We, the undersigned, call for the immediate establishment of independent, unaffiliated oversight of Kansas prisons. Current oversight through KDOC is inadequate and fails to protect the human rights and dignity of incarcerated people.

 

Why Oversight is Needed:

 

Opaque System: 

Prisons in Kansas operate with little public transparency. Media and the public cannot access the reality of daily conditions, and KDOC controls the narrative.

Biased Reporting:

Even visits from the Legislative Oversight Committee are pre-scheduled and narrowly focused on programs, not the living conditions that impact health and safety.

Unchecked Power:

KDOC has total control over prisoners’ lives—medical care, food, housing, safety, and punishment—with no neutral accountability.

Human Rights Violations:

Prolonged solitary confinement, recognized by the UN as torture after 15 days, continues unchecked.

Denial or disruption of medical and mental health treatment puts lives at risk.

Neglect of basic infrastructure, such as air conditioning in extreme heat, creates life-threatening conditions.

 

What We Demand:

Creation of an Independent Oversight Body unaffiliated with KDOC or internal committees.
Inclusion of Prisoners, Families, and Advocates in shaping oversight, ensuring real experiences are represented.

Unscheduled Inspections that assess living conditions, not just programs or reports prepared by KDOC.

Public Accountability — findings must be made accessible to Kansas taxpayers who fund these facilities.

 

Our Position:

Time in prison is the punishment. It should not be compounded by torture, abuse, or neglect. Without independent oversight, these violations will continue in the shadows. Kansas must hold its prison system accountable to human rights standards.

 

We urge Governor Kelly, Kansas legislators, and state leaders to immediately establish true, independent oversight of the Kansas prison system.