| History | |
| 1976 | Wichita Work Release began operation at North Fairmont as a co-correctional program in January 1976, with an initial capacity of 22 inmates. |
| 1978 | The program relocated to north Market and expanded its population capacity to 55 inmates. |
| 1984 | Population capacity increased to 76 inmates. |
| 1988 | Population capacity increased to 100 inmates. |
| 1989 | The program's capacity increased to 182 upon the KDOC's termination of its community residential contract with VIP, Inc. Those inmates from the VIP, Inc. contract were absorbed into WWRF in two buildings on north Market, the WWRF building and another leased by the KDOC to accommodate the influx. |
| 1990 | In November, the facility moved to its current location at Emporia and Waterman streets. Population capacity was 198 inmates: 188 male and 10 female. |
| 1996 | The administrations of Wichita Work Release Facility and Winfield Correctional Facility were combined, making WWRF a satellite unit of WCF. |
| 2002 | The women's work release program was transferred to Topeka. As a result, the capacity was expanded by 52 beds, resulting in a total capacity of 250 inmates. |
Overview | Visitor Information | History | Warden
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Programs
Pre-Release Vocational (Aramark) GED
Correctional Industries
Aramark.................................. 6 slots
Pioneer Balloon....................... 12 slots
Community Service Work
Inmates at Winfield Correctional Facility provide thousands of hours of community service work each year to non-profit entities after certification that the service work will not displace community-available jobs. This program provides labor for those approved agencies and provides inmates with valuable job skills and work ethics that they can utilize upon release. Long-term community service work includes:
Other Programs
Inmates also can participate in Reaching Out from Within, al self-help program for inmates who are committed to change and to giving back to the community.
Reaching Out From Within is a Kansas City-based non-profit organization founded in 1982 by violence prevention advocate and author SuEllen Fried. The program is dedicated to providing programs that prevent violence in our community. By breaking the cycle of violence, participants become contributing members of their families and society. Incarcerated men and women lead meetings using a curriculum written by offenders that teaches life skills and encourages them to make positive changes in their lives.
The WCF program began in 1994. Meetings, which are open to every inmate in the facility, are held two nights each week. During the meetings, inmates work with various materials and reference books that help in their quest to learn new ways to meet life's challenges and change their behavior. Select program participants, who have met special criteria, routinely speak to students and other groups in their community about choices and consequences.
Giving back to society in a meaningful way is one of the core beliefs of the program. The group gives back to society by supporting charities.
For more information, see the Reaching Out From Within website at http://www.rofw.org.
Overview | Visitor Information | Programs | History | Warden
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| History | |
| 1984 | Winfield Pre-Release Center opened on the grounds of the Winfield State Hospital, providing primarily pre-release programming services. The population capacity was 141 inmates. |
| 1989 | Having expanded both in terms of size and facility mission, the name of the facility was changed to Winfield Correctional Facility. The population capacity was 290 inmates. |
| 1996 | Winfield State Hospital closed. As a result, Winfield Correctional Facility absorbed many buildings and the infrastructure and support units from the hospital. During the transition, an additional dorm was added, increasing the capacity to 522 inmates. In September, the administrations of Winfield Correctional Facility and Wichita Work Release Facility were combined. |
| 1998 | A therapeutic community substance abuse treatment program was implemented. |
| 2000 | InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI), a 12-18 month, values-based pre-release program, began operation in March with the capacity to serve 158 inmates. |
| 2002 | In June, IFI was transferred from Winfield to Ellsworth Correctional Facility. |
| 2003 | The therapeutic community program was closed effective January 31, 2003. |
| 2004 | The population capacity was increased to 556 inmates. |
| 2007 | Due to renovations, the capacity decreased to 554 inmates. |
| 2009 | Due to budget constraints, B Unit was closed in early 2009, reducing the capacity to 378. It was re-opened in June 2009, bringing the capacity back to 554 inmates. |
| 2010 | Pioneer Balloon opened a private industry onsite, employing up to 12 inmates at minimum wage jobs. |
| 2011 | WCF contracts with the Cowley County Jail to house up to 50 inmates in response to population increases within the KDOC. |
| 2013 | The Cowley County Jail contract ended. |
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As with other facilities under the management of the Secretary of Corrections, education, health services and food services are provided through contracts with private vendors.
Overview | Visitor Information | Programs | History | Warden
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