LINCOLN- A nonprofit that’s been collecting and analyzing a trove of criminal justice data has made presentations to Nebraska officials who may use the information to shape solutions addressing critical issues in the state’s prison system. So far though, the content of those presentations, made in closed-door meetings, has not been made public despite requests, prompting concern from Nebraska’s leading civil liberties advocacy organization.

While participants have provided updates on the process when asked, their actual findings have not been disclosed.

The group of over a dozen officials — which spans branches of government and multiple levels of the justice system — is not considered a public body, according to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ spokesperson Taylor Gage.

This week, Ricketts called the current part of the process the “data collection stage.”

“If there’s any legislation that comes out of it, it will go to a hearing just like any other bill and the public will have a chance to weigh in on that,” he said. At some point, he said, data will be released in support of any prospective legislation.

The World-Herald formally requested the presentations under the state public records law from the Governor’s Office, which denied the request based on the presentations being in “draft” form, saying they’re “expected to be revised and amended.”

“Gov. Ricketts intends to release these documents and data after the information has been verified and is in its final form,” wrote administrative assistant Lana Gillming-Weber.

The presentations were “pretty heavily vetted” before CJI presented them, Engel said, but he was reluctant to comment on whether the presentations would be considered a draft.

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