Lansing Correctional Facility
Overview
Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) is the state’s largest and oldest correctional complex for adult male residents. At the close of 2013, LCF had a capacity of 2,405.
The complex consists of the Central Unit, which includes an 11-acre maximum-security facility, and a 46-acre medium-security facility, and the East Unit which is an 85-acre minimum-security facility.
LCF also houses one of two centers for the KDOC’s transportation system that provides for the movement of residents among the state’s correctional facilities.
As with other facilities under the management of the Secretary of Corrections, education, health services and food services are provided through contracts with private vendors.
Originally named the Kansas State Penitentiary when the facility was authorized by the Kansas Constitution in 1859, the name was legislatively changed to the Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) on June 18, 1990.
History
| 1859 | Kansas Legislature passed authorized the construction of the Kansas State Penitentiary (KCP) |
| 1861 | On November 18, a tract of 40 acres on Seven Mile Creek was purchased for $600 from Almira Budlong. |
| 1862 | John P. Mitchell served as KSP's first warden. |
| 1863 | Three directors, William Dunlap, John Wilson and S.S. Ludlum, were appointed to oversee KSP. After touring several prisons in eastern states, the group decided to model the KSP after a prison in Joliet, Illinois. |
| 1864 | Construction, accomplished using prison labor, began on the north wing near the site of what was known as the Oklahoma Jail. |
| 1867 | Following several delays due to the Civil War, the main building was completed. |
| 1868 | With the completion of the north wing, KSP began accepting prisoners in July. |
| 1872 | The dining hall was completed. |
| 1875 | A guard force of 26 men watched over 379 prisoners including 30 federal inmates. The prison also housed inmates from Oklahoma until 1909. Prisoners were governed by what was known as the "silent system," meaning no inmates were allowed to converse with one another under any circumstances. |
| 1881 | A need to keep inmates occupied caused the state to sink a coal shaft that would supply KSP and all other state institutions. The need to transport the coal brought in the railroads and soon the area around the prison became a railway crossroads. Houses and businesses were erected giving way for the area to be called the Town of Progress. The prison also began to manufacture twine. The coal mine and twine operations closed in 1947 due to high operating costs and low demand. |
| 1885 | Inmates began work on the prison farm. Aside from raising crops, inmates also oversaw a dairy herd and poultry and hog farm. By 1961, the prison farm covered 2,000 acres. By 1975, farm operations were discontinued but later resumed on a reduced basis. |
| 1896 | KSP temporarily stopped admitting prisoners due to widespread alarm over the spread of small pox in Kansas. |
| 1911 | KSP opened a "tinker shop" where visitors could purchase craft items including furniture made by inmates. The shop also housed a broom manufacturing operation. |
| 1917 | The Kansas Correctional Institute - Lansing for Women (KCIL) was established as a satellite unit of KSP. The name would become the Kansas Correctional Institute at Lansing in 1983. |
| 1985 | A medium-security unit was constructed adjacent to the original wall of the maximum-security compound. This complex is now designated as the Central Unit. |
| 1987 | The Osawatomie Correctional Facility was established in September as an 80-bed minimum-security facility on the grounds of the Osawatomie State Hospital. This facility would become a a satellite unit of Lansing Correctional Facility in May of 1990. |
| 1988 | The minimum- and medium-custody female inmates were transferred from the Kansas Correctional Institute at Lansing to the Topeka Correctional Facility in Topeka. The maximum-custody female inmates would be transferred to Topeka in 1995. The former KCIL site is now designated as the East Unit and is a minimum-custody facility for male inmates. |
| 1990 | The administration of KSP and the Kansas Correctional Institute at Lansing were consolidated to form the Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF). |
| 1991 | LCF was awarded accreditation by the American Correctional Association. |
| 1993 | LCF became the oldest adult correctional facility to receive a perfect score in an American Correctional Association accreditation audit. LCF also duplicated its perfect score in a 1996 audit. |
| 2009 | LCF's satellite unit at Osawatomie was closed. |
Programs
The following are programs and services available at Lansing Correctional Facility:
Life Skills Enhancement Program
- has two components: academic education and vocational training;
- literacy and the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) programs are provided as well as vocational training programs such as commercial food service and welding; and,
- includes the employability program, which provides guidance on seeking employment, and is provided to all residents enrolled in a program.
