The architects in charge of the new Lancaster County jail unveiled their design plans.

The new jail will relieve overcrowding at the current site in downtown Lincoln. The jail is set to start construction sometime next year with a price tag of $65 million.

The new jail will be built, that's already been approved. The question now is how the county will pay for it? Voters will get to choose between two methods in the upcoming May 13 election.

Overcrowding plagues the current Lancaster County jail. It's costing the county and its taxpayers big bucks.

"We're spending over $1 million a year now, transferring our offenders to other counties," said Bob Workman, Lancaster County Board of Commissioners.

That's why the unveiling of design plans for the new jail already has county commissioners excited for its completion. "I'm very impressed at the overall layout. I think we have a good design going for us," Workman said.

The new jail will hold 660 prisoners, with minimum, medium and maximum security.

"Successful jail projects have a couple of very important parts. One is that they recognize they are a jail and have to be safe and they have to be secure,"said Ronald Budzinski, PSA Dewberry Principal of Design.

It will also have as many as 60 programs aimed at rehabilitation.

"It does provide opportunities for people to change if they want those opportunities," Budzinski said.

The complex designed for 37 acres at Southwest 40th and West O streets features modules and housing for mental health and female inmates.

"Architects are taking advantage of the declining slope as you move south of O Street," Workman said.

Now that the plans are set, voters just have to decide how to pay for everything. There are two bond proposals on the May 13 ballot: one bond allows home-owning taxpayers to pay for the jail over ten years while the other will pay for the jail in 26 years.

Commissioner Bernie Heier said the 26-year option will make it easier to balance the county budget.

"If you want to pay for the bond off in 10 years, it will cost you $43 per $100,000 valuation. If you choose to vote for the 26 year bonding, then it will cost you approximately $25 per $100,000 valuation," Heier explained.

County commissioners say an important feature of the plan is all this empty land to the south where the jail could expand in the future to hold nearly 2,000 inmates.

Officials plan to start construction next year and be done by early 2011.

Forcing Hard Labor in Jail

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners are also hoping inmates at the new jail will be sentenced to hard labor.

Heier said it is constitutional to force inmates to work in Nebraska. However, only if the presiding judge adds a hard labor order to the sentence.

The board is now asking all Lancaster County judges to add hard labor when they sentence criminals. Heier said this will help control the population of the new jail.

"I would think that we'll pay them some monies, but they'll also get privileges in the new jail. We're not out here just to get cheap labor, but it's my thinking that people should work while they're in jail," Heier said.

Heier said hard labor is not defined in state statutes right now and they may need legislative action before they can require forced labor.