Report cites staffing and overtime concerns at State Penitentiary

LINCOLN - Concerns are being voice over staffing and overtime at the State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

New numbers released by the state inspector general of corrections indicate the prison, in which the inmate population is 180% over design capacity, was at or below critical staffing level 18 times since last month.

On Monday, Koebernick sent a memo to senators on the Legislature's Judiciary Committee outlining his concerns, which include 77 protective staff vacancies. He said that's nearly twice as many as the same time last year.

Koebernick said staff on duty is working about 18,000 hours of overtime a month at the State Penitentiary.