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According to The Sentencing Project, 4.6 million Americans cannot vote because of a felony conviction. (Anna Kosolapova/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

NE advocates foresee new voting-restoration law helping individuals, state

April is Second Chance Month and many Nebraskans are celebrating passage of a bipartisan voting rights restoration bill and its focus on second chance…

In a 2024 report, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Foundation pointed to the importance of legal immigrants for improving Nebraska's ongoing workforce shortage. (Moab Republic/Adobe Stock)

ACLU: Due process rights violated in Omaha immigration courts

Immigrants whose cases are heard in Omaha's Immigration Court are often denied their due process rights, according to a report from the ACLU of …

Youth.gov defines the primary goals of the juvenile justice system as:

ACLU: Excessive youth 'room confinement' non-rehabilitative, violates NE law

A 2020 Nebraska law restricted the use of solitary confinement, also known as "juvenile room confinement," for Nebraska youths in detention. But a …

Nebraska law defines restrictive housing as

ACLU: NE prison progress on 'restrictive housing' not enough

The latest report on the Nebraska Correctional System shows a decrease in the use of restrictive housing. The Office of Inspector General of …

Brennan Center for Justice, pretrial detainees make up more than 70% of the U.S. jail population - about 536,000 people - and many are there only because they cannot afford bail. (Adobe Stock)">

Report: Nebraska Needs to Rethink Court Fines, Bail System

Some Nebraska judges are failing to follow state laws related to cash bail, court fees and court fines, according to a two-year study in Douglas and …

Experts advise Nebraskans to review their credit card, banking and other accounts at least once a month. If you notice charges that could be fraudulent, file a dispute before protections expire, generally 60 days after your statement drops. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Season Scams

Three out of four U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, according to new …

Financial fraud totaled nearly $6 billion in 2021, although experts believe the real cost is much higher because many victims are too ashamed to come forward. (Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Shifting Blame from Fraud Victim to Perpetrator

Changing how we talk about victims of financial fraud could lead to a shift in how Nebraska and the nation respond to this growing sector of criminal …

Nebraska taxpayers are on the hook for more than $38,000 a year for every person serving time in the state's prison system. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska's Prison Overcrowding Emergency Now in Third Year

Nebraska is now in year three of a prison overcrowding emergency, according to the latest numbers released by the Nebraska Department of Correctional …

Children who are incarcerated are less likely to graduate from high school and find employment later in life. (Adobe Stock)

Incarceration Data Shows Juvenile Justice System Off Mission in Nebraska

Nearly a quarter-million children were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2019, about five times more than annual point-in-time counts, according to a new …

Ending Nebraska's lifetime ban on food assistance for people convicted of drug felonies is projected to result in 23 fewer individuals recidivating, saving upwards of $1 million for taxpayers. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to End Lifetime Ban on Food Assistance Before Nebraska Lawmakers

Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill to end a lifetime ban on federal food assistance for people convicted of federal drug felonies. Proponents …

An ACLU of Nebraska investigation found mistakes and confusion over Nebraska's two-year waiting period to restore voting rights for people with felony records had caused election officials to send disqualification notices to Nebraskans who should not have received them. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers to Consider Restoring Voter Rights for Former Felons

Lawmakers are considering a bill which would restore Nebraskans' right to vote immediately after they complete their felony sentences, instead of …

Children who have access to good early childhood education are far less likely to go to prison, while children of those incarcerated are far more likely to end up in the criminal-justice system. (Adobe Stock)

$240 Million Prison Project Draws Criticism

Critics of Gov. Pete Ricketts' call for the Nebraska Legislature to fund a new prison argue the money would be better invested in programs with …

Between two and four years after aging out of foster care, 46% of young people had not finished high school, 51% were unemployed and 84% became parents. (Adobe Stock)

Resources for Foster Youths During Holidays

OMAHA, Neb. -- Some 24,000 teenagers in foster care across the nation officially become adults each year; in Nebraska it happens on their 19th …

