2020 Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission

Resources  •  Agenda/Minutes  •  Report (PDF) Non-Legislative Members
Marc Bennett, Chairperson (District Attorney from an Urban Area)
Chief Todd Ackerman, (Police Chief Representative)
Jennifer Baysinger (Criminal Justice Reform Advocate)
Honorable Glenn Braun (District Judge)
Sheriff Bill Carr (Sheriff Representative)
Honorable Marty Clark (District Magistrate Judge)
Professor John Francis (Professor of Law, Washburn University School of Law)
Spence Koehn (Judicial Branch Court Services)
Tabitha Owen (County Attorney from a Rural Area)
Sylvia Penner (Criminal Defense Attorney)
Bill Persinger (Mental Health Professional)
Professor Jean Phillips (Professor of Law, University of Kansas School of Law)
Pastor Adrion Roberson (Faith-based Community Representative)
Chad Harmon (Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Provider Representative, SB 123 Program)
Shelly Williams (Community Corrections Representative)

Kansas Legislative Research Dept.
Jordan Milholland
Robert Gallimore
Milesha Segun
Murl Riedel
Martin de Boer

Office of Revisor of Statutes
Natalie Scott
Jason Thompson
Jenna Moyer

Connie Bahner, Committee Assistant

Charge

       The Commission is directed to:

• Analyze the sentencing guideline grids for drug and nondrug crimes and
  recommend legislation to ensure appropriate sentences;

• Review sentences imposed for criminal conduct to determine proportionality
  compared to sentences for other criminal offenses;

• Analyze diversion programs and recommend options to expand diversion
  programs and implement statewide standards;

• Review community supervision levels and programming available for those
  serving sentences for felony convictions;

• Study and make recommendations for specialty courts statewide;

• Survey and make recommendations regarding available evidence-based
  programming for offenders in correctional facilities and in the community;

• Study Department of Corrections policies for placement of offenders and make recommendations for specialty facilities, to include geriatric, healthcare, and substance abuse facilities; and

• Evaluate existing information management data systems and recommend
  improvements that will allow criminal justice agencies to more efficiently evaluate and monitor the efficacy of the criminal justice system.

       (Note: The facilitator of the Commission, in coordination with the Office of Revisor of Statutes and the Kansas Legislative Research Department, is statutorily required to call the first organizational meeting of the Commission during August 2019.)

Approved Meeting Days: 1 day