participated in providing Initial Jail Training for 463 new detention center staff in jails throughout Nebraska. This included training at the Law Enforcement Training Center, Hall County, Scottsbluff County, Lancaster County, Platte County, Buffalo County and Dakota County. In conjunction with the Nebraska Correctional Administrators and Managers Association (NCAMA), Jail Standards staff presented the Annual Spring Conference for detention and corrections professionals. The 2013 Conference held in Kearney included 223 participants, 34 vendors and two days of training. The 2014 Conference included 236 participants, 24 vendors and two full days of training. The 2015 Conference included 254 participants, 30 vendors and two full days of excellent and relevant presentations designed to continue the professionalization of corrections and detention in Nebraska.In 2014, staff updated six units of the Initial Jail Training Program for new employees of adult jails.In 2013 and 2014 staff provided a Training-for-Trainers course for new jail training officers.In 2015 staff provided a Curriculum Development course for Jail training officers.