The Nebraska State Prison System

In Nebraska State, individuals that commit criminal offenses can be penalized with incarceration in a state prison. The state Judicial Branch oversees the criminal justice system and passes imprisonment sentences on guilty defendants, as punishment for any crime committed.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) heads the state prison system. The NDSC, through its employees, operates the prison facilities located in the state’s jurisdiction. In addition to confining convicted individuals, the prison system also provides rehabilitation options to incarcerated individuals.

What is the Difference Between Jail and Prison in Nebraska?

The fundamental distinction between jails and prisons in Nebraska is the length of the imprisonment sentence. Typically, persons convicted of a crime by the court will be sentenced to a state prison facility if the incarceration period is long. Nebraska jail facilities hold offenders for a shorter incarceration sentence.

Nebraska jail facilities also house alleged offenders that law officers apprehended for crimes but are awaiting trial or sentencing. Inmates awaiting a transfer to a different correctional facility are also housed in jails.

The county/city local government oversees the general management of a jail facility in its jurisdiction. Generally, The Sheriff’s Department operates jail facilities. However, the state government operates the Nebraska prisons through its Department of Correctional Services. Since the incarceration period in state prisons is long, the prison facilities are more equipped than the jails and can also house many inmates.

The court sentences persons that commit a severe criminal offense to a state prison, while less grave crimes classified as misdemeanors may warrant a jail sentence.

How Many Prisons are in Nebraska?

In Nebraska, there are ten prisons that the NDCS operates. Depending on the security-threat level of the inmates, a state prison may be a medium, maximum, or community custody facility. The following are the prisons located in Nebraska:

• Community Corrections Center - Lincoln
• Community Corrections Center - Omaha
• Lincoln Correctional Center
• Nebraska Correctional Center for Women
• Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility
• Nebraska Diagnostic and Evaluation Center
• Nebraska State Penitentiary
• Omaha Correctional Center
• Tecumseh State Correctional Institution
• Work Ethic Camp

How do I search for an Inmate in Nebraska State Prison?

Individuals that want to locate an inmate housed in a Nebraska state prison facility can make use of the NDSC Inmate Information Locator. Users of the inmate locator can find out the prison facility that an individual is confined in. The inmate locator also provides the inmate’s details, offense history, sentence type, and release date.

To use the search tool, interested persons must provide the inmate’s full name and Department of Correctional Services identification number.

Alternatively, querying parties can submit a public records request if the desired inmate information is not available on the inmate locator tool. Requests should be in writing and convey details on the inmate and the needed information, to enable custodians to retrieve results. Querying parties may receive a reply to their request within four working days. Requestors can send requests to the email - DCS.PublicRecords@nebraska.gov, or mail it to the address:

Public Disclosure Unit
Nebraska Department of Correctional Services
P. O. Box 94661
Lincoln, NE 68509

Individuals that wish to search for an inmate can also visit third-party websites that maintain inmate information on their database.

Are Incarceration Records Public in Nebraska?

Incarceration records in Nebraska are non-confidential information that is available to members of the public. Following the Nebraska Public Records Law, custodians of incarceration records can provide incarceration records to inquirers who wish to copy or inspect them. Information that is available to obtain includes the criminal history of the subject of the record and the prison facility of incarceration. However, members of the general public do not have access to private incarceration information in Nebraska.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How to Look Up Jail Records in Nebraska

The county Sheriff’s Department is responsible for generating and maintaining records of a Nebraska jail within its jurisdiction. Typically, persons can look up jail records by visiting the Sheriff’s Office and requesting desired information. Querying parties can find the Sheriff’s Office in a county area by viewing the Nebraska Sheriffs’ Association Directory. The department may also provide a search tool on its website that interested persons can obtain desired jail records and other criminal information.

Generally, Nebraska State Patrol gives the public access to criminal information on its site. Interested individuals can request a Record of Arrest and Prosecution (RAP) for a person. There is a non-refundable charge of $15.50 for each record requested.

Can Jail Records be Expunged in Nebraska?

The Nebraska state laws make no provisions for individuals to expunge jail records. However, the court can set aside or pardon a criminal conviction. Under Nebraska R.S §29–2264, persons with criminal convictions can petition the court to nullify the conviction. The Board of Pardons issues a pardon and there is no specified period of time for the board to review applications and grant a pardon.

If a court grants a petition to set aside a conviction, it becomes void. Judges decide to set aside convictions at their discretion. Upon completing a sentence, persons can request a set aside from the court that convicted them. Further information on how criminal convictions can be set aside or pardoned is available on the state judiciary site.