The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. This allows the individual to move from economic dependency into self-sufficiency as they earn a steady income and become contributing taxpayers.
The WOTC target groups include:
Learn more at https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/taxes-and-financing/wotc/
]]>Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas
“When we look at our correctional system, over 90-95% of those folks are going to be coming back into our Kansas communities. Be a whole lot better to use the time that they are in our system to provide an education, get training, get certificates, get licenses, so that when they come out they are ready to take the jobs that we know are available.”
Joe Reardon, President & CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
“KC Chamber members have told us the importance of reducing crime in our region and we believe one of the most effective strategies the business community can take is leading the conversation on hiring returning citizens. We believe in the importance of restoring dignity to incarcerated individuals through education and jobs training while giving them the tools to succeed when they are released from prison. We have also heard from our business community on the business case for hiring returning citizens. These team members often become the best employees a company has, and often remain the most loyal.”
Deb Kirby, Deb's Cattle Service
"I have had PI workers for over 10 years. I think this program is extremely beneficial in the reintegration of inmates to the workforce and life outside of prison. Many of these individuals have never had a job other than the streets. We try to teach skills that will benefit them wherever they decide to go once released. It also helps them to have some money in their pocket when they get out so they can hopefully get on their feet and not go back to their “old ways”. They get a peek of what life can be like if they make good choices once released."
Dave Cox, Plant Manager, Maico
“As far as reservations as far as hiring people with a felony background, there’s a lot of good guys that just simply made a bad choice at some point. Doesn’t necessarily make them a bad person for the rest of their life.”
If you are an employer interested in hiring KDOC residents, email KDOC_CareerCampus@ks.gov
or call 785-296-3317.
Private Industry Employers (June 3, 2022) | ||
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Aramark - EDCF Aramark - HCF Aramark - TCF Aramark - LCF Aramark - LCMHF Aramark - NCF Aramark - WCF BAC - LCF-Central Barkman Honey - HCF Blue Hill - NCF Cal-Maine - HCF-South Creekstone Farm - WCF Electrex - HCF East Evergreen - HCF Great Plains - ECF Heatron - LCF-East |
Henke - LCF-East Hess - NCF-East Hubco - HCF-East Husky Hogs - NCF Impact Embroidery - EDCF Kansas Protein Foods - HCF KBK Industries - LCMHF Kirby Cattle - LCMHF Kirby Enterprises - LCMHF KMW - HCF Koch - TCF LaCrosse - LCMHF LPF - LCF-Central Maico - ECF Martin Machine & Welding - HCF South |
NFL - TCF Mill Creek - HCF-South Moly - ECF Osborne - NCF Pioneer - EDCF PKM Steel - ECF Polo - TCF Redbarn PIECP and Pet Products - LCMHF Russell Stover - TCF Seat King - HCF-Central Skyline - WCF Wifco - HCF-South Wilkens - NCF-East Zephyr - LCF-East |
Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections, shares his thoughts on the wide-ranging benefits of "second chance hiring." KDOC residents in our correctional facilities provide a skilled, dependable workforce to solve labor shortages, gaining essential skills they need to be successful post-release.
Second Change Hiring, 2021, presentation by Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda
In January 2021 an evaluation of the Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI) and KDOC's Private Industry Program was completed by Eric J. Lichtenberger, Ph.D. The study explored the impact on post-release employment and recidivism.
An Evaluation of Kansas Correctional Industries/Private Industries (KCI/PI) Programs, January 2021
Findings in a 2008 research conducted by the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center found:
Prison Policy Initiative examined rates of unemployment among formerly incarcerated people finding they are almost five times more likely than the general public to be unemployed, and many who are employed remain relegated to the most insecure jobs.
Citation: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/outofwork.html
Rand Corporation had conducted research on educational needs recognizing that individuals who leave federal and state prisons return to communities where they have to compete with others for jobs.
“As already noted, according to RAND’s research, inmates who participate in correctional education programs have a 13-percentage-point reduction in their risk of returning to prison; this indicates that every $1 invested in education can reduce future incarceration costs in the near term. More concretely, we estimated that every dollar invested in prison education programs saves taxpayers, on average, between $4 and $5 in three-year reincarceration costs.”
Citation: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE342.html
The Second Chance Business Coalition promotes the benefits of second change employment and provides employers with resources to hire and provide career advancement to people with criminal records.
The Prison Post #30 Jeff Korzenik, Author of Untapped Talent https://t.co/KttpH3l0Ne?amp=1
Untapped Talent, Jeff Korzenik https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOm5WTn246GMBIBG1JeJb9w
Second Chance Project — Dave's Killer Bread https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1R2v6Us7MEEWn91Pnd8u9w
Google Small Business Stories: Nehemiah Manufacturing Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-0yWGWcupg
Nehemiah Company Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxraJmzPlZg
Koch Industries Editorial Take a chance on second-chance hiring | Washington Examiner
]]>Last fiscal year, OVS provided direct services to 10,242 victims and batterer intervention programming to 227 individuals. There are currently 40,978 victims registered with OVS.
The department has expanded from providing victim notification - the original statutory requirement - to offering liaison services, restorative justice programming and batterer intervention programming.
