Amid disputes about overcrowding in Nebraska prisons, the legislature continues to increase penalties for crimes.
This three-part audio series explores competing and conflicting visions of how best to reform the system.
Part 1: Tough on crime
State Senator Rick Holdcroft of District 36, whose priority bill is LB 215, a criminal justice reform bill, has visited every prison in the state. He said those visits led to a change in the way he thinks about corrections in Nebraska.
While many reform bills are introduced in the Nebraska Legislature each year, they are often met with challenges by government officials and constituents. Learn more about the journey that Holdcroft's reform bill, LB 215, underwent in the 2025 Nebraska Legislative Session.
Part 2: Who's responsible?
In 2025, Nebraska lawmakers introduced a slate of new bills to increase prison sentences.
This isn't the first time legislators have pushed to put and keep criminals behind bars.
Part 3: Alternatives and the future
For less violent crimes, Nebraska judges have prison alternatives that address specific issues like addiction and mental health challenges.
These options help people like veterans and teens. The idea is to prevent recidivism and keep those who offend out of the prison system.
Nebraska Behind Bars
These audio stories are part of a series produced by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications 2025 in-depth reporting class.
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