Therapeutic Community Program
- began in 1996 in the maximum-security unit under direction of the Douglas County Citizens Committee on Alcoholism (DCCCA) of Lawrence;
- the program’s goal is to create a positive peer culture and facilitate overall lifestyle changes;
- each resident in the program is expected to leave the primary treatment program having acquired basic recovery skills;
- residents assigned to this program are in the therapeutic community 24 hours a day; and,
- the resident will remain in the program for 9 - 12 months depending on the needs of each individual resident.
Sex Offenders Treatment Program (SOTP) Program
- treatment for the male sex offenders;
- the program is 20 hours per week for 18 months and is contracted through DCCCA of Lawrence;
- the program’s goal is to habilitate offenders toward emotional health and successful transition back into the community; and,
- the program provides psycho-educational classes with group therapy and individual sessions.
Vehicle Maintenance
- a staff of ten resident employees and two staff equipment mechanics oversee the care of more than 100 vehicles, and
- maintenance includes everything from washing the vehicles to major overhauls and body work. Department employees are responsible for a large inventory of parts, supplies, and equipment.
Chaplaincy Department
- oversees coordinating resident religious support and coordinating volunteer services;
- religious support is provided to a variety of faith groups which include many Christian denominations, Jewish, Islamic, Moorish Science, Native American, Bhuddist, Asatru, Thelemic and Wiccan faith groups;
- coordinates special holiday events that support LCF residents and their families; and,
- relies on a dedicated group of volunteers to assist in addressing inmate religious and activities needs.
Activities Support
- includes variety of resident activities including individual health and fitness activities, arts and crafts, music groups and resident self-improvement groups, and
- normally led by volunteers from the greater Kansas City area, resident groups meet a diverse array of resident interests and needs, such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, African Awareness, El Chicano (Hispanic awareness), Jaycees, Lifer's Club and several other organizations.
Visiting Information
Once an inmate is eligible for visiting privileges, the inmate is responsible for ensuring that his visitors receive the necessary paperwork to register as visitors. For more information, please review IMPP 10-113D: Offender Visitation.
Inmate Visiting Program: LCF General Orders (04.28.21 update)
In-Person Visitation Schedule (7.21.23 update)
Visitation In-Person — (ks.gov)
In-Person Visitation
- Appropriate contact (hug, brief embrace, etc.) will be allowed between residents and their visitor.
- The number of visitors per resident is four.
- If the online visitation scheduler indicates that all slots are filled, do not travel to the facility as you will not be allowed to visit. Visitors may sign up for ne or two time slots on a specific day providing the option of an all day visit. But visitors cannot sign up for multiple days on one weekend.
- All in-person visits must be scheduled at least 72 hours before visitation begins at the facility for that week.
- Each adult facility will offer two slots per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
- To cancel your visit. return to scheduler and record your cancellation. Missed visits could result in suspension.
- If the visitor is not able to arrive on time, the facility will make every effort to allow the visitor and resident to visit for the remaining portion of the scheduled visit.
KDOC Visitation Policy and Approved Visitor Application
Please review KDOC IMPP10-113D and IMPP12-115D regarding visitation policies and procedures.
All visitors must be on the KDOC resident’s pre-approved visitation list.
Schedule an In-Person Visit
Only those approved visitors who have scheduled a visitation appointment using the online visitation scheduler www.icsolutions.com or by contacting the facility visitation clerk will be admitted to the facility. Scheduling will close 72 hours before visitation begins at the facility for that week. Anyone who has not followed this process will be denied access to the facility.
All visits must be scheduled using www.icsolutions.com.
