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Family Fun Day at LCF

David Thompson — 2026-09-02T17:35:00Z

History was made at Lansing Correctional Facility! On Saturday, August 29, 2026, LCF hosted its first-ever Family Fun Day inside the medium/maximum-security yard.

The area was transformed with tents, bounce houses, and games, allowing residents to spend invaluable, open-air time with their children, grandchildren, and loved ones.

From staggered morning arrivals to a powerful first-time meeting between a father and his son who drove from Oklahoma, the day was filled with respect, healing, and hope. Strong families build safer communities.

"Events like this reinforce that corrections is about more than security—it is about restoring humanity and strengthening the family bonds that are vital to successful rehabilitation, which ultimately lead to safer communities. Thank you to the staff and volunteers at LCF and across the KDOC who supported this initiative. You have set a remarkable example for our entire department!" - Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections

Two KDOC Executives Featured on KTWU, Inspire

David Thompson — 2026-08-12T17:00:00Z

Deputy Secretary of Facility Management Gloria Geither and Deputy Secretary of Juvenile & Adult Community-Based Services Megan Milner recently appeared on the PBS station KTWU in Topeka. The program highlights the profound impact women are making across public service, community development, and public safety industries.

During their interviews, Deputy Secretaries Geither and Milner discuss their dedicated careers within the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC). More importantly, they address the expanding path open for more women to pursue successful, impactful careers in the corrections field.

Their leadership reflects the very best of our agency:

Breaking Barriers: Showing how women can successfully rise from facility-level operations to the highest tiers of agency leadership.
Duty and Excellence: Championing public safety, modern rehabilitation practices, and staff mentorship across Kansas.
Paving the Way: Demonstrating that KDOC is an agency where career growth, capability, and merit are recognized and cultivated.

FY 2026 – Community Corrections Adult Standards

Greg Stout — 2026-08-11T12:45:01Z

Topeka Correctional Facility (TCF) Graduations 2026

David Thompson — 2026-06-23T16:30:00Z

🎓 CELEBRATING SUCCESS AT TCF! 🎓 On Friday, May 22, KDOC celebrated the incredible achievements of 81 students at the Topeka Correctional Facility (TCF). Through our partnership with Smoky Hill Education Service Center, Washburn Tech, and Washburn University, these graduates showed true dedication. Here is what they accomplished:14 High School Diplomas 📜24 Industrial Production Tech Certificates 🛠️9 Business Technology Certificates 💻24 Associate of Liberal Studies Degrees 🎓10 Bachelor of Integrated Studies Degrees 🌟 Historic Milestones: First ever Bachelor’s degrees completed while incarcerated at TCF.31 out of 34 Washburn University students earned academic honors. Amber Bright graduated Magna Cum Laude (GPA 3.70–3.90).Roxanne Dickerman graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.00 GPA) and was a Sibberson Award finalist! 7 Washburn Tech students inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. Thank you to the instructors, staff, and community partners who support Kansas Department of Corrections educational programs. Your support changes lives! #EducationMatters #SecondChances #Commencement2026 #HigherEdInPrison #TopekaCorrectionalFacility #KDOC

Play Free at HCF 03 09 26

David Thompson — 2026-04-10T12:00:00Z

The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center (KCDC) in partnership with the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) are proving that while an incarcerated parent may be away, love doesn't have to be on hold. For nearly two years, the Play Free program is strengthening the bonds between incarcerated parents and their children through the power of play. The "Play Free" program provides a mobile museum experience, bringing high-quality educational play directly to families impacted by incarceration. By creating a normalized, joyful environment, the program helps reduce the trauma of separation and fosters the essential connections necessary for successful family reintegration.

Women in Corrections 2026

David Thompson — 2026-03-19T15:00:00Z

In 1972, California became the first state where female correctional officers started working in male prisons. Kansas followed a similar trajectory of integration during this era. And in 1984, three women had the courage to be the first females to work in a men’s prison in Kansas. One of those included Dona Hook, the current warden at the Topeka Correctional Facility. As we celebrate National Women’s History month, we’d like to highlight several women who weren’t and aren’t swayed by the once-male-dominated industry and are making an impact in their field of work today: Women in Corrections 2026.

FY2025 - Community Corrections Adult Standards

Nancy Burghart — 2025-12-09T18:25:46Z

Kansas Department of Corrections Announces Implementation of Grants Expanding Behavioral Health Services for Juveniles in Detention

David Thompson — 2025-09-22T19:20:00Z

The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) today announced the successful implementation of over $1.4 million in grant funding, which has enabled juvenile detention centers across the state to provide vital mental health and substance use services to young people. The grants, established through the 2023 passage of House Bill 2021, address the significant behavioral health needs of juveniles and connect families to crucial support services sooner.

"This funding is a game-changer for our ability to effectively help Kansas youth in the justice system," said Megan Milner, KDOC Deputy Secretary. "By identifying and addressing mental health and substance use needs early, we are providing a pathway for young people to receive the support they need to avoid future system involvement. For many detention centers, this is the first time they have had the capacity to offer these essential services".

This grant program utilizes the state’s Evidence-Based Programs fund to improve services in Kansas’ nine locally operated juvenile detention centers. Assessments conducted since the grants were implemented in 2023 have revealed a critical need: over 80% of youth admitted to a detention center have mental health or substance use disorders. The grants are directly addressing this by funding timely assessments, case management, and behavioral health services.

“These grants provide crucial funding to address the needs that may be influencing a youth’s behavior in the community, thus resulting in them coming to the attention of the justice system. By getting them connected to services as early as possible, we can provide a structure of support for the youth and their family to hopefully change their trajectory in the juvenile justice system”, said Steve Stonehouse, Sedgwick County Director of Corrections.

