Terminal Medical Release

Across Kansas, there are people in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections suffering from terminal medical conditions affords people compassion, fairness, and dignity. Often called “compassionate release” or, here in Kansas, “terminal medical release,” this process allows the Department of Corrections (KDOC) to release someone from incarceration before the end of their sentence because of a medical condition likely to cause death within a certain amount of time. In Kansas, terminal medical release is only available if a person is within thirty days of death. In other words, KDOC may release a terminally ill person early—but only if they are right at death’s door, and only after a lengthy, cumbersome review process.