Additional Information related to ICSolutions:
http://3.21.247.105/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Visitation_KDOC_ICS20210329.pdf
http://3.21.247.105/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Visitation_Family_ICS20210329.pdf
Visitation Clerks
If you are unable to use the online scheduler, please call the facility main phone number and ask to speak with the designated Visitation Clerk.
- El Dorado 316-321-7284
- Oswego 316-322-2045
- Ellsworth 785-472-5501
- Hutchinson 620-662-2321
- Lansing 913-727-3235
- Larned 620-285-6249
- Norton 785-877-3389
- Stockton 785-425-6745
- Topeka 785-559-5100
- Winfield 620-221-6660
- Wichita 316-265-5211
- Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex 785-354-9800
Holiday Visitation
Information about visitation during holidays
Inmate visitation at Kansas correctional facilities will be provided on the following four state holidays: Christmas Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving Day. If either Christmas Day or the Fourth of July holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, or other day where a facility has regularly scheduled visitation, the holiday will be incorporated within the regular visitation schedule and an additional visitation day will NOT be scheduled.
Inmate visitation will NOT be provided on the following state holidays, unless the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, or other day where the facility has regularly scheduled visitation: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and the day after Thanksgiving.
Special Visits
Guidelines for Requesting
Special visits are those conducted outside the parameters of the established visit program.
Circumstances under which special visits may be granted include, but shall not be limited to:
- when a visitor has traveled a distance in excess of 150 miles one way
- where the inmate receives infrequent family visits, less than two per quarter year; and
- where other correctional goals or rehabilitation needs of the inmate indicate the need for special visiting privileges
All requests for special visits must be initiated 72 hours in advance by the inmate through his unit team via a Form 9. The unit team will answer the Form 9 with an approval or disapproval 24 hours prior to the scheduled visit.
The inmate’s respective unit team will investigate the request, and evaluate the need for special visiting privileges.
The Inmate requesting special visiting for religious purposes and pre-marital counseling must submit a Form 9 directly to the chaplain for an approval or disapproval.
Special visits previously approved by the unit team may only be disapproved by the Warden, one of the Deputy Wardens or the shift captain.
A record of all approved and disapproved special visits will be maintained in the inmate’s unit team file.
In addition to special visits, the visiting room’s officer in charge may grant a courtesy visit when, in his or her judgment, the granting of said visit would be in accordance with the visiting philosophy of the Kansas Department of Corrections and Lansing Correctional Facility. Normally a visitor will have to have traveled a distance of 150 miles or more to be considered for a courtesy visit.
Directions
Lansing Correctional Facility is located in Lansing, Kansas, at the intersection of Highway 73 and Kansas Avenue.
Directions from Kansas City, Missouri are:
Take I-70 West to Bonner Springs exit Go North on US 73 (approximately 8 miles) to Lansing, Kansas. Turn East (right) on Kansas Avenue Go to parking area on North side in front of new administration building. Report to the entrance that is marked Lansing Correctional Facility.
Transportation Information
Lansing and Leavenworth cities do not have public transportation. Taxi service is available, please consult the local telephone directory for numbers. Public transportation information is located in the local telephone book under the heading “TAXICABS”.
The phone number for Lansing Correctional Facility is (913) 727-3235. This number is answered twenty-four hours a day.
Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting an Inmate
1. I have a previous conviction, can I still visit?
Each application is considered individually. If you have a previous conviction it does not necessarily disqualify you from visiting. Emphasis is placed on your honest and complete response to the visiting questionnaire.
2. I am currently on probation/parole, can I still visit?
Yes. You will need a letter from your probation/parole officer granting permission. Otherwise this fact alone will not disqualify you from visiting.
3. Can I be on more than one inmate’s visiting list?
No. The only exception would be situations where all concerned are immediate family.
4. I am an ex-employee of the KDOC, can I visit?
You will not be considered until two (2) years after your employment, and then final approval will rest with the warden.
5. How many of us can visit with the inmate at one time?
Due to space constraints, each inmate is limited to a maximum of four (4) visitors at a time.