Just four of 19 Nebraska law-enforcement agencies surveyed do not currently employ a multilingual officer. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Law Enforcement Behind on Language Accessibility

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Not one law-enforcement agency in Nebraska is meeting all U.S. Department of Justice guidance and best practices on how to provide …

In early July, the Biden administration canceled nearly $56 million in student-loan debt, mostly connected to institutions engaging in misconduct, including promising jobs or falsely claiming credits would transfer to universities.(Adobe Stock)

Scammers Targeting Nebraska Student-Loan Holders

LINCOLN, Neb. - Student-loan forgiveness has become an increasingly popular scam targeting young adults, and as an October deadline looms, consumer …

Nebraska lawmakers recently moved to require additional legislation before construction could begin on a new prison. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nebraska’s Ongoing Prison Staffing Crisis Expands

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new report from the Office of Inspector General of Corrections is raising concerns about ongoing and expanding staffing …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

Protections from Financial Scams Beefed Up for Older Nebraskans

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new state law aims to stop scams that target the financial assets of older Nebraskans. Jina Ragland, associate state director of …

Just like Black Americans, Black immigrants are more likely to be arrested, convicted and imprisoned than the immigrant population as a whole. (Pixabay)

Groups Launch Immigrants' Rights Guide for Demonstrations

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As President Joe Biden works to make good on promises to overhaul federal immigration policy, a new guide released this week aims to …

Omaha police emails reveal a police lieutenant requesting undercover officers participate in a demonstration days after police received city guidance that it was a lawful activity. (Snappy Goat)

Alarm Sounded Over Omaha Police Surveillance of Black Activists, Allies

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha Police Department emails obtained through a public records request suggest surveillance activities targeting racial justice …

An estimated 5.2 million Americans remain disenfranchised because of felony convictions. That's 2.3% of the voting-age population. (Michael Fleshman/Flickr)

In Limbo: Thousands of Nebraskans in Mandatory Two-Year Wait to Vote

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Voters in Nebraska and across the country are heading to the polls today to participate in one of the most fundamental democratic …

A new online anti-racist toolkit includes tips for advocating while practicing safe social distancing, and from the comfort of your couch. (Becker1999/Wikimedia Commons)

Nebraska Black Leaders Launch Anti-Racism Toolkit

LINCOLN, Neb. -- With demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer well into their second week, civic …

It's estimated that every year, 218,000 young people are admitted to detention facilities nationwide.(Pixabay)

Coronavirus Emergency Linked to Fewer Nebraska Youths in Detention

RALSTON, Neb. -- As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country, the number of young people being held in juvenile detention dropped …

The U.S. District Court of Nebraska holds a status hearing today on an emergency motion requesting the release of the state's plan for prevention, management and treatment of COVID-19 in Nebraska prisons. (USAF)

Social Distancing Not an Option in Nebraska's Overcrowded Prisons

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska's overcrowded prisons could put their incarcerated residents at greater risk of an outbreak of COVID-19, and a coalition of …

Nebraskans are encouraged to research groups doing COVID-19 relief work at CharityNavigator.org or Give.org before making donations. (Pxfuel)

Tips for Avoiding Coronavirus Scams

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Medicare officials are warning people that the COVID-19 pandemic has created the perfect petri dish for a wide array of scams…

Nebraska increased funding for corrections by 290% between 1985 and 2016, outpacing other state investments like higher education, which grew by just 57% in the same time period. (Pxfuel)

Alternatives to NE 'Building Its Way Out' of Prison Overcrowding

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As Nebraska lawmakers consider a proposal to build a new prison to address the state's overcrowded corrections population, reform …

Nebraska's prison population is currently at nearly 160% of capacity, making the state the second most overcrowded in the nation. (California Department of Corrections/Wikimedia Commons)

Critics Challenge Proposal to Build New Private Prison

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has announced that it will consider plans to build a 1,600 bed private prison to …

