TOPEKA, Kan. — A report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says the number of women in prison in Kansas is growing far faster than the number of men, outpacing national trends.
Kansas News Service reports that from 2000 to 2019, the women’s prison population in Kansas rose by 60% while the men’s rose by 14%. The report doesn’t say why Kansas’ female prison population grew so much, but policy changes intended to reduce the number of inmates likely had different effects on men and women.
Topeka Correctional Facility Warden Gloria Geither says the prison is trying to manage overcrowding and improve inmates’ lives.
