Vacancies in key positions at Nebraska prisons could put workers and inmates at risk

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The annual report on Nebraska’s prison system has been released, and there are multiple challenges that could be putting both inmates and staff at risk.

Staffing has been one of the biggest priorities over the last year, but the inspector general report shows that some positions are still struggling to keep workers.

“We have to figure out a way to keep these people,” said Doug Koebernick, inspector general of corrections. “It’s one thing to bring them in, but you have to be able to keep them.”

Staffing has improved among security positions, but the state is critically low on experts who keep inmates healthy, while also helping them turn their lives around to become contributing members of society.

Officials say it’s gotten bad enough that they consider those fields to be critically low at this point.

Right now, only six out of 18 psychologist positions are filled across the prison system.

As of June, there were 118 vacant health services positions.

“A lot of the nursing positions, just like in the community, are vacant, as well and also doctors, too,” Koebernick said. “Over half the dental positions are vacant as well.”

These shortages could cause violations in the law, as the incarcerated population is supposed to get dental treatment and cleanings just like the general public.

“The law requires that they have a community standard of care that they obtain and provide,” Koebernick said. “We are finding that that maybe is not the case, and we are investigating that.”

Although the State Penitentiary has seen some improvements in staffing, not all prisons have.

Koebernick said these positions do require a special kind of person, as they deal with things most people don’t have to.

He said that workers “have had some pay increases” but that the state may need to offer even more to compete with other employers.

Overcrowding is another problem facing the prison system.

“In the past, we have been one of the most overcrowded systems in the country,” Koebernick said. “We’re still very much overcrowded, but the population and the overcrowding has remained steady over the past year.”

The Diagnostic and Evaluation Center and Lincoln Correctional Center are merging into one facility, which will create more space this fall.

“There is going to be some new high-security beds added to the system later this fall,” Koebernick said. “That will reduce our overcrowding, so that is a positive.”

Many concerns listed in the new report were addressed during the last legislative session, when Nebraska senators failed to agree on a prison reform bill.

Corrections Director Scott Frakes will resign in 3 weeks.

The Inspector General’s Office hopes that this new data will help the next director make the best decisions moving forward.