Consolidation of Correctional Field Services in Kansas

This thesis represents research conducted on the topic of consolidation of correctional and probational field services in the state of Kansas. Many years of prior research and recommendations have gone into this topic from several task forces regarding the future of field services programs and suspension of offenders in Kansas. My thesis presents solutions and a plan for implementation that addresses the issues of duplication of services, dual-supervision of offenders, service inefficiencies, parity in sentencing and development of correctional resources in Kansas. The plan I recommend is called CJ-2000. Criminal-Justice 2000 is a plan that makes recommendations of how to address the issues and further develop Kansas' criminal Justice system to be more efficient in service delivery without consolidating the three criminal justice agencies in Kansas. Court Services, Community Corrections and State Parole are three agencies handling current services for offenders placed on community supervision. The CJ-2000 plan delivers some alternatives to prior recommendations found in Kansas research and includes collaboration with the existing agencies and contractual agreements with the funding agencies, while adding accountability to the legislators and tax payers of Kansas. The CJ-2000 plan further includes an organized means of providing offender services and a safe, efficient, humane, professional system of operating the Kansas Criminal Justice System.