Kansas
Overview
Criminal justice policy in Kansas has long been regarded as “tough and
smart.” It is tough because serious and violent offenders are held in prison
for long terms. It is smart because policymakers have made researchdriven
decisions about which offenders can be safely and effectively supervised
in community corrections programs. This combination has allowed
Kansas to curb spending on prison construction while ensuring space is
available to keep violent offenders behind bars.
Nonetheless, criminal justice policies enacted in 2006 which increased sentence lengths, along with other developments, were poised to place this balanced criminal justice policy framework under significant pressure. With the prison population projected to increase by 22 percent, policymakers were faced with the prospect of appropriating nearly $500 million over ten years to build and operate approximately 1,292 additional prison beds. Kansas policymakers instead identified another path and applied a justice reinvestment strategy.