Earning a living wage is a cornerstone of success for individuals released from prison. A living wage is a legal means to secure housing and transportation, pay off obligations to courts and victims, access ongoing treatment for substance abuse and mental health needs, and support themselves and their families. This increases the likelihood that an individual can remain crime free while improving the safety of Kansas communities.

KDOC residents who gain a livable wage job upon release are one-third less likely to return to prison.

• KDOC estimates 98% of current residents serving a prison sentence in Kansas will return to the community.

• Over 6,000 persons release from Kansas prisons in a typical year.

• Individuals on post release supervision struggle to find and sustain employment. On June 30, 2020, 37% of males (n=2,021) and 37% of females (n=267) on post release supervision were employed

• KDOC-sponsored research on Kansas prison residents found that a resident’s ability to earn a living wage upon release was improved by:

• Completion of a GED: 6% increase.
• Completion of one or more certification course: 8% increase
• Completion of one college course: 20% increase.
• Holding an industry job six months or longer while incarcerated: 25% increase.

Employers

If you are an employer interested in hiring KDOC residents, email KDOC_CareerCampus@ks.gov
 or call 785-296-3317.

Three Stories

In early 2020, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly visited three private industries that employ KDOC residents. Interviews with the Governor, business owners and residents illustrate the life-changing opportunities these experiences have for residents, and the impact on both the Kansas economy and employers looking for skilled employees.

CSG

CSG + KDOC from Trevor Mowry on Vimeo.

Seat King

KDOC + Seat King from Trevor Mowry on Vimeo.

MAICO

KDOC + Maico from Trevor Mowry on Vimeo.

Mustangs on the Move

Since 2001, residents at Hutchinson Correctional Facility have aided the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in alleviating the over-population of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. Left unchecked, the horses can multiply to the extent that the land would not sustain their numbers, resulting in starvation and other problems for these animals.

Through a cooperative agreement between the BLM and Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI), a self-supporting unit under the direction of the Kansas Department of Corrections, a dozen minimum-custody residents care and train the wild horses with the goal of making them suitable for adoption. The program also provides resident work opportunities that help residents reintegrate back into the community. With the ability to house up to 499 horses, KCI uses donated materials to train horses rounded up by the BLM. KCI also receives a per diem for housing and care of the horses. Each spring, KCI holds a horse auction with the sales benefitting the BLM to continue the program’s funding. Horses not adopted are transferred to long-term holding locations where they live out their lives. The BLM estimates approximately 14,000 wild horses will need to be relocated and held until the current crisis abates.

For more information about the program,
visit the Bureau of Land Management’s web site at:
www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the requirements for adopting a wild horse?
The potential owner must attain an approved application through the BLM. Upon approval, please contact Kansas Correctional Industries at (620) 625-7515, Monday through Friday, for more information.

How much does it cost to adopt an untrained wild horse?
Persons adopting untrained wild horses from Kansas Correctional Industries are charged a $125 fee that is forwarded to the BLM to cover administrative costs.

Can a person purchase a horse that is saddle trained?
Yes. Selected horses that have been saddle trained are available for purchase.

What is the cost of a saddle trained horse?
The current price for a saddle-trained mare or stud horse is $125.

What is considered to be a successful trained horse?

• Easy mounting and dismounting
• Knows the commands for walk, trot, lope and keeps its head and body collected
• Can turn either direction, stop and back up on command
• Can pick up all four feet
• Can load and unload in a four-horse trailer
  
  

Where do I get more information about how to adopt a trained or untrained horse from Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI)?

For more information, please contact:
Kansas Correctional Industries
(620) 625-7515
OR
Bureau of Land Management
(866) 4MUSTANGS

When are horses available for adoption?
Horses are available for adoption through Kansas Correctional Industries Monday through Friday by appointment.

Kansas Correctional Industries | Hutchinson Correctional Facility
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Over the past few decades, the United States has witnessed a significant increase in the prison population on both the federal and state level. The State of Kansas is no exception. Since 1995, the average daily population in our prisons has increased by roughly 2,000 inmates. The vast majority of these inmates will be released from prison at some point and without adequate services to assist in successfully reintegrating into society many offenders are likely to re-offend. The Kansas Department of Corrections takes a proactive approach to preparing offenders for release into the community in order to increase their chances of living the remainder of their lives crime-free. Beginning in our correctional facilities, we thoroughly assess each inmate's needs in terms of treatment, education and vocational training, and develop case plans to ensure that inmates receive the programming they need while incarcerated. We begin preparing inmates for release more than a year in advance by working with facility case managers, parole officers and offenders' families. Additionally, the Department has implemented comprehensive community programs to provide high-risk offenders with the treatment, housing, employment and supervision they need to maintain a crime-free lifestyle.

In collaboration with other state agencies and community groups, the Kansas Department of Corrections has made tremendous gains in creating a state-wide framework for successful community reintegration for offenders. Looking to the future, the Department has established seven major goals to build upon our accomplishments. They are:

1. Increase offenders’ abilities and motivations to practice responsible crime-free behaviors through correctional management consistent with the research driven principles of effective intervention.
2. Improve the safety and security of correctional facilities by incorporating the principles of effective risk management.
3. Manage offenders in the community using risk reduction strategies that assist them in acquiring pro-social behaviors and ultimately achieve successful reintegration.
4. Recruit and retain the quality workforce needed to provide effective services.
5. Become a Department in which we all function as a single team.
6. Manage accurate, timely and complete information.
7. Serve as a liaison and service provider for crime victims.

The Department's Fiscal Year 2009 Strategic Action Plan includes goals, objectives and strategies designed to improve our ability to manage offenders safely and effectively. This includes increasing programming capacity, improving the speed and accuracy of information-sharing, expanding services for victims and families, and building community partnerships. Our Strategic Action Plan serves to further our vision of "A Safer Kansas Through Effective Correctional Services".