“We had nominees from every corner of KDOC for this year. It was an incredible list of employees doing phenomenal work,” said Audrey Cress, director of KDOC Office of Victim Services.
The four winners were surprised during July staff meetings and presented certificates of recognition in honor of their award. Criteria for the award includes dedication to the safety of crime victims and/or public safety in general while supporting offender success. The award can go to individuals for help provided on a particular case, demonstrating a consistent commitment to safety and success or for a program that has been implemented.
The overall 2021 Champion of Justice Award went to Kendra Vestal, Ellsworth Correctional Facility discharge planner in the reentry program. She has held her current position since 2019. Prior to joining KDOC we worked four years at ECF with the department's medical provider.
Vestral was instrumental in making the Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) accessible and successful for three residents at ECF this year. The program required participants to use zoom technology rather than attending in-person sessions at Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF). Maintaining a busy schedule with her normal duties, Vestral took on the extra efforts required to make sure the three participants had access to materials and technology, troubleshooting technology difficulties and coordinated the BIP staff visit to ECF to celebrate the participants’ success.
One of her nominators said, “Kendra was a real advocate for the BIP Program at ECF. And it was clear from the way she interacted with the BIP group members at ECF that she embodies the concepts of second chances, redemption and kindness to all.” Another nominator wrote: “When all three residents got their favorable board results, she personally delivered it to them so she could celebrate their success with them.”
Pictured above, left to right: Audrey Cress, OVS director; Kendra Vestal, ECF discharge planner and 2021 KDOC Champion of Justice Award winner; Danielle Thompson, KDOC BIP Coordinator; and Jennifer Horst, KDOC BIP Assistant Coordinator
Cora Gibson, Parole Officer, Hutchinson Parole Office
Cora Gibson joined KDOC as a parole officer with the Hutchinson Parole Office in May 2019. She served as a vocal advocate for a victim whose safety was in question when the offender was discharged from supervision sooner than expected. Gibson wrote a letter on behalf of the victim to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Board, securing funding for the victim to relocate and helping the victim find housing to increase safety. In the nomination materials,
Gibson was praised for advocating on behalf of victims and children and maintaining communication with the victims throughout the process.
Logan Hall, Parole Officer, Great Bend Parole Office
Logan Hall, parole officer with the Great Bend Parole Office, was described as “probably one of the most victim centered parole officers that I have worked with. Every time I work with Logan it is apparent that victim safety is a top priority for him.”
Hall was a police officer before joining the KDOC staff as a parole officer in Great Bend in 2015.
His dedication to advocating on behalf of the victim and maintaining confidentiality while addressing the victim’s concerns has earned him the trust and respect of both the victims and his peers. One of his nominators wrote: “He has gone out of his way many times to meet with victims in person to discuss release plans, safety concerns and also when working on reintegration.”
Jillian Pollard, Parole Supervisor, Kansas City Parole Office
Jillian Pollard has served as parole supervisor with the Kansas City Parole Office since Aug. 2014. Previously she was a probation and parole officer in Missouri for 10 years, then joined KDOC in Sept. 2011 as a parole officer before being promoted to her current position. Her nominators noted she “creates a culture within her unit where victims are heard, respected, and supported.”
Pollard approaches offender supervision with compassion and humility while remaining responsive to victim services and the needs of the victims. “Her empathy, resourcefulness, and collaborative nature are an asset to our work and the people we serve,” nomination materials said.
The Office of Victim Services (OVS) provides confidential support and information if you are the victim, survivor or witness to a crime and the offender was sentenced to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
]]>“Tommy brings to his new position within EDCF the insight and experience gained by serving in multiple roles at Hutchinson and El Dorado,” said Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections. “In addition, he has demonstrated thoughtful leadership and care for the welfare of our staff and our residents throughout his history with our agency.”
Williams began his career with the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) in June 1984. His work assignments have included corrections officer and corrections specialist in the training department where he co-founded KDOC’s Defensive Tactics program. He has also served as an investigator for Enforcement Apprehension Investigations (EAI), corrections counselor and unit team manager.
He is an active member of the American Correctional Association and United States Deputy Wardens Association. While in Hutchinson, Williams served on the board for Sexual Assault Domestic Violence of Reno County and two terms as a commissioner for the Human Relations Commission of Hutchinson.
