Kansas prisons

The federal government joined the private prison company CoreCivic in its legal fight against the city of Leavenworth, which has been fighting in court to stop the reopening of a controversial detention center for immigrants.

Last month, the Kansas Department of Corrections suddenly canceled subscriptions purchased by outside parties for those in state custody. The move confounded newspaper publishers and concerned press freedom advocates.

Families of incarcerated people in Kansas were long able to take out a newspaper subscription in a person's name and have it delivered to a state facility. The Kansas Department of Corrections changed that policy without notice, claiming safety concerns but causing confusion.

The city of Leavenworth, Kansas, has netted a momentary victory in its battle to force private prison operator CoreCivic to follow the city’s interpretation of local rules. The company wants to house detainees for federal immigration authorities — without a city permit.

The Trump administration’s plans for expanded immigration detentions include Kansas. While a 1,000-bed facility in Leavenworth is on hold, the majority of the state’s detention plays out in a Flint Hills jail.

The Trump administration’s promised deportations have private prison operator CoreCivic moving to use the inactive Kansas facility to house federal detainees. Some former employees and immigrant rights advocates are pushing back.

Women at the Topeka Correctional Facility play with their children at the Children’s Discovery Center. And inmates say it encourages them to stay out of trouble.

Inmate Elizabeth Wince had to crawl back to her cell after hurting herself and being denied medical care. Other prisoners at Topeka Correctional Facility told the Kansas News Service that prison staff insulted Wince instead of helping her.

Shaidon Blake says he didn't threaten officers in prison, but a disciplinary report saying he did might have cost him parole. Kansas News Service reporting shows his claim of innocence has merit.

People in jail or prison can't keep up with technology. A program for inmates in Kansas and Missouri will help them learn job skills.