LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s corrections director says he’s optimistic the state prisons will become less crowded even though a series of reforms haven’t reduced the inmate population as expected.

Scott Frakes told a legislative committee Friday that the prison system has custody of 5,306 inmates, a decrease of 77 since he became director in February 2015.

Nebraska’s prison population grew 20 percent between fiscal year 2003 and 2013, prompting lawmakers to approve an overhaul package that expanded treatment programs.

Frakes acknowledges the current inmate population fails to meet projections made by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, which predicted it would be closer to 4,800 by now.

Frakes says the department has taken longer than expected to implement some changes, but he believes the department will meet its goal by 2020.