Eastern Nebraska eyed as location for proposed new prison

OMAHA, Neb. (Jan. 9, 2021 – AP) — The head of the state prison system on Friday said he’s considering six sites in eastern Nebraska near Omaha for a new prison.

The prison system announced possible locations in Douglas, Dodge, and Lancaster counties for a new 1,512-bed prison.

Nebraska lawmakers are deciding how to address overcrowding in state prisons this year after Corrections Director Scott Frakes recommended building a new prison in 2020.

In a Friday statement, he said the goal is to improve staff and inmate safety and not to imprison more people. Recent cost estimates put the price tag on a new prison at about $236 million.