Kansas
Articles
05/27/2008 – The Wichita Eagle: “Kansas a Leader on Parole Reform“
“Kansas’ innovative efforts to find smarter ways to manage its prison population is getting some well-deserved attention beyond the state’s borders.”
05/17/2008 – The New York Times: “New Tack on Straying Parolees Offers a Hand Instead of Cuffs”, by Erik Eckholm
“Today, Kansas is a leader in a spreading national effort to make parole more effective and useful — to reduce violations and reincarcerations as it protects the public and seeks to help more offenders go straight.”
05/07/2008 – The Topeka Capital Journal: “State’s Budget Still Up in Air”, by James Carlson
“The state’s wrap-up budget remained in limbo late Tuesday after the House adjourned with no resolution to negotiations on the final spending issues.”
04/12/2008 – The Kansas City Star: “Rehabilitation for Offenders Becomes Priority Again“
“Thousands of offenders leave prison each year unprepared for life on the outside. Returning to impoverished neighborhoods, they lack job skills and support systems. Not surprisingly, nearly half of released inmates are back behind bars within three years.”
03/15/2008 – The Hutchinson News: “State Prisons Don’t Follow the Crowd”, by Jessica Self
“The Pew Center report shows more than 1 percent of all American adults are in prison, which is an all-time high. The same report credited Kansas, along with Texas, as being a state that has taken necessary steps to slow the growth of the inmate population.”
02/15/2008 – The Capital-Journal: “Judges Too Lenient, Lawmakers Say”, by Mike Hall
“Kansas judges would have less leeway to give probation or light sentences to felons in certain cases if legislation sponsored by 16 Republican House members is adopted.”
02/05/2008 – The Kansas City Star: “Kansas Prisons See Drop in Recidivism”, by Jim Sullinger
“The percentage of Kansas inmates who commit new crimes while on supervised release has dropped significantly over five years.”
01/09/2008 – The Hutchinson News Online: “Freeing Prison Space a Struggle”, by Darcy Gray
“Several bills expected to hit the Legislature this session could increase prison time for some offenses, further straining state correctional institutions.”
10/25/2007 – The Wichita Eagle: “Prisoner Reintegration Working, Official Says”, by Hurst Laviana
“Kansas’ efforts to reintegrate its prison inmates into society are starting to ease the pressure on its bulging prison system, Secretary of Corrections Roger Werholtz said Wednesday during a visit to Wichita.”
10/14/2007 – Stateline: “Political Odd Couple Pushes Prisoner Re-entry Breakthrough“
“America’s most imaginative prisoner re-entry program isn’t flourishing in some left-leaning coastal city, but rather in solid “heart of America” Wichita, Kan.”
07/13/2007 – The Wichita Eagle: “Several Groups Chip in to Help Troubled Area“
“Leaders of banks, hospitals, private foundations, schools and universities stood with government officials Thursday to announce an unprecedented collaboration to improve lives and reduce crime, poverty and blight in central-northeast Wichita.”
07/2/2007 – The New York Times: “A Much-Needed Second Chance“
“Congress needs to pass the Second Chance Act, which would provide grants, guidance and assistance to states and localities that are developing programs to reintegrate former inmates into their communities.”
06/18/2007 – Stateline.org: “States Seek Alternatives to More Prisons”, by John Gramlich
“Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) last month signed into law a prison plan that is winning accolades for its creativity. Among other measures, the $4.4 million package provides financial incentives to community correctional systems for reducing prisoner admissions and allows some low-risk inmates to reduce their sentences through education or counseling while behind bars.”
05/31/2007 – Lawrence Journal-World: “Bill Provides State More Time to Build Prison Space”, by George Diepenbrock
“Probation supervisors across the state will be applying for new grants to keep offenders from getting their probation sentences revoked and taking up prison space.”
05/30/2007 – Kansas City Community News: “Saving Money on Prison”, by Bob Sigman
“Getting its arms around a rapidly growing prison population has taken the Kansas Legislature a lot of time and unswerving commitment. Even now, there are no guarantees that the effort will meet expectations.” “But there are signs that the state is light years ahead of where it would have been without the cutting-edge initiative.”
05/28/2007 – The Capital-Journal: “Corrections Hopes Bill Will Reduce Recidivism”, by James Carlson
“The state could avoid having to build an estimated 1,300 additional prison beds over the next 10 years, according to the Department of Corrections, with the implementation of a recently signed bill creating a grant program to reduce recidivism.”
