Third Presentation to the Washington Justice Reinvestment Taskforce

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett is leading efforts to safely improve Kansas’s approach to sentencing, supervision, behavioral health, and reentry as part of the state’s participation in the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.

Through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Kansas Rep. Stephen Owens is helping lead work with other criminal justice stakeholders to improve outcomes for people in Kansas’s criminal justice system, disrupt the cycle of recidivism, and find savings to offset recent fiscal losses.

The Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission voted on final policy recommendations to help maintain public safety while being responsive to the state’s budget deficit. They approved all but one recommendation.

State and local justice systems faced unprecedented challenges in 2020. We look back at our year of creating successes in the midst of hardship and building consensus despite conflict.

Congress recently approved a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending package for 2021 and a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package.

A package of criminal justice bills aiming to keep people with substance use disorders out of prison and improve community supervision and reentry supports has been introduced in the Kansas legislature for the 2021 session.