TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate has unanimously passed a bill that would overhaul the state’s juvenile justice system.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the bill was created to shift the juvenile justice system away from incarceration and use some of the cost savings to boost community-based programs that help young offenders.
The bill is expected to save Kansas about $72 million over five years. It also replaces juvenile jail with programs that to try to cure problems such as inappropriate sexual behavior or substance abuse.
The final bill was a result of months of legislative analysis, debate and research.
Republican state Rep. John Rubin of Shawnee led the path for the reform, but almost quit the Legislature last week when he was fired as chairman of the Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee over an unrelated floor argument.
