The prison system in Kansas has been a subject of public scrutiny and debate for many years. With a population of over 2.9 million, Kansas has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States, and its prisons have faced numerous challenges, including overcrowding, understaffing, and inadequate resources.
Despite efforts to reform the system, many continue to question whether the current approach to punishment and rehabilitation is effective or sustainable.
In this article, we will explore the history of prisons in Kansas, the current state of the system, and the ongoing efforts to address its challenges and improve outcomes for both inmates and society as a whole.
Kansas Prison Map
Use the Kansas prison map below to locate any facility. Click on the map markers to read our detailed guide of that facility.
State Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Levels | Gender | Operator/ Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Dorado Correctional Facility | El Dorado, Kansas | 1,365 | Special Management, Maximum, and Medium | Male | Kansas Department of Corrections |
| Ellsworth Correctional Facility | Ellsworth, Kansas | 927 | Multi-Custody | Male | Kansas Department of Corrections |
| Hutchinson Correctional Facility | Hutchinson, Kansas | 1,784 | Maximum, Special Management, Medium, and Minimum | Male | Kansas Department of Corrections |
| Lansing Correctional Facility | Lansing, Kansas | 2,405 | Maximum, Medium, and Minimum | Male | Kansas Department of Corrections |
| Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility | Larned, Kansas | 598 | Medium-Security and Minimum-Security | Male | Kansas Department of Corrections |
| Norton Correctional Facility | Norton, Kansas | 835 | Medium/Minimum | Male | Secretary of Corrections |
| Topeka Correctional Facility | Topeka, Kansas | 1,515 | Maximum-Work Release | Female | Secretary of Corrections |
| Winfield Correctional Facility | Cowley County, Kansas | 554 | Minimum | Male | Secretary of Corrections |
| Wichita Work Release Facility | Wichita, Kansas | 250 | Minimum | Male | Secretary of Corrections |
El Dorado Correctional Facility
El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF) is Kansas’ newest correctional facility, designed to house special management, maximum-, and medium-custody inmates.
Constructed as a result of a 1988 class action lawsuit challenging prison conditions, the $58 million facility was built to house 640 adult male inmates with the potential for future expansion of 725 additional beds.
EDCF’s Central Unit opened in January 1991 and is located one mile east of El Dorado on State Highway 54. Inmates assigned to the Central Unit are typically repeat offenders with a history of violent behavior. EDCF’s philosophy is that offenders are sentenced to incarceration as punishment, not for punishment.
During an inmate’s incarceration, it is the facility’s responsibility to increase offenders’ abilities and motivations to practice responsible, pro-social, crime-free behavior through the provision of programs and services designed to assist with both risk reduction and reentry efforts.
EDCF houses the most dangerous and recalcitrant inmates assigned to long-term involuntary segregation.
Additionally, all male offenders sentenced to the custody of the Secretary of Corrections are received and processed through the EDCF Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU), where they receive orientation and are assigned to a custody classification, appropriate programs, and a permanent housing assignment.
The management and activities at EDCF impact the entire corrections system due to the specialized nature of its operation.
Ellsworth Correctional Facility
Ellsworth Correctional Facility, located on a 68.6-acre site, is a multi-custody prison in Kansas that provides housing for 832 adult male inmates in the Central Unit and 95 minimum custody inmates in the East Unit.
The facility’s mission is to ensure the safety and security of the community, employees, and inmates.
It offers a range of correctional programming, faith-based activities, cognitive-based activities, real-life skill exposure, and effective staff-inmate interaction to help inmates improve their conditions and reduce crime and associated costs.
The inmate population also has the opportunity to participate in facility support and community-based work activities. The ultimate goal of Ellsworth Correctional Facility is to prepare inmates for successful reentry into society, which will positively impact their families and communities.
Hutchinson Correctional Facility
Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) is one of the largest prisons in Kansas, accommodating adult male inmates across four custody levels: maximum, special management, medium, and minimum.
The facility’s capacity stood at 1,784 inmates at the end of 2013, with prisoners housed in three different units.
The main-custody compound is walled, while the minimum-security unit is located outside the walls. The medium-custody unit is situated about a mile east of the main facility. HCF also houses one of two centers for the KDOC’s transportation system, which facilitates inmate movement between correctional facilities.
As with other correctional institutions managed by the Secretary of Corrections, HCF provides education, health services, and food services through contracts with private vendors.
Lansing Correctional Facility
Lansing Correctional Facility is the largest and oldest correctional complex in Kansas, designed for adult male inmates.
