LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lancaster County is planning to implement two supervision programs for nonviolent offenders in order to ease the jail population.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports that county commissioners approved the programs Thursday. The county jail has been nearly filled up since June, prompting officials to find alternative programs so as to avoid spending more to house inmates in neighboring county jails.
The first program, starting this month, is aimed at young adults ages 18 to 25 who are arrested for drug distribution like marijuana or prescription pills. The offenders would be supervised in the existing drug court program.
The second program, still under development, will be aimed at people with multiple convictions for driving drunk. Enrolled offenders will take Breathalyzer tests twice daily, receive random drug tests and potentially wear monitors testing their sweat for alcohol.
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