News & Commentary

A Kansan says he is grateful he’ll be allowed to continue flying his “F--- Biden” flag after his town dropped all related charges against him. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has changed a policy that denied sex reassignment surgery to people who did not legally change their names, the company confirmed Thursday.

The ACLU complained in a letter of reports of stabbings, understaffing and poor security at the private prison. As CoreCivic's contract expires this month, questions about its future remain.

Considered the most prestigious and competitive award for public interest law graduates, Skadden Fellowships provide two years of funding for lawyers pursuing public-interest law projects of their own design. Hiegert is one of 28 judicial clerks and graduating law students across the country to receive a Skadden Fellowship.

(CNN)Leavenworth Detention Center seems like a prime example of why President Joe Biden wants to close private prisons: So far this year, the federally contracted jail has been the site of multiple stabbings and a fatal beating. Former guards say drugs and weapons are common behind bars -- and for months, many cell doors didn't even lock. A judge called it "an absolute hellhole" at a recent sentencing hearing. 

LEAVENWORTH — Dangerous understaffing, pervasive drugs and a stockpile of weapons have transformed a private detention center in Kansas into a “hell hole” where violence is routine and inmates are still on lockdown after one was beaten to death this summer.

Kansas is the latest state to explore alterations to its mail policies in state prisons, pointing to the rise of drug use within facilities as justification for a move that has alarmed advocates.

A CoreCivic Leavenworth detainee kicked, punched and struck Scott Wilson, another detainee, with a tray last month. Wilson died two days later.

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission.