We, the undersigned, are calling on the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), Governor Laura Kelly, and the Kansas State Legislature to take immediate action to address inhumane and dangerous conditions at Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF).

Inside HCF, incarcerated individuals are being subjected to:

• Denied access to mental health medications, hygiene supplies, and even toilet paper
• Unbearable heat with no air conditioning in many units, placing lives at risk
• Widespread drug overdoses occurring almost daily, often without timely medical response
• Withheld mail, phone access, and visitation with loved ones — even for those not involved in any misconduct
• Retaliation, neglect, and verbal abuse by staff members, with no transparent system of accountability

This is not about excusing crime. This is about demanding basic human rights for individuals in state custody. The State of Kansas has a legal and moral obligation to provide humane care, safety, and medical treatment — regardless of a person’s past.

HCF is a public institution, funded by our tax dollars. As such, it must operate with transparency, oversight, and respect for civil rights. Instead, it is failing — and people are suffering, being traumatized, or even dying.

We are demanding:

An independent investigation into conditions and staff conduct at HCF

Mandatory standards for medical care, hygiene, air circulation, and overdose prevention

Oversight by a neutral third party with no ties to KDOC or state officials to ensure accountability and protect lives.

Protection for whistleblowers, staff, and incarcerated individuals who report abuse or neglect

Real consequences for those in leadership positions who ignore or cover up these systemic failures

If the state cannot treat people humanely while they serve their time, then the system itself is the one breaking the law.

Please sign and share this petition to help amplify the voices of those behind the walls — and to demand the change our community, and our conscience, requires.

Justice must include dignity.