Log in

Register

_______________________________________________________

The Office of Victim Services is victim-focused and safety-focused. We began with the basic service of victim notification and have expanded to provide a network of services that attempt to lessen the impact on crime victims as much as possible. Crime victims do not have control over the victimization that another person has chosen to perpetrate and victims/survivors deserve to be heard. Giving victims/survivors a voice in the system and increasing their safety is our focus.

As advocates for victims and for the success of offenders, we continue to support the risk-reduction focused system that the Department of Corrections has created. When considering the safety of crime victims and the public in general, simply containing and then releasing offenders without addressing the roots of the criminal behavior is not the safest option. Risk reduction seeks to reduce the likelihood of negative behavior regardless of the environment. Victim safety is a central and primary factor to the work of reducing offender risk and victim’s voices in the process are imperative. We strive to bring balance to the system.

If there is a topic or service that you would like to know more about, please let us know.

Libby Keogh, Director, Office of Victim Services, KDOC

_______________________________________________________

 

VICTIM NOTIFICATION PROGRAM

ALL VICTIM INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL BE MAINTAINED IN A FILING SYSTEM SEPARATE FROM ALL OTHER FILES.

A victim is a person who has suffered harm as the result of crime. A victim's family includes surviving spouse, children, parents or siblings. The policy of the Kansas Department of Corrections also provides for notification to persons not specifically identified as victims or a victim's family by existing statutes (including but not limited to witnesses and other family members).

As a crime victim, you have the right to be notified of specific changes regarding the status of an inmate who has been sentenced to the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections.

You will need to provide your name and address to the Kansas Department of Corrections and the District/County Attorney's Office, and update that information when your name or address changes.

The Kansas Department of Corrections will provide notification of the following changes regarding an inmate's status if a current address is known:

PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION - The Kansas Parole Board holds a parole hearing with an inmate one month prior to the inmate's parole eligibility date. Initial parole eligibility dates are based upon an inmate's sentence length. Subsequent parole eligibility dates are determined by the Board. The Board holds a public comment session one month prior to an inmate's parole hearing. Public comment sessions provide victims and other interested parties with the opportunity to present their views regarding the possibility of an inmate's parole. The dates, times and locations of the public comment sessions will be provided to victims by the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The Kansas Parole Board is an independent state agency. The Parole Board may be contacted at (785) 296-3469.

RELEASE ON PAROLE STATUS - discretionary release of an inmate granted by the Kansas Parole Board after the inmate has served at least the minimum sentence required by law. The offender may be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

RELEASE ON CONDITIONAL RELEASE STATUS - mandatory supervised release established by law that usually occurs when the inmate has served one half of the maximum sentence. The offender can be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

RELEASE ON POST-RELEASE STATUS - mandatory supervised release of an inmate who has served the incarceration portion of the sentence under provisions of the Sentencing Guidelines Act or whose sentence was converted to a guidelines sentence. The offender can be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

EXPIRATION OF SENTENCE - release occurring when an inmate has served to the maximum sentence date.

DEATH - notification of the death of an inmate.

ESCAPE - an unauthorized absence by an inmate from the correctional facility to which the inmate is assigned. Notice of an escape will be provided to victims as soon as possible.

ASSIGNMENT TO A WORK RELEASE PROGRAM - an inmate classified as minimum custody may be assigned to a work release program. The inmate is employed in the community but must return to the facility during non-working hours.

ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK ASSIGNMENT - an inmate classified as minimum custody may be assigned to supervised work crews outside the security perimeter of the facility.

APPLICATION FOR CLEMENCY - request from an inmate for sentence modification requiring approval of the Governor.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Kansas Department of Corrections determines an inmate's custody classification (special management, maximum, medium or minimum) based upon a number of factors. Each inmate's classification is reviewed at least every 120 days. An inmate's custody level determines the level of security needed for management of the inmate. The custody level of an inmate is public information and is available upon request.

The Kansas Department of Corrections assigns inmates to a particular correctional facility based, in part, on the custody classification and programmatic needs of the inmate. The location of an inmate is public information and is available upon request.

An inmate's disciplinary history is public information and will be provided upon request.

Certain aspects of an offender's release plan, including special conditions of supervision imposed by the Kansas Parole Board or the Department of Corrections, are public information and will be provided upon request.

The Department will intervene if a crime victim or member of the public is receiving unwanted telephonic or written communication from an inmate.

PLEASE CONTACT THE
VICTIM NOTIFICATION OFFICE
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

VICTIM NOTIFICATION OFFICE
KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
LANDON STATE OFFICE BUILDING
900 SW JACKSON, SUITE 400-N
TOPEKA, KANSAS 66612-1284

Toll Free: 1-866-404-6732

• This information is provided by the Kansas Department of Corrections and your local county/district attorney.
• Please notify our office either in writing or by telephone each time you change your name or address. The Victim Notification Office cannot notify you if you fail to report these changes.
• You need to inform our office that you want to receive notification.
• Fill out the request form attached to this brochure. The information contained in this request must be complete. Your county/district attorney or your victim/witness coordinator will be able to assist you in completing the form.
• Feel free to write or call the Victim Notification Office, or complete the electronic request form which will be emailed directly to the Victim Notification Coordinators at the Kansas Department of Corrections.