Central Kansas Community Corrections continues to work to keep this region’s non-violent offenders out of the prison system, and again this year it appears it will do the work with less.
CKCC Director Amy Boxberger reported to the Barton County Commission on the grant application for the agency and its budget plan.
While CKCC continues to work to lower risks and make the county safer, Boxberger noted, she expects there to be more cuts.
Working within the state’s formula, Boxberger told commissioners that the regular budget for the next state fiscal year would be $396,350 to continue current programs. However state programs are also providing budgets with an 11 percent reduction, which would drop the CKCC total to $352,751.
On the other hand, the actual operating costs for the agency is about $26,000 over the current level, Boxberger reported.
CKCC is already using client costs and out-patient treatment revenues to help offset the costs, but the expected cuts are still going to pressure the agency.
She explained that CKCC serves the five counties of the 20th Judicial District — Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell and Stafford counties — and that means it covers 4,014 square miles of central Kansas.
Financial reality dictates how the agency’s programs will develop, Boxberger added. “In a time where every entity is working to be fiscally conservative, the agency will not be creating new programming, but rather focusing on quality assurance.
“Current case management strategies are supported by the principles of evidence based practice to maximize offender success/public safety.”
In the coming fiscal year, she noted, CKCC will “work to close the gaps in the integrated model while building on the skill-sets of the officers, ensuring that assessments are scored correctly, case plans are directed by the high-risk domains and that community between officer and offender reflects motivational interviewing.”
Also this week, the county commissioners approved the purchase of a replacement high-volume copier for CKCC, able to used the departments’ programs.
It will also be shared with the court services office.
The equipment will be purchased from OPI for $7,900.