The State of Nebraska is setting ambitious goals to improve reentry success for people with criminal records.
Nebraska has become the fourth state in the nation to launch Reentry 2030, a national initiative committing states to setting bold, meaningful, and transparent reentry goals and tracking its progress on outcomes to drive systemic changes.
“We are embarking on a transformative journey with a holistic approach to preparing individuals for reentry into society,” said Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. “This initiative is about fostering growth, building bridges, and ensuring that every person leaving our facilities has a genuine opportunity for a positive reintegration into society.”
Currently, nearly 72 percent of the people who leave prison remain in the community. This initiative aims to increase that success rate to 87 percent by 2030. Nebraska’s goals are centered around reentry success, education, employment, collaboration and supportive resources. Initial goals include:
- A 30 percent increase in GED completion during incarceration, 15 percent increase in GED proctors, and 50 percent increase in college coursework enrollment.
- A 50 percent increase in utilization of tablet programming and 25 percent increase in participation in Vocational and Life Skills programming.
- Ensuring 100 percent of eligible individuals who are incarcerated are enrolled in Medicaid
- Assisting 100 percent of individuals who are incarcerated with obtaining state identification and birth certificates prior to release
- Providing support so that at least 90 percent of individuals who are released will be gainfully employed within 30 days of parole placement
- Developing a systemic approach to reentry through the creation of a statewide Nebraska reentry council comprised of public, private, and service provider entities.
As the initiative develops, additional reentry goals will be added.
Through Reentry 2030, Nebraska will participate in a national network of states and receive tailored support to move forward and achieve its goals. The initiative is led by The Council of State Governments Justice Center, Correctional Leaders Association, and JustLeadershipUSA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Second Chance Act.