Judicial branch changes probation services amid statewide budget cuts

The Nebraska Judicial Branch is looking to cut costs by scrutinizing probation and transitional programs for incarcerated adults and juveniles.

Gov. Jim Pillen released a memo on July 8 asking state agencies to reduce their budgets by 5%. In his response to the memo, State Court Administrator Corey Steel pointed out that the Nebraska Judicial Branch is a separate, but co-equal branch of government to Pillen’s, although staff recognize the need to be fiscally responsible and are already trying to be.

“I can tell you that 5% of our budget would be a pretty huge hit,” Steel said in an interview with Nebraska Public Media News. “(It) would have a devastating effect.”

In lieu of the 5% budget cuts, judicial staff have made a concentrated effort to cut costs where they could since Jan. 1, Steel said. Some wiggle room was identified by leaving vacant positions unfilled and within probation programming and transitional services, including juvenile probation service contracts.

“We're not eliminating any existing contracts or services that we currently provide,” Steel said. “What we're really doing is going in and making sure that we have kids that are placed on probation and that they're there for the right service at the right time for the right length of stay.”

Based on staff assessments, some juveniles have been in state programs for longer than recommended by a judge. Strictly following court-ordered timelines allows juveniles to be transferred out of a program by the ordered deadline to save the state money.

For example, children in the juvenile system who receive out-of-home care spend an average of six months in that program before going home. Some, however, stayed in that out-of-home program for up to nine months, Steel said. But staff are taking a closer look at each case to make sure there are no more expensive and unnecessarily lengthy stays. Steel emphasized that no services have been eliminated.

“We actually still need more services for some of the juveniles,” he said.

Steel said the branch has seen a “slight” decrease in expenses since implementing the stricter checks at the beginning of the year, although he did not name exactly how much the branch saved. Since populations ebb and flow and some need higher levels of care than others, he said it’s hard to quantify those figures.

According to this year’s quarterly reports from the judicial branch, there are just over 2,500 juveniles in Nebraska’s correctional system, 29% of whom are being supervised in out-of-home placements, which include foster care; youth rehabilitation treatment centers, commonly known as YRTCs; and congregate care, both non-treatment and treatment, such as a group home.

Adults in probation can cost the state anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 per person, Steel said, and there are currently around 13,400 people in that system. Services like transitional housing, treatment and monitoring are also under scrutiny.

Housing is one of the most important signs of success, Steel said. Previously, people on probation would receive state-funded transitional housing for up to 90 days or until they got back on their feet. Now, they will have up to 45 days. Outpatient treatments for things like substance use typically can last 30 to 45 days, but staff are looking at each case to make sure adults using those treatment programs are moving on after that time frame rather than just “languishing” in the program. Steel estimates this will save Nebraska anywhere between $500,000 to $700,000 a year.

Some adults might get a higher level of service if the 45 days of treatment are not enough, but Steel said many simply get transitioned out of care.

The courts are also raising fees for records searches to fund the judicial budget, which should raise around $2.5 million, Steel said, and moving the Workers Compensation Court to a less-expensive space nearer the administrative offices.