Many people want to know what it's like behind bars, without actually having to spend time in the slammer.
Tonight in the KOTA Territory Insider we go behind the scenes at the only detention center in the state that houses both adults and juveniles.
The Scotts Bluff County Adult and Juvenile Detention Center is its own self-contained city where no two days are exactly alike.
Corrections officers work around the clock to maintain a safe and structured environment.
Corrections officer and training supervisor, Mike Johnson says, "We house roughly about 168 detainees male and female in the adult population."
Johnson walks me through his day, starting with booking a fresh arrest.
An officer takes my mug shot, uploads and enters into the system then I get finger printed.
First both thumbs, followed by right and left slaps; then it's off to general population.
Most of the PODs are medium security and house inmates that have committed crimes like theft and burglary.
Then there is "F" pod which is a maximum security pod, where high level threat inmates are kept like those who have committed murder.
Johnson says, "Every hour we have security checks that our officers go around. We have an officer in pod at all times."
After seeing the adult side of the detention center it's time to head over to the juvenile detention center, which is sight and sound separated from the adults.
Juvenile corrections officer, Tony Ayala says, "Basically, we are a jail but at the same time we try to help them out so when they go out into the world they'll know what to do and what options to take"
There are currently 14 inmates with the youngest being 11 years old. The kids are required to attend school all day while in custody.
Ayala says, "Basically what we do over here...it hands on. We're with the kids all the time."
The detention center just finished building a new equine center where the inmates work with abused horses from the Humane Society.
Johnson says the staff treats the detainees with respect and offers programs to foster reintegration into society. "Pretty much just make sure that our relationship with the detainees is very, very close...close borderline friendship-relationship." Johnson says, "Their respect is based on our respect."
The officers ask rather than yell at the detainees and this mutual respect results in zero officer-inmate altercations
Johnson is glad to say that "as far as incidents with the staff...we don't have any"
Lock down for all the detainees is at 10 PM.
The staff at the detention center strives to make a difference in the lives of the detainees so that they don't ever have to come back.