05/21/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Build Up Neighborhoods”, by Randy Scholfeld, Editorial Board
“The New Communities Initiative – a collaboration among state, county and city agencies – targets some of the low-income neighborhoods in northeast Wichita where many returning parolees settle.”
05/3/2007 – Lawrence Journal-World: “Editorial: Good Investment”
“Prisons aren’t a particularly popular target for increased state spending, but one measure approved this week seems to be a good investment for Kansas.”
04/02/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Walk the Talk on Parolees”
“For several years now, the Kansas Department of Corrections has been advocating a new approach to parolee reintegration in communities. The idea: help former inmates succeed on the outside by providing them with alcohol and drug abuse treatment and other community-based support services.”
03/25/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Editorial: Be Smart on Crime”
“Despite recent declines in crime, the growth of the state’s prison population is not leveling off. The Kansas Sentencing Commission projected earlier this year that during the next 10 years we would need to construct another 2,000 prison beds at a cost of $186 million.”
03/25/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Few Funds for Parolees Drug Abuse Treatment”, by Tim Potter
“At the same time that the Kansas Department of Corrections is emphasizing efforts to help thousands of parolees succeed after release from prison, it is funding substance abuse treatment for only a fraction of them.”
03/18/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Re-Entry Parole Policy is Best, Safest Strategy”, by Roger Werholtz
“Public safety is the Kansas Department of Corrections’ highest priority. It is both our immediate and long-term goal.”
03/13/2007 – The Capital Journal: “Money May Be Sought for Jail Program”, by Tim Hrenchir (Registration Required)
“Shawnee County commissioners learned Monday, with federal grant money running out, local governments in Shawnee County may be asked to pay a combined $261,000 for fiscal year 2008 to help maintain a Kansas Department of Corrections program.”
03/13/2007 – The Wichita Eagle: “Editorial: Reintegration & Safety Not an Either/Or”
Kansas’ policy of working to reintegrate parolees into society is the right one for all involved—offenders, taxpayers and communities.
03/04/2007 – Wichita Eagle: “Case Raises Concerns About Parole Program”, by Tim Potter
“During 2 ½ years on parole, Alfred Brown repeatedly tested positive for cocaine, balked at drug treatment, went AWOL from a Wichita day reporting center, had complaints filed against him with SRS—and his parole officer never visited his home.”
02/18/2007 – The Wichita Eagle: “Goal: Fewer Parolees Sent Back to Prison”, by Hurst Laviana
The ultimate goal, Kansas Secretary of Corrections Roger Werholtz said, is to drastically reduce the number of parole and probation revocations, which today make up two-thirds of the state’s prison admissions.
02/16/2007 – Lawrence Journal World “Community Corrections Funding Problem Means Corners are Being Cut”, by Ron Knox
“Somewhere, somebody in the state has to step up and say, ‘We have a problem,’” said Grevas, director of the Kansas Community Corrections Association and the state’s 28th Judicial District.”
02/15/2007 – The Wichita Eagle: “Increasing Number of Inmates Will Cost Billions”, by Associated Press (Contributing: Hurst Laviana of The Eagle)
In Kansas, the prison population is expected to increase 13 percent over the next five years, surpassing the 10,000 mark for the first time in early 2011.
02/14/2007 – WIBW: “KHRC and KDOC Hire Specialists to Lower Recidivism Rates”
The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) and the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) have teamed up to help former prisoners reintegrate into society, obtain long-term employment, and and affordable housing.
02/06/2007 – The Capital Journal: “Presentation to Legislators Shows Prison Population Issue”, by Tim Carpenter
The Senate’s judiciary and budget committees met together Monday to absorb a presentation by Tony Fabelo and Fred Osher, who argued the state can spend modestly now to address root problems of low-level offenders right or pay dearly later when those people get into serious trouble triggering longer prison sentences.
02/05/2007 – KSNT: “Stopping the Cycle of Repeat Criminals”
“Every year nearly 6000 criminals are released from Kansas prisons, and then they’re back behind bars within five years.”
