Kansas Innovations in Supervision Initiative

The Innovations in Supervision Initiative (ISI) provides opportunities to increase the facility's and parole's’ ability to assist in reducing crimes committed by those supervised in the community. The goal of the FY 2020 ISI is to improve the capacity and effectiveness of KDOC case management to increase parole success rates, and reduce the number of crimes committed by those under parole and facility supervision. Such efforts would reduce crime, admissions to prisons and jails, and save taxpayer dollars. ISI is part of BJA’s Innovations in Public Safety portfolio, also known as the “Innovations Suite.” The Innovations Suite of programs invests in the development of practitioner-researcher partnerships that use data, evidence, and innovation to create strategies that are effective and economical. This data-driven approach enables jurisdictions to understand the full nature and extent of the crime challenges they are facing and to direct resources to the highest priorities. The Innovations Suite of programs represents a strategic approach that leverages innovative applications of analysis, technology, and evidence-based practices with the goal of improving performance and making America safer. Successful partnerships between practitioners and researchers require investments of planning, time, communication, complementary skills, and adequate resources. The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) will use their award to build KDOC’s infrastructure to use effective facility and parole case management practices that reduce offender recidivism. KDOC will use funds to align policies and practices with evidence-based practices; develop the coaching and mentoring skills of 61 supervisors; and develop the risk-reduction skills of 409 line staff.