Kansas Considering Recommendations To Improve Juvenile Justice System & Reduce Recidivism Rates

The Kansas legislature is considering three recommendations for improving its juvenile justice system use of resources and reducing recidivism rates. The recommendations focus on establishing new performance measures for grants and contracts, collecting data to promote greater accountability, and developing statewide criteria for matching youth with an appropriate level of supervision, with increased funding for community-based services.

Currently, approximately 75% of all Kansas youth in custody of the Department of Correction (KDOC) assigned to secure Youth Residential Centers or case management placements are considered to be low-to-moderate risk offenders. Three-year recidivism rates among youth released from . . .