LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report by an Omaha think tank says Nebraska could ease prison crowding by reforming how and when it releases inmates, and lifting the barriers that make it harder for them to find jobs.

The report by the Platte Institute for Economic Research comes as lawmakers look at ways to reduce crowding. Its recommendations were endorsed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, which has threatened to sue the state if Nebraska policymakers fail to act.

The recommendations are designed to avoid costly new prison construction. They include an incentive system for probationers who find jobs or go back to school, and more community supervision.

The group also suggests a liability shield for employers who hire reformed offenders and sealing the records of long-reformed offenders.