6. Are cameras allowed in the visiting area?
No. In fact cameras are not allowed on the grounds of this facility at any time.
7. I am under 18 years of age, can I visit?
Only if you are immediate family as previously defined, and only if you are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
8. I have a relative in from out of town, can they come visit with me even though they are not on the visiting list?
An inmate can request a special visit for friends or relatives who are not on his list and have traveled a great distance. Several things are considered before granting the special visit request, to include: distance traveled, frequency of visits, and benefit to inmate adjustment, etc. You cannot call to set up a special visit. The inmate must initiate the request through his unit counselor.
9. Is there someone who will watch my children while I visit?
No, parents are responsible for their children’s behavior. Your visit may be terminated if your child is being disruptive in any manner. Children may not be left unattended in automobiles.
10. What kind of identification do I need?
If you are 18 or older, you will need a photo ID, A marriage license or birth certificate is acceptable for those under 18 years of age.
Warden
Warden Jesse Howes
K-9 Unit
In 1978, a K-9 Unit was established at the Lansing Correctional Facility based on the Hutchinson Correctional Facility K-9 Unit program. Due to the increased awareness of narcotics trafficking and narcotics related problems within the facility, the focus of the LCF K-9 program was changed in 1994 to preventing/decreasing the flow of narcotics into the facility.
The Lansing Correctional Facility currently has one full-time handler/trainer and two part-time handlers/trainers who work with narcotic detection dogs.
LCF Career Campus
A coalition of forward-thinking public, non-profit and private innovators from the Kansas City metro area is collaborating to fund, build and equip a 4,500 square foot modern building on the grounds of the Lansing Correctional Facility maximum/medium security unit.
The coalition includes multiple businesses, chambers of commerce, colleges, non-profits, members of the faith community and other partners. By providing market certification and college courses for in-demand occupations, the Career Campus will train incarcerated students for new, worthwhile careers, while helping employers better meet their critical workforce needs.
READ MORE about KDOC’s Work Programs
Research shows increased employment in livable wage jobs can reduce recidivism by half. Thriving, contributing citizens lead to increased public safety and community well-being. However, KDOC lacks the space in our correctional facilities to implement a broad range of career-technical education, college courses and programming that supports success in education and employment readiness.
READ MORE about the LCF Career Campus Project
To learn more, contact KDOC_Career Campus@ks.gov or call KDOC 785.296.3317.
Current Members of the Career Campus Public-Private Partnership:
- Brothers in Blue Reentry
- Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas
- Donnelly College
- Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- JE Dunn Construction
- Kansas Board of Regents
- The Greater Kansas Chamber of Commerce
- Kansas City Kansas Community College
- Kansas Department of Commerce
- Kansas Department of Corrections
- KC Common Good
- KC Crime Commission’s Second Chance
- Lumen Torch
- Reaching Out from Within
- University of St. Mary
- Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Workforce Partnership
- Zephyr Manufacturing
The first phase of this project is a 776 square foot modular classroom and small group space is located next to the minimum-security unit at Lansing Correctional Facility. The classroom was funded by Terry Dunn and donated by Donnelly College, a private university in the Kansas City, Kansas area. Donnelly has successfully operated college programs close to 20 years at Lansing.
Working with our college and career education partners, KDOC will be able to expand career-relevant training opportunities. The new education spaces will advance the concepts of how to use the best techniques, equipment and training to prepare incarcerated individuals for the workforce and success after release.
Fast Facts
- The need is significant. Recent research shows 75% entering prison had weak employment and education histories and 50% were unemployed at the time of going back to prison
- Kansas needs a skilled, ready-to-work workforce, and KDOC is part of the solution.
- We release approximately 6,000 individuals each year who return to their home communities.
- 98% of the men and women in Kansas prisons today will return to live as our neighbors and members of our society.
- Each – if given an opportunity to gain in-demand skills – represents untapped human potential that can help businesses and the Kansas economy.
