Kansas governor to merge juvenile, adult corrections
BY AP Wire Service
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
12/11/12 at 5:57 AM
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Gov. Sam Brownback announced Monday that he intends to merge Kansas' troubled juvenile justice agency with the adult Department of Corrections system, arguing that two critical legislative audits in the past five months show the need to abandon "a failed social-services approach" to handling young offenders.
Brownback contends the juvenile facilities and programs would be better managed under the Department of Corrections and says money that's going toward administration of the Juvenile Justice Authority could instead be diverted into programs for offenders.
The Republican governor's plan to issue an executive order early next year to the GOP-controlled Legislature received the immediate endorsement of incoming Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce, a former county prosecutor. Under the state constitution, Brownback will have 30 days to issue the order once legislators convene their 2013 session in mid-January. Lawmakers will then have 60 days to reject it, or the order will take effect on July 1.
Original Print Headline: Kan. gov. to merge juvenile, adult corrections