Doctors who perform a common abortion procedure could face Class IV felony charges, serve up to two years behind bars and pay a $10,000 fine if LB 814 becomes law. (Piqsels)

Bill Curbing Abortion Procedure Draws Fire in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Proponents for women's reproductive health are mustering forces to defeat a bill introduced last week by state Sen. Suzanne Geist…

Law-enforcement jurisdictions have been ending their agreements with ICE because of increased costs to local taxpayers, increased risks of racial profiling, and damaging relations between communities and law enforcement.(Pixabay)

Coalition Presses Dakota County Sheriff to End Ties with ICE

LINCOLN, Neb. — Dakota County immigrant communities targeted by the Trump administration's recent promise of mass deportation aren't getting …

More than half of suicides within juvenile facilities occur while the young person is in solitary confinement. (Ryan Melaugh/Flickr)

Lawmakers to Consider Limiting Juvenile Solitary Confinement

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska lawmakers hold a public hearing Thursday for a bill that would limit the use of juvenile solitary confinement in …

After 36 youths escaped from a detention center in Kearney in 2016, just 17 runaways were reported in 2017. So far in 2018, just four people have left the treatment center without permission. (Pxhere)

Groups Challenge $2 Million Youth Detention Fence

KEARNEY, Neb. – Momentum is building to install a $2 million fence around a youth detention center in Kearney, but children's advocates are …

Proponents of restorative justice classes say by hearing directly from victims, people who commit crimes can better understand the scale of the harm they have caused. (Bimblebury/Wikimedia Commons)

Restorative Justice Class Cuts Costs of Incarceration

LINCOLN, Neb. – An outside-the-box approach to criminal justice in Nebraska is helping decrease the chance of formerly incarcerated people …

Defensores de las clases de justicia restaurativa dicen que al escuchar directamente en voz de sus v�ctimas, quienes cometieron cr�menes pueden comprender mejor la dimensi�n del da�o que han causado. (Bimblebury/Wikimedia Commons)

Las clases de Justicia Restaurativa reducen costos de encarcelamiento

LINCOLN, Neb. – Un nuevo abordaje en la justicia criminal de Nebraska, que consiste en ver el problema desde fuera, está ayudando a …

Canvassers are going door to door offering brochures with basic civic information on how to participate in the upcoming midterm elections, set for Nov. 6. (Courtesy Graphic)

Nebraska's Immigrants Prep for Midterm Elections

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. – With Nebraska's primaries in the rearview mirror, volunteers with the group, Unity in Action, are setting their sights …

Individuals in the U.S. pay about five times more in taxes than corporations. (National Priorities Project)

Tax Day: What Are the Feds Doing with Your Money?

LINCOLN, Neb. – Whether you owe the IRS or it owes you, Tax Day is an annual reminder of how much money Americans give the federal government …

An estimated two out of three people in U.S. jails have not been convicted of the charges against them. (Pixabay)

Pretrial Process: Justice Denied in Nebraska?

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska received an "F" for its pretrial justice system in a new report, but there are attempts to improve the process already …

Lawsuit Challenges Overcrowding in State Prisons

LINCOLN, Neb. – A coalition is seeking class-action status for a lawsuit to end overcrowding in Nebraska prisons. At nearly 160 percent of …

Thirty of 49 Nebraska senators are needed to overturn a veto of a voting-rights bill for felons who have completed their sentences. (Nebraska Secretary of State)

Battle over Felony Voting Ban Heats Up in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – About 7,000 people live, work and pay taxes in Nebraska, but aren't eligible to vote in elections. That's because under current …

More than 1,200 law professors say as U.S. attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., would not promote justice and equality. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

Nebraska Law Prof: Career Politician Shouldn't be Attorney General

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hundreds of legal scholars from almost every state, including Nebraska, are objecting to the president-elect's choice of Sen…

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NE: Criminal Justice