TOPEKA, Kansas One solution to Kansas prisons woes could come with a $35 million price tag for three new specialty prisons.
The states corrections system only treats half of its inmates who struggle with substance abuse. And as some people serve decades-long sentences, the system finds itself home to more elderly prisoners who need special care as they age.
Lawmakers created the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission to address those issues, as well as chronic overcrowding that resulted in hundreds of inmates being sent to a private prison in Arizona earlier this year.
In a report released this week, the panel of legislators, court employees, mental health experts, police and state officials signed off on a series of recommendations for the Kansas Legislature to consider when it convenes in January:
Repurpose and renovate a prison building to serve as a 250-bed geriatric care facility. Estimated cost: $9-10 million for renovations, $8.3 million per year for operations
Re-purpose and renovate a prison building to house about 250 inmates for substance abuse treatment. Estimated cost: $3.5-4.5 million for renovations, $4.1 million for operations
Build a new substance abuse treatment prison with about 240 beds. Estimated cost: $20.7 million just for construction
Increase spending and capacity for the states overwhelmed mental health hospitals, a proposal already recommended by a state mental health task force for two years. Estimated cost: at least $86.8 million
Reduce sentences, fines and fees for some minor crimes
Allow state funding for people charged with drug crimes to undergo treatment instead of going to trial
The intent is to reduce the states prison population, which exceeds capacity and is projected to grow over the next decade.
Increased mental health and substance abuse treatment could cut the number of people who enter prison and who return once theyre released, said Kansas Rep. Stephen Owens, a Republican from central Kansas and vice-chair of the commission.
But convincing legislators to vote in favor of putting more money toward the issue could be a challenge, Owens said.
Theres going to be some people that simply dont want to spend money on it, he said. Because they may or may not believe that that is the correct answer to solve the problem.
The vast majority of inmates that enter the system are going to be coming out, Owens said. Why not help them become productive members of society?
More than a decade ago, Kansas passed laws that let judges sentence people to a term in a specialized substance abuse prison, said state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, also a member of the commission. But the state never funded or built that kind of prison.
