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Work Ethic Camp director announces Oct. 6 resignation
Raleigh Haas, Warden of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska has resigned his position, effective no later than Oct. 6, 2007.
In a memo announcing his resignation, Haas writes: "I truly appreciate the opportunity and privilege to have been part of the planning, development and implementation of the WEC. This facility has been well received by Southwest Nebraska, and has maintained a high level of support from local and area agencies and individuals.
"Many offenders have succeeded here, and have maintained employment and a crime-free lifestyle because of the skills acquired at the WEC. I believe the changes that have occurred due to the passage of LB83 will enhance opportunities for inmates and offenders to succeed, and will ensure the WEC remains a vital component of the criminal justice system in Nebraska."
Haas was hired to oversee the development of the camp in September 1999. He began his career in state government as a probation officer in 1979. While he has no immediate plans, Haas says he and his family plan to stay in McCook "because we truly love living in Southwest Nebraska." He also told the Gazette he plans to stay involved with the McCook fire department.
The Work Ethic Camp was authorized by the Unicameral in 1997 to house first-time, non-violent adult felony offenders sentenced to intensive supervised probation. A cooperative effort between corrections and probation, the camp was created to address overcrowding of the state's prison system with a short-term intensive program designed to target offenders' individual criminogenic needs. The passage of LB 83 during this year's legislative session amended the facility's statutory structure to allow for a select group of inmates to receive the camp's programming prior to their release to the community on parole. The 100-bed facility received its first offenders in April 2001. To date1436 offenders have participated in the WEC program.