02/03/2007 – The Capital Journal: “Lawmaker Wants Reforms”, by Tim Carpenter
Under Colloton’s measure, a $4 million county grant program would be established to provide drug treatment, job training and placement, housing, transportation to jobs, mental health services and family counseling for low-level offenders on probation. If a county’s revocation rate doesn’t fall at least 20 percent, that county would be ineligible for more money under the program.
01/28/2007 – Lawrence Journal World: “Douglas County Probation Officers Most Overworked in State”, by Ron Knox
“When a judge sentences someone to probation instead of jail for committing a crime, the case file often ends up on Shoemake’s desk — along with more than 100 others.”
01/27/2007 – The Kansas City Star: “AS I SEE IT: State Must Prepare Inmates for Life Outside Cells”, by Senator John Vratil
Most people incarcerated in Kansas are released without receiving drug treatment, mental health services or job training — things we know would better prepare them for a crime-free life. Half of the offenders needing substance-abuse treatment, and nearly three-quarters needing vocational education, do not participate in such programs before their release.
01/15/2007 – The Capital Journal: “Jessica’s Law – Hard Times”, by The Capital Journal Editorial Board
Lengthy prison sentences are now mandated for sexual offenders convicted of assaulting children — 25 years for a first offense, 40 years for a second and life without parole for a third.
We endorse the new get-tough laws for perhaps the lowest form of mankind but recognize those laws come with a cost.
01/11/2007 – The Lawrence Journal-World: “State Prisons Almost Filled Up”, by Scott Rothschild and Eric Weslander
Projections from the Kansas Sentencing Commission show that the capacity will be surpassed in 2009 if nothing changes. Much of the projected increase is due to the adoption last year of Jessica’s Law, which strengthened penalties against child molesters and other sex offenders.
01/04/2007 – Office of the Governor, Kansas: “Risk Reduction Effort Receives National Support”, by Nicole Corcoran, Press Secretary
Ensuring offenders don’t commit new crimes after they re-enter society is the objective of the Kansas Department of Corrections’ Reentry Program – a goal which will be furthered by a $4.67 million national grant.
12/16/2006 – The Hutchinson News: "Legislators Say Offender Law Needs Work", by Jason Probst
"According to Reno County lawmakers, the upcoming legislative session will be marked with several hot-button issues, including spending for higher education, alternative energy and criminal justice."
12/13/2006 – Lawrence Journal-World: "Crowd Control", by Eric Weslander
"Kansas is on track to run out of prison space within two years unless something changes, speakers warned Tuesday at a conference in Lawrence. There’s an option of building a new prison with an estimated cost of about $500 million during the next nine years. Or there’s a second option of working to keep people from violating their probation or from returning once they’re released from prison – an approach that researchers say can allow the prison system to remain at its current capacity until roughly 2015."
Audio
12/13/2006 – Kansas Public Radio: "Corrections Program Receives National Support" (Windows Media Audio Clip)
"A new program in Kansas to keep criminals from committing more crimes after prison is gaining national attention. Representatives from several major foundations were in Lawrence yesterday (Tue) to show their support. Kansas Public Radio’s Joseph DiNitto has more."
Videos
02/06/2007 – WIBW: “State Judiciary Committee Face Growing Prison Populations; Seek Solutions”
Facing an increasing prison population, Kansas lawmakers weighed possible solutions Monday when experts appeared before first the Senate and the the House Judiciary Committees.
02/06/2007 – WIBW: “State Looks at Ways to Reform Prisons”
Kansas’ prison population is expected to increase by 25 percent in the next 10 years. Advocates are saying that programs to keep substance abusers from re-offending will lower that trend. Right now nearly half of all released prisoners are back in jail within a year.
12/12/2006 – 6 News Lawrence: "Kansas Prison Population Problems Growing"
"Kansas’ prison population is expected to climb by 26 percent over the next nine years, and there are more than 500 million dollars in associated costs with those potential problems lingering."
12/12/2006 – KSNT: "Preparing Prisons, Criminals for a Better Future"
"Kansas is already ahead of the curve when it comes to criminal justice. Now the state is teaming up with two national foundations to take steps even further toward a safer, more cost-effective state."
12/12/2006 – ABC News: "Kansas Prison Population Issues Addressed in Lawrence"
"Kansas’ prison population is expected to climb by 26 percent over the next nine years, and there are more than $500 million in associated costs. With those potential problems lingering overhead, lawmakers, state officials and local leaders gathered in Lawrence Tuesday to discuss the situation and possible solutions."