With a capacity of 2,405 inmates as of the end of 2013, the complex comprises the Central Unit, which contains an 11-acre maximum-security facility, as well as a 46-acre medium-security facility, and the East Unit, an 85-acre minimum-security facility.
One of two centers for the KDOC’s transportation system, which moves inmates between correctional facilities, is also located at LCF. Education, health services, and food services are provided through contracts with private vendors, as is typical for facilities managed by the Secretary of Corrections.
Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility
Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility (LCMHF) is a Kansas Department of Corrections facility that houses the young offender program. The program is designed for males aged 18-25 who have been sentenced to the custody of the Secretary of Corrections.
LCMHF offers programs that have been proven to reduce recidivism in the target population. The facility comprises a medium-security central unit with 310 beds and a minimum-security West Unit with 288 beds.
LCMHF also serves as an admission point for southwest Kansas for inmates serving a probation sanction issued by their sentencing court for a 120- or 180-day prison sanction.
The West Unit of the facility provides facility support and community work programs for minimum-custody inmates and for community transition for inmates who have successfully participated in the young offender program.
Education, health services, and food services are provided through contracts, as is the case with other facilities under the management of the Secretary of Corrections.
Norton Correctional Facility
Norton Correctional Facility (NCF) is a correctional institution located in Norton, Kansas. The facility can house up to 835 adult male inmates, with 539 medium-security beds and 168 minimum-security beds at the main-custody compound, and 128 minimum-security beds at the satellite unit in Stockton.
As with other facilities managed by the Secretary of Corrections, education, health services, and food services are provided by private vendors.
NCF offers a range of programs and services to inmates, including educational and vocational training, substance abuse treatment, and mental health counseling. The facility also has a focus on reentry and provides resources and support to inmates to help them successfully reintegrate into society upon release.
Topeka Correctional Facility
Topeka Correctional Facility is a state prison for women located in Topeka, Kansas. It was built in the 1970s and became the only women’s prison in the state in 1995. The facility administers a range of security levels, from maximum security to work release.
The site was originally founded in 1905 as the Topeka Industrial Institute by African American educator Edward S. Stephens. It was a school on its own farmland, modeled on the Tuskegee Institute.
The school closed in 1955 and the site was repurposed as a prison. Today, Topeka Correctional Facility is focused on rehabilitating its inmates and helping them to successfully re-enter society upon release.
Winfield Correctional Facility
Winfield Correctional Facility (WCF) is a minimum-security adult male facility located in Cowley County, Kansas. With a capacity of 554 inmates, WCF serves as a re-entry function for inmates expected to be paroled in the near future.
The facility is situated on the north side of the city of Winfield, on the site of the former Winfield State Hospital and Training Center. Wichita Work Release Facility (WWRF) is also a male facility, located in Wichita, with a capacity of 250 inmates.
WWRF provides selected inmates with the opportunity for community reintegration prior to their release from custody. Inmates are expected to become gainfully employed on a full-time basis in the community.
Education, health services, and food services at both facilities are provided through contracts with private vendors, as is the case with other facilities managed by the Secretary of Corrections.
Wichita Work Release Facility
The Wichita Work Release Facility is a minimum-custody state prison in Wichita, Kansas. It serves as a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility and can accommodate up to 250 male inmates.
The program’s primary aim is to help inmates make a successful transition back into society by providing them with the necessary skills and training. Work release is a unique opportunity that allows participants to leave confinement and work in the community while under close supervision.
Inmates must maintain full-time employment and pay for their room and board, transportation, court costs, restitution, and other outstanding debts. They must also accumulate savings before their release.
Participants are responsible for their own medical and dental expenses as well as the upkeep of their living quarters and the facility’s general use areas.
Federal Prisons
| Prison Name | Location | Inmate Capacity | Security Levels | Gender | Operator/ Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth | Leavenworth, Kansas | 1,817 | Medium security | Male | Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice |
United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
The United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth is a medium security facility that is located in Leavenworth, Kansas. The prison is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which is a division of the United States Department of Justice.
The facility includes a satellite federal prison camp that is designed for minimum-security male offenders. The prison is located 25 miles northwest of Kansas City, Kansas, and is known for its high-security measures.
The facility is designed to house some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, and it has a reputation for being one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
Despite its reputation, the prison is committed to providing inmates with a safe and secure environment, while also helping them to prepare for a successful re-entry into society.
Sources:
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/edcf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/ecf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/hcf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/lcf/lcf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/lcmhf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/ncf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/tcf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/wcf
https://www.doc.ks.gov/facilities/wwrf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Penitentiary,_Leavenworth