There’s a new man in charge of Nebraska’s prison system which according to the state’s prison watchdog is badly overcrowded, understaffed, and failing to provide any help relieving domestic violence.

Gov. Jim Pillen today appointing Rob Jeffreys, the former head of the Illinois Department of Corrections, who takes the $210,000 a year job as state lawmakers continue to consider building a new state penitentiary with ever growing costs.

Last year lawmakers set aside $155 million for the $270 million replacement. So far this year no action has been taken on that remaining $115 million. 

And while debate on that new state pen awaits, there are new concerns that the old state pen, instead of being torn down, will be renovated to the tune of some $220 million in order to have more cells and beds that would further alleviate the overcrowding.

According to Jeffreys, who took over the top job in Illinois in 2019 after 24 years in the Ohio Department of Corrections, he was involved in building a new prison in Ohio from the ground up.

He also said he expects good things in Nebraska, leading a team of some 2,300 employees—he oversaw 13,000 in Illinois—who are often under-appreciated, "I'm looking forward to meeting the team out there. Some folks don't understand the work we put in day in and day out. This is a thankless job." 

Other concerns from the Inspector General noted in the watchdog's latest annual report:

  • Two facilities – Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and the growing Reception and Treatment Center – remain under staffing emergencies with modified operational schedules. These two facilities house roughly half of the Department’s male population.
  • The Department’s main clinical program for addressing those at risk of committing violence has not been following the evidence-based model for that program, so the extent to which it is effective is unclear.
  • Complaints about medical care within NDCS prompted the OIG to initiate an ongoing investigation into whether the Department is meeting the community standard of care as required under state statute.
  • Mental health services at the state’s community corrections centers are not sufficient.
  • The use of restrictive housing has increased slightly after decreasing in the past few years.

While Illinois does not have the death penalty, Ohio does and Jeffreys says he will follow Nebraska law which allows capitol punishment.

Illinois prisons hold 29,000 inmates, Nebraska 5,100.