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Nebraska has an incarceration rate of 591 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democratic country on earth. Read on to learn more about who is incarcerated in Nebraska and why.

11,000 people from Nebraska are behind bars

Additionally, the number of people impacted by county and city jails in Nebraska is much larger than the graph above would suggest, because people cycle through local jails relatively quickly. Each year, at least 30,000 different people are booked into local jails in Nebraska.

Rates of imprisonment have grown dramatically in the last 40 years

Also see these Nebraska graphs:

• total numbers rather than rates.
• Women’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population
• Men’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population

Today, Nebraska’s incarceration rates stand out internationally

In the U.S., incarceration extends beyond prisons and local jails to include other systems of confinement. The U.S. and state incarceration rates in this graph include people held by these other parts of the justice system, so they may be slightly higher than the commonly reported incarceration rates that only include prisons and jails. Details on the data are available in States of Incarceration: The Global Context. We also have a version of this graph focusing on the incarceration of women.

People of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails

Nebraska's criminal justice system is more than just its prisons and jails

See detailed data on incarceration and supervision numbers and rates by state.

Reports and briefings about Nebraska's criminal legal system:

Filter to show Most recent All Big picture Collateral consequences Communication Exploitation Health Jails & bail Parole and probation Policing Poverty Prison gerrymandering Racial justice Women, gender, & families

• People on probation in Nebraska are saddled with onerous rules and conditions they must follow every day or risk incarceration.
• Prisons in Nebraska have tablets, but they may be being used to restrict incarcerated people’s access to books and sap them of the little money they have.
• With an incarceration rate of 591 per 100,000 residents, Nebraska locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democratic country on earth.
• After the Dobbs’ decision, striking down Roe v. Wade, Nebraska severely restricted abortion, putting access to the service effectively out of reach for the 3,260 women on probation or parole in the state who also face travel restrictions.
• Prisons in Nebraska force incarcerated people and their families — some of the most vulnerable members of society — to subsidize mass incarceration.
• 74% of people in Nebraska jails have not been convicted of a crime, meaning they're legally innocent. There are simple steps the state can take to reduce this number. Why isn't it?
• Nebraska releases roughly 52,682 men and 16,525 women from its prisons and jails each year. What is it doing to support them upon reentry?
• People on parole in Nebraska can be sent back to prison for "associating" with anyone who has a felony or misdemeanor conviction — even loved ones who are trying to support them
• Black people in Nebraska are incarcerated at a rate 9.1 times higher than white people.
• Nebraska's choice to criminalize "failure to appear" may be hurting public safety
• The cost of incarcerating older people is incredibly high, and their risk of reincarceration is incredibly low, yet 12% of people in Nebraska prisons are over the age of 55. Why is the state keeping so many older people locked up?
• Nebraska makes it difficult or even risky for incarcerated journalists to tell their stories.
• Nebraska is one of 20 states that locks up some people convicted of sex offenses in shadowy "civil commitment" facilities, long after their sentences are over — and often indefinitely
• In Nebraska, 11,000 people are incarcerated and another 11,900 are on probation or parole.
• Nebraska charges up to 25¢ for an e-message to or from prison.
• Jails in Nebraska charge up to $3.15 for a 15-minute phone call, reaping profits for companies, while prisons charge 94¢ for a 15-minute call.
• Nebraska prisons are replacing incarcerated people's personal mail with scans, stifling family contact
• Nebraska does not charge medical copays to people in prison.
• People in Nebraska prisons with more than $10 in their account must pay for basic hygiene products including toilet paper.
• Nebraska prisons charge families up to a 20% fee to transfer money to an incarcerated loved one.
• We gave Nebraska a failing grade in September 2021 for its response to the coronavirus in prisons.
• Nebraska hurts jury diversity by excluding people with felony records
• How many COVID-19 cases in Nebraska communities can be linked to outbreaks in correctional facilities? (data from our report Mass Incarceration, COVID-19, and Community Spread)
• We graded the parole release systems of all 50 states - Nebraska gets an F
• Nebraska incarcerates women at a rate of 120 per 100,000 residents — higher than almost any democratic country on earth.
• People in Nebraska prisons earn as little as 16¢ an hour for their work.
• Fixing prison-based gerrymandering after the 2010 Census: Nebraska, from the Prison Policy Initiative's Fixing prison-based gerrymandering after the 2010 Census: A 50 state guide

Other resources

• Research on Nebraska in our Research Library