Nebraska inmates may have a better chance of returning to their families sooner
LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska) – A new proposal could potentially give rehabilitated inmates a better chance to go home.
Legislative Bill 631 would change the composition of the Nebraska Parole Board.
This comes following a report by Flatwater Free Press that all five members appeared at fewer than half of their scheduled hearings between May 2018 and December 2021.
He said out of more than 6,500 cases during that period, only about 37% were voted on by the full council.
The report added that some members disqualified due to connections to an inmate, but most of the dropped votes came when they didn’t show up at all.
The Flatwater Free Press found that when four or fewer members attended hearings, they asked to be granted parole only 56 percent of the time.
When full board was present, that number rose to 63%.
Sen. Terrell McKinney’s bill would add nonpartisan and previously incarcerated individuals to the board.
It also includes someone with experience in restorative justice and rehabilitation.
They will have spent time helping set up meetings between victims and offenders, discussing what happened and creating measures to repair the damage.
The reworked Nebraska board would be unable to make any decisions without all members being present, and no one could miss more than three meetings a year.
Thursday’s hearing on LB631 begins at 1:30 pm in Room 1113 of the Nebraska State Capitol.
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