83-183. Persons committed; employment; wages; use; rules and regulations.

(1) To establish good habits of work and responsibility, to foster vocational training, and to reduce the cost of operating the facilities, persons committed to the department shall be employed, eight hours per day, so far as possible in constructive and diversified activities in the production of goods, services, and foodstuffs to maintain the facilities, for state use, and for other purposes authorized by law. To accomplish these purposes, the director may establish and maintain industries and farms in appropriate facilities and may enter into arrangements with any other board or agency of the state, any natural resources district, or any other political subdivision, except that any arrangements entered into with school districts, educational service units, community colleges, state colleges, or universities shall include supervision provided by the department, for the employment of persons committed to the department for state or governmental purposes. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to effect a reduction in the number of work release positions.

(2) The director shall make rules and regulations governing the hours, the conditions of labor, and the rates of compensation of persons committed to the department. In determining the rates of compensation, such regulations may take into consideration the quantity and quality of the work performed by such person, whether or not such work was performed during regular working hours, the skill required for its performance, and the economic value of similar work outside of correctional facilities.

(3) Except as provided in section 83-183.01, wage payments to a person committed to the department shall be set aside by the chief executive officer of the facility in a separate fund. The fund shall enable such person committed to the department to contribute to the support of his or her dependents, if any, to make necessary purchases from the commissary, to set aside sums to be paid to him or her at the time of his or her release from the facility, and to pay restitution if restitution is required.

(4) The director shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations which will protect the committed offender's rights to due process and govern the collection of restitution as provided in section 83-184.01.

(5) The director may authorize the chief executive officer to invest the earnings of a person committed to the department. Any accrued interest thereon shall be credited to such person's fund.

(6) The director may authorize the chief executive officer to reimburse the state from the wage fund of a person committed to the department for:

(a) The actual value of property belonging to the state or any other person intentionally or recklessly destroyed by such person committed to the department during his or her commitment;

(b) The actual value of the damage or loss incurred as a result of unauthorized use of property belonging to the state or any other person by such person committed to the department;

(c) The actual cost to the state for injuries or other damages caused by intentional acts of such person committed to the department; and

(d) The reasonable costs incurred in returning such person committed to the department to the facility to which he or she is committed in the event of his or her escape.

(7) No person committed to the department shall be required to engage in excessive labor, and no such person shall be required to perform any work for which he or she is declared unfit by a physician designated by the director. No person who performs labor or work pursuant to this section shall be required to wear manacles, shackles, or other restraints.

(8) The director may authorize that a portion of the earnings of a person committed to the department be retained by that person for personal use.

Source

Annotations

Reimbursement for expense of returning escapee is not a proper matter to be raised in appeal from criminal conviction and sentence. State v. Mayes, 190 Neb. 837, 212 N.W.2d 623 (1973).

This section, when construed with section 83-183.01, does not require that an inmate be provided with full-time employment as a prerequisite to the applicability of rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of section 83-183.01. Hurbenca v. Nebraska Dept. of Corr. Servs., 18 Neb. App. 31, 773 N.W.2d 402 (2009).

Evidence held insufficient to show denial of property rights afforded under sections 83-182 and 83-183. Journey v. Vitek, 685 F.2d 239 (8th Cir. 1982).

The reduction of sentence for good behavior and faithful performance of duties is a statutory right and cannot be eliminated or withheld for failure to perform work which a prisoner is unable to do because of physical infirmity not caused by his misconduct, nor as punishment except for flagrant or serious misconduct. Sawyer v. Sigler, 320 F.Supp. 690 (D. Neb. 1970).