March 12, 2026, Seward Folly Staff

The Spring Creek maximum security prison, located off Nash Road, experienced what officials described as an “altercation” involving about 50 inmates in January. Spring Creek is the only maximum-security prison for men in the state.

“The event lasted less than ten minutes, with guards quickly gaining control of the situation. Five inmates had non-threatening injuries and were treated. No staff were injured,” said Department of Corrections spokesperson Betsy Holley.

Department staff noted that prisons are unpredictable environments.

“Many who enter our system do so with not only a complicated criminal history but may also be medically fragile, with preexisting, and in some cases, very complicated medical, mental health, and substance use-related issues,” Holley said.

Last year, facing budget pressures, the Department of Corrections was directed by the legislature to close one of the three housing units at Spring Creek as a cost-cutting measure. That closure took place in July.

“We were tasked with closing a housing unit, and we did that, and it is not achieving the savings, and as a matter of fact, it’s bottlenecking some of our population management,” said DOC Director Jen Winkelman at a recent legislative hearing.

“Anecdotally, the pressures of moving the individuals around and being at capacity in our max unit — I believe that, (and) we all believe that that plays a part in it,” she said, referring in part to the Spring Creek fight.

Asked if the staffing shortage also contributed to the altercation, Holley said shortages could increase stress among existing staff, which may have played a role in the recent fight.

But she added, “Department of Corrections does not control who enters our facilities, and we cannot turn anyone away. Our correctional officers are responsible for managing and supervising whoever comes through our doors.”

Holley also noted that hiring correctional officers is a nationwide challenge. “It is an extremely demanding job, and not everyone is suited for the work. The correctional environment has also evolved, and the population in our facilities today often presents greater risks and more complex criminal histories. Our officers must maintain constant vigilance throughout 12-hour shifts, which can be mentally taxing.”

“We have 13 statewide facilities that must be staffed 24/7 to maintain safe and secure environments while continuing essential services for those in our care and custody. We must ensure coverage for staffing, critical incidents, inmate transports, hospital coverage, training, approved PTO, and other operational demands,” she added.

Holley emphasized that “SCCC is operating as normal, and the public should have no concerns about the safety of the community.”

The DOC is asking for $514 million in state funding this year — a substantial increase.

“Requests for additional funding are a result of funding that was cut by the legislature last year,” Holley said.

It’s the largest corrections budget proposal to date, according to state data. The average state cost for incarcerating an individual is $223 per day.

At a recent meeting, Winkelman said that roughly one-third of cost increases since fiscal year 2016 were driven by employee contracts, salary, and benefit increases.