The KDOC is responsible for the adult and juvenile correctional systems in the state, ensuring a safe and secure environment while providing opportunities for offenders to become productive members of society upon release.

KDOC Crafts 2025

David Thompson — 2025-09-04T12:20:00Z

One of the most impactful tools in corrections is the Crafts & Arts shops within each of our facilities. Not only can crafting provide a “safe place” for one’s mind and reduce stress and anxiety, but it can also tap into one’s creative side while learning vocational skills like carpentry, woodworking, or textiles that can lead to employment upon release. There have been many residents who have benefited from crafts and arts programs toward rehabilitation, public safety, and human dignity. The bonus parts are the positive bridges they can help build with communities as they contribute their work back into society.

Food Hubs of KDOC 06 2025

David Thompson — 2025-06-18T12:20:00Z

A recent feasibility study showed that Norton Correctional Facility (NCF) is the largest producer of fresh produce in that region, so, health officials came up with a plan to utilize NCF’s assets. With the guidance of business consultants specializing in food system planning and sustainable food business development, NCF wrote for and was awarded a federal food grant, and today, they are spearheading a charge to upgrade and convert our gardens into local food hubs that would not only provide fresh produce for residents and staff at each facility, but also enough to share with surrounding communities, especially hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. NCF is piloting this project using the food grant to help build a processing plant adjacent to its garden. The plan is to have the plant under the workings of the Kansas Corrections Industries and Rich O’Donnell, who also happens to have experience at the federal prison in Leavenworth converting gardens into food hubs. So, how the NCF project goes, so goes other facility gardens.

Corrections and Employees Week 2025

David Thompson — 2025-05-05T16:00:00Z

The foundational goal at the Kansas Department of Corrections is to always help people come out of prison better than they went in. Today, there are 3,400 staff members working in KDOC facilities throughout the state that are helping those residents who want to change, attain that foundational goal. They, along with their peers across the country, are being recognized and honored for their dedication and service over the next 7 days as we observe National Correctional Officers’ and Employees’ Week.

In order to spotlight those deserving of credit, we dedicate this week to our Unsung Heroes of KDOC. This report reveals the character of people who work throughout our facilities as they help make a difference in the countless lives we encounter every day of the year.

KCDC Unveils Play Free Visitation Area at ECF

David Thompson — 2025-03-31T20:00:00Z

A new child-friendly visitation space at Ellsworth Correctional Facility aims to make family connections easier, thanks to a partnership between KDOC and the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. the redesigned space prioritizes the emotional and developmental needs of children visiting incarcerated parents, emphasizing a family-centered approach in the correctional system. Governor Laura Kelly praised the partnership, saying in a statement, “I am pleased to support this partnership between the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center and the Kansas Department of Corrections, which takes a compassionate approach to the visitation experience. By focusing on the welfare of both parents and children, we can improve outcomes and support positive family relationships throughout the incarceration period.” Research shows that maintaining strong parent-child connections during incarceration reduces trauma, supports emotional stability, and lowers the risk of intergenerational incarceration, according to the National Institute of Justice. A similar visitation room has also opened at the El Dorado Correctional Facility, and a third is scheduled to launch at Lansing Correctional Facility April 10th.

Juvenile Grants Availabilities - Profile of Heartland 180

David Thompson — 2025-02-11T21:30:00Z

At the Kansas Department of Corrections, we fully support programs and organizations that are dedicated to helping young people to be productive citizens in our communities. In some cases, some young people need more support than others. If you are part of an organization that reaches out to help guide and/or mentor justice-involved juveniles, perhaps you need to see if you qualify for grant funding through KDOC? We talked with one such organization in hopes of sharing their inspiration and know-how to obtain grants that took them from an after-school program, into one of the biggest nonprofits helping justice-involved juveniles. This is the story of Heartland 180 in Kansas City, Kansas.

KDOC Honors Military Staff Members on Veterans Day 11 12 24

David Thompson — 2024-11-11T14:00:00Z

Monday is Veterans Day. It is vitally important to remember why we have this federal holiday to honor those who have served in the military, including many of our staff members. Beginning at the end of World War I in 1919, we, as Americans, commemorate our veterans by honoring their service every November 11th. This federal holiday was initially established to pay tribute to the ones who served during World War I, today, Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still alive, in contrast to Memorial Day, which remembers those who passed away while serving. Those who serve in the military, say they’re not in it for the money but for the virtues of honor, duty, sacrifice, and service to our country. In many ways, such virtues make up the backbone of who we are as a country. We have many veterans in our workforce and are grateful for each one. So, as we enjoy a 3-day weekend, let us remember the fallen veterans as well as those who have served and those who are currently serving. Thank you to each of our veterans for their service to our country. And thank you to all of you for your service to our great state of Kansas.

- Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections, addressing staff members.

Horse Adoption At HCF 10 18 2024

David Thompson — 2024-10-30T20:00:00Z

Hutchinson Correctional Facility's (HCF) Horse and Burro Program recently held its annual Open House and Competitive Bid Auction Weekend. A total of 18 horses were auctioned off as well as selling 13 untouched horses and 10 burros. The weekend is a culmination of months of basic care for the horses (which are captured in the wild from mostly western and northwestern states) to actual training, under the supervision and guidance of professional trainers, correctional staff, and resident trainers in apprenticeship.

Although Wildhorse adopts all year long both trained and untouched horses. KDOC continuously trains horses year around. As we move into July of each year, we will start holding all of our trained horses for the Open House, allowing those horses to have a lot more training hours on them. This provides an opportunity for those that need a horse more than green broke to bid.

Kansas Corrections Industries and HCF officials are hoping to increase the number of Auction Weekends with one in the spring along with one in the fall.