He is an alumnus of both Leadership Reno County and Kansas Leadership Center of Wichita. Williams teaches martial arts at the American Karate and Martial Science where he has been the chief instructor and owner for over 30 years. He is a three time inductee into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
The 1,955 bed El Dorado Correctional Facility opened in 1991 and was expanded in 1995 and 2001. The facility is designed for maximum- and medium-custody residents and to serve as the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) for all adult males sentenced to KDOC. In RDU, residents receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs and a permanent housing assignment.
]]>The increase is due in part to Second Chance Pell grants. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced last fall that seven Kansas colleges had been awarded $2,229,125 million in Pell funding for incarcerated citizens. This was the second round of awards through the U.S. Department of Education, with 67 colleges selected from 180 applicants. Kansas received the highest number of awards in the nation.
Another four Kansas colleges are expected to apply in early 2022 for Second Chance Pell status. In July 2023, a ban - put in place in 1994 under the Violent Crimes Control and Law Enforcement Act - on Pell grants for those who are incarcerated will be lifted, leading to greater opportunities for more residents to enroll.
“Of the 325 residents in KDOC classrooms this fall, 240 are funded through Pell,” said Dr. Cris Fanning, KDOC Education Director. “By leveraging KDOC funds with Pell and other federal funds, KDOC plans to significantly increase market relevant job certifications for returning citizens.”
The classes are taught by professors from Kansas colleges. The Kansas Consortium for Correctional Higher Education, a partnership between KDOC, the Kansas Board of Regents and 11 Kansas higher education institutions, ensures prison programs are of the same quality as those on campus and that certifications and degrees are geared to high-demand occupations.
CTE programs include welding, sustainable/renewable energy, carpentry and electrical skills. Degree programs include associate of applied science, associate of arts in liberal studies and Bachelor of Science in computer information systems. As funding and space within the facilities allow, more programs and degrees will be added.
Special education and Title I services are also offered, and another 134 residents are enrolled in GED programs.
The connection between education and opportunity is well-documented. According to a recent Rand study, for every $1 spent on educating an incarcerated individual, taxpayers save between $4 and $5 in three-year incarceration costs. KDOC research indicates 75% of those entering prison have weak employment and education histories, and 50% of the reincarcerated were unemployed at the time of re-entry
“There is a direct link to education achievement and success after an individual fulfills their sentence and returns to the community,” said Jeff Zmuda, Kansas Secretary of Corrections. “Job readiness programs, transitional planning, private and correctional industry opportunities, mentors, tutors and many other key partners all play a part, but education and training are the foundation.”
Beyond the benefit to the individual, a skilled, ready-to-work workforce is one of our state’s highest needs.
KDOC releases approximately 6,000 individuals each year who return to their home communities. Providing training and education prior to release increases the labor pool for employers, and this in turn directly benefits local and state economies and improves the quality of life for all involved.
KDOC staff also observe that giving residents meaningful, relevant activities such as education and training leads to improved behavior. This is reflected in fewer rules violations and placements in restrictive housing. It also promotes positive engagement with staff and other residents and contributes to improved mental and physical health.
]]>Both individuals are first-generation college students in their families, and both plan to continue their education to pursue bachelor's degrees. The following are brief excerpts from their graduation speeches:
“As for myself I look back on my life and see how I used to be. It is the complete opposite of who I feel I have become. To see this change is only a recent realization for me, one that leaves me in awe of the capacity of humanity to grow out of the pain and suffering too many must endure and become something wonderful. Education for me has been a life-altering factor. It has given me the sense of purpose and motivation to become something more than my past would lead you to think I would become.”
"I want to start by saying lights do shine in dark rooms. College has been that light . . . inside KDOC. Thank you for seeing the need to help inmates seek a brighter future with higher education. This education opens up doors to people who are forever labeled in society."
Education is an essential part of KDOC's Strategic Plan, Pathway for Success. The benefits of providing education opportunities for residents of KDOC facilities are far-reaching, not only for the individual but also for Kansas employers and the economy. KDOC releases approximately 6,000 individuals each year who return to their home communities, and 98 percent of the men and women in Kansas prisons today will return to live as neighbors and members of our society.
A successful return to life after incarceration is far from a sure thing for too many. Access to a good job and a livable wage, one of the cornerstones of successful reentry, is beyond the reach of many who have paid their debt to society and are ready to rebuild their lives. Research shows individuals who achieve a steady employment with a livable wage after incarceration are one-third less likely to return to prison. Jobs often require training or certification, and in many cases an associate's or bachelor's degree.
]]>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 |