FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2015
State Releases Plans to Improve Juvenile Justice System, Promote Public Safety, and Reduce Costs
Topeka, KS –– The Kansas Juvenile Justice Workgroup today submitted to state leaders a comprehensive set of data-driven policy recommendations designed to increase public safety, effectively hold juvenile offenders accountable and reduce juvenile justice costs. The Workgroup’s recommendations will be used as the foundation for statutory, budgetary, and administrative changes during the 2016 session of the legislature.
In keeping with its charge from state leaders, the Workgroup issued 40 consensus-based recommendations that if fully implemented are projected to reduce the average daily out-of-home population by at least 62 percent from projected levels in 2021, leaving millions available for reinvestment. Other highlights of the policy recommendations include:
The report is available at: www.doc.ks.gov/juvenile-services/committee/Workgroup/report/Final.
While the juvenile arrest rate in Kansas dropped more than 50 percent from 2004 to 2013, the state’s community supervision and residential commitment populations have not fallen at the same rate. In particular, the out-of-home placement population did not mirror the drop in the juvenile arrest rate, declining by roughly half as much (24 percent). Kansas is currently ranked 9th highest nationally in out of home placements for juvenile justice involved youth.
Beginning in June 2015, the Workgroup conducted a comprehensive analysis of the juvenile justice system, reviewing key data from the Office of Judicial Administration (OJA), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), and KDOC, and gathering input from those who work on the front lines through more than two dozen roundtable discussions with stakeholders, including law enforcement, crime victims, judges, county and district attorneys, and service providers. The Workgroup also reviewed current research on reducing recidivism as well as effective policies and practices from states across the country.
"These recommendations are an important step forward for juvenile justice in Kansas," said Governor Brownback. "Our priority is helping Kansas youth and their families. These steps mean less crime, lower costs for taxpayers and better outcomes for everyone involved."
Key findings of the Workgroup include:
“We charged the work group with studying the juvenile justice system to see if there were opportunities for better outcomes for our youth and our communities,” said Chief Justice Nuss. “I am encouraged by their recommendations and believe they should help us create a more efficient and effective juvenile justice system.”
“The recommendations in this report help provide the Legislature with a framework for achieving a brighter future for our state’s youth,” said Speaker Merrick. “With these recommendations we are better positioned to assist troubled juveniles to avoid a future of incarceration and instead become productive members of society.”
“The policies put forth by the Workgroup will help improve the juvenile justice system in Kansas,” said Senate President Susan Wagle. “Together we can create better policy that will result in having fewer youth in our juvenile system, and fewer coming into our adult corrections system as well.”
“I am encouraged that Kansas is focusing on its juvenile justice system,” said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley. “The Legislature now has an opportunity to work together to improve the lives of our youth, families, and communities.”
“Kansas needs a juvenile system that focuses on public safety and improving the outcomes of youth, said House Minority Leader Burroughs. “I look forward to working on them during the next legislative session.”
The Workgroup is co-chaired by Representative John Rubin and Senator Greg Smith, chairs of the House and Senate Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committees. It also includes 15 additional members:
The state received technical assistance from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Public Safety Performance Project throughout the Workgroup process.
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]]>These standards have been published by the Kansas Department of Corrections' Juvenile Services Division of for use by administrative counties to develop local policy and procedures which will direct the actions of local employees in the supervision of youth in Kansas. Communities are to implement these local policies and procedures and train their employees by January 1, 2007.
Below are listed the Community Supervision Standards (CSS) for Juvenile Intensive Supervised Probation and Community Case Management programs. The CSS are the minimum standards that are intended to help guide the development of local community supervision agencies Policy and Procedure manuals.
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]]>Special visits are those conducted outside the parameters of the established visit program.
Circumstances under which special visits may be granted include, but shall not be limited to:
when a visitor has traveled a distance in excess of 150 miles one way
where the inmate receives infrequent family visits, less than two per quarter year; and
where other correctional goals or rehabilitation needs of the inmate indicate the need for special visiting privileges
All requests for special visits must be initiated 72 hours in advance by the inmate through his unit team via a Form 9. The unit team will answer the Form 9 with an approval or disapproval 24 hours prior to the scheduled visit.
The inmate's respective unit team will investigate the request, and evaluate the need for special visiting privileges.
The Inmate requesting special visiting for religious purposes and pre-marital counseling must submit a Form 9 directly to the chaplain for an approval or disapproval.
Special visits previously approved by the unit team may only be disapproved by the Warden, one of the Deputy Wardens or the shift captain.
A record of all approved and disapproved special visits will be maintained in the inmate's unit team file.
In addition to special visits, the visiting room's officer in charge may grant a courtesy visit when, in his or her judgment, the granting of said visit would be in accordance with the visiting philosophy of the Kansas Department of Corrections and Lansing Correctional Facility. Normally a visitor will have to have traveled a distance of 150 miles or more to be considered for a courtesy visit.
Overview | Visitor Information | Programs | History | Warden
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The goals of this effort are broad based and important. We need to reach out at all levels of our communities and educational institutions to educate and to recruit. Our efforts should help more taxpayers better understand what we do and why we do it, as well as how our efforts on their behalf impact them every day, every hour. The plan is to provide a list of speakers, skilled in their work and selected by their leaders and peers, to educational institutions from high schools to colleges and universities. At some point, we may also provide such contact information to community organizations, though many of you and your leaders already are a part of or have spoken to community organizations. Thank you if you are one of those persons who has already done so!
This is an important task: If you feel you are uncomfortable or unable to speak to a group contacting you, please ask your supervisor to get someone else equally skilled and willing to share similar information regarding what was originally requested. Our hope is that we are open to questions and seeking answers from the appropriate source (check with the Central Office Communications Office if you are unsure). The Department of Corrections publishes an annual report, and we do reports on population daily that are available to you as well.
The key to this task is your rapport with the group you speak to about why and how you and your peers work hard to reduce risk to Kansans in many ways, all designed using evidence-based research and clearly targeting the offender based on their assessed risks and needs to provide the correct dosage and response. When we get a broad array of speakers and subjects needing to be covered, we will share the information with you and with the educational institutions. If you feel other agencies or organizations need to be included, or additional subjects need to be added, please let the Central Office Communications Office know. Our hope is this may educate and entice more persons to working or volunteering to join us in the good work being done. Thanks so much for being willing to provide time and effort to carry on the mission of the Kansas Department of Corrections.
For more information, please call Hope.Burns@ks.gov or (785) 296-3310
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