Category Archives: Judiciary, Corrections, and Juvenile Justice

Briefing Book 2026: Attorney Workforce Within the Office of the Attorney General and the State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services

Attorney Workforce Trends According to the Kansas Supreme Court’s Rural Justice Initiative Committee Report, there were 11,179 active attorneys in Kansas in 2023. Of those attorneys, only 70.2 percent (or 7,843 attorneys) resided in the state of Kansas. This correlates with the 2024 Profile of the Legal Profession by the American Bar Association, which statesContinue reading “Briefing Book 2026: Attorney Workforce Within the Office of the Attorney General and the State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services”

Briefing Book 2026: Judicial Deference

Prior to the 2023-2024 term of the U.S. Supreme Court, the landmark decision in the area of judicial deference to administrative agencies was Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (1984), which was recently overturned by Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimando (2024). This article provides a brief history of U.S. Supreme Court precedenceContinue reading “Briefing Book 2026: Judicial Deference”

Briefing Book 2026: Sex Offender Residency and Travel Restrictions

Historical Perspective on Residency Restrictions Legislation enacted in 2006 (SB 506) authorized the creation of the Sex Offender Policy Board (SOPB) under the auspices of the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to study and make recommendations pertaining to various issues involving sex offenders. One of the topics to be studied by the SOPB included restrictionsContinue reading “Briefing Book 2026: Sex Offender Residency and Travel Restrictions”

Hutchinson Correctional Facility Capital Improvement Projects

Background The Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) is the second-largest facility in Kansas housing male adults, with a capacity of 1,810 residents at four custody levels: maximum, special management, medium, and minimum. The facility employs 507 full-time state employees, more than 85 contract employees, and has an annual operating budget of $47.3 million. The majority ofContinue reading “Hutchinson Correctional Facility Capital Improvement Projects”

Report of the J. Russell (Russ) Jennings Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight to the 2024 Kansas Legislature

The 1997 Legislature created the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight to provide legislative oversight of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and the Juvenile Justice Authority. Pursuant to Executive Reorganization Order No. 42, on July 1, 2013, the jurisdiction, powers, functions, and duties of the Juvenile Justice Authority and the Commissioner of Juvenile Justice were transferred to KDOC and the Secretary of Corrections.

Adoption of Minors: Statutory Overview

Adoption establishes a legal parent-child relationship between a child and third persons and terminates existing rights and obligations between a child and his or her biological parents. In Kansas, the Adoption and Relinquishment Act, KSA 59-2111 et seq., governs adoptions, which include termination of parental rights and the transfer of legal custody to and creation of legal rights in the adoptive parents. Any adult or married couple may adopt.

KSA 59-2112 defines the different methods of adopting: “adult adoption,” “agency adoption,” “independent adoption,” and “stepparent adoption.” This article focuses on adoption of minors.

Foster Care Services and Child in Need of Care Proceedings

Foster care services are provided when the court finds a child to be in need of care pursuant to the Revised Kansas Code for the Care of Children (CINC Code; KSA 38-2201 to 38-2283). Child in Need of Care (CINC) proceedings can be divided into two categories: those concerning children who lack adequate parental care or control, or have been abused or abandoned; and those concerning children who commit certain offenses listed in KSA 38-2202(d)(6)-(10). This memorandum focuses on the first category.

Prison Review Board

The Prisoner Review Board (Board) is the releasing authority for incarcerated offenders who have committed the most serious, heinous, and detrimental acts against society. The Board also performs a variety of additional functions in the Kansas criminal justice system. As an integral part of the Kansas criminal justice system and consistent with the agency mission, the Board continually strives to provide for public safety through its work with offenders, corrections professionals, victims, families, the public, law enforcement officials, and other criminal justice stakeholders. This memorandum reviews the role of Board, and parole and clemency procedures as they relate to the board.

Community Supervision

In Kansas, three entities comprise the community supervision structure: Court Services, Community Corrections, and Parole Services. Parole Services supervises offenders released from Kansas correctional facilities on parole, post-release supervision, or conditional release. This memorandum will focus on the functions of Court Services and Community Corrections and how they compare to each other.