Learn more about OVS at https://www.doc.ks.gov/victim-services or download the brochure at https://www.doc.ks.gov/victim-services/publications/brochures/ovs-brochure/view
]]>The KDOC-sponsored training includes many hours of classroom instruction plus working with coaches to gain skills to help in their work as case managers. Two staff members – Chris Merritt and Derick White – were recognized for going above and beyond in their classroom, coaching and training efforts. Academy graduates are:
This case management training is an important part of the skills and capacity-building for KDOC and community corrections staff, providing the tools that support residents and to increase their success when returning to the community.
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KDOC Strategic Plan |
December 2021 Update |
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Our MissionPartnering to Promote Safety and Responsibility through Best PracticesOur VisionTransforming Lives for the Safety of AllKDOC Guiding Framework (pdf)Strategic Plan Implementation (pdf)We will turn this Vision into reality by:
Our Beliefs
|
Under our strategic plan, Pathway for Success, KDOC hasfive Strategic Implementation Teams (SITs) hard at work. The Employee Environment SIT has three sub-teams focusing on various issues, including staff retention and recruitment, staff development and wellness. The Communications SIT has completed a survey and developed a report primarily focusing on staff communication as an initial project. The Population Environment SIT has three sub-teams centered on issues relating to residents within our facilities:
The Resource Deployment SIT has developed and tested a tool at El Dorado for staff to report the condition of computers and chairs and is now working on a plan to launch the tool at all sites. The team also completed a staff survey of the use of CBI (Cognitive Behavior Intervention) techniques, including staff training and effectiveness. This study will help support changes and improvements that will be recommended in the coming year. The final strategic implementation team – Grants and Resource Attainment Literacy SIT – completed a survey of staff and volunteers about how receptive they were to certain tasks being performed by volunteers, residents, parolees or probationers. Based on survey results, the team will develop recommendations on ways to increase efficiency and provide meaningful opportunities for others to become involved in our vision of Transforming Lives for the Safety of All. This is not an all-inclusive list of progress to date! Every team is hard at work gathering data, researching best practices, and more importantly, talking with other staff members on ways we can improve. |
Turner has been working with victims for over 20 years. Described by co-workers as “…a dedicated, kind, and caring advocate who has a tremendous amount of personal and professional integrity,” Turner credits the many victims she has served for much of her success.
“I give credit to the victims I have worked with that contributed to this recognition. They have made me who I am today, listening to each story and teaching me more about life then I could have ever taught them,” she said.
The recognition came during the observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) the week of April 18–24. This marked the 40th anniversary of NCVRW, dedicated to honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme - “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.” - emphasized the importance of leveraging community partnerships and support to help victims of crime.
Engaging and strengthening partnerships is one of the goals of KDOC’s Strategic Plan, Pathway for Success. Partnerships can be between organizations or between individuals, all working towards a common purpose.
]]>The KLC leadership path teaches that leadership is an activity, not a position, and that anyone within an organization can be an effective leader. The first step is a two-day virtual or in-person training called “Your Leadership Edge.” Last year, 37 KDOC staff completed this training, and 38 staff are involved in the first step of training this year.
The next step is “Lead for Change.” Participants meet weekly for six weeks and training includes a deeper dive into the KLC leadership framework with skill building activities in the areas of the change process, confronting assumptions and personal feedback. The final step, “Equipped to Lead,” is a two-day training covering advanced leadership strategies and challenges participants to develop ways to apply what they have learned to their roles within KDOC.
To support those who have completed various levels of the training, KDOC staff coordinate monthly “Virtual Leadership Stretch” Zoom sessions. These sessions give staff a chance to reconnect, discuss ideas and receive feedback on their own leadership activities throughout the department.
In addition, Matthew Beyer, EDCF staff development manager, Greg Perez, TCF staff development manager, and Jessica Homolka, KDOC leadership and supervisory trainer, are completing one of KLC’s intensive trainings, “Teach Leadership.” This is a 50-hour virtual training to further develop teaching and leading skills they can then use to expand opportunities within KDOC for additional staff to benefit from this leadership training.
Staff development and training are focus areas within KDOC’s strategic plan, Pathway for Success. All staff are given opportunities to gain new skills for personal and professional advancement and to support the work they do with individuals served by KDOC. Through the partnership with KLC, KDOC staff have opportunities to develop skills to lead in any situation, mobilize others in positive ways and create change for future success.
]]>Morris, a 43-year-old black male, left for Walmart in the community at 4:05 p.m. and was reported missing when he did not report back to the facility following an approved community pass.
Morris is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 179 pounds, slender build with brown eyes and black hair. Morris was last seen wearing jeans and a long sleeved, button up, white shirt and gray sweatshirt. Morris is known to inhabit homeless communities in Wichita.
Morris is currently serving a sentence for a conviction in Sedgwick County for removing electronic monitoring equipment. Morris was last seen leaving the Wichita Work Release Facility at 400 South Emporia in Wichita, Kansas.
Anyone with information on Morris can call the Kansas Department of Corrections at 316-265-5211, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.
The escape is currently being investigated. New information will be released as it becomes available.
The Wichita Work Release Facility, a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility, is an all-male, minimum-custody state prison with a population of 250.
]]>The report is the result of work undertaken by KDOC Juvenile Services and other stakeholders to address issues identified by the Juvenile Justice Workgroup in 2015 and in the Kansas Juvenile Justice Reform Act (SB367). The 2016 legislation cited the need to improve the quality of juvenile defense statewide.
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