criminal justice

Andre Harris, founder of the nonprofit Dads Against Crime, says that Kansas City's violent crime problem can't be fixed if people can't feel comfortable talking to law enforcement and discussing mental health.

A public defender, victim’s advocate and former inmate are part of an effort to improve Missouri’s parole system. The rules haven't been updated since 2017, and advocates say the burdens placed on formerly incarcerated are too great.

Melesa Johnson is six months into her role as Jackson County Prosecutor after winning election last year. Faced with concerns about burglaries and property crimes, Johnson has drastically increased the rate at which her office has pursued charges, and points to the success of a deterrence initiative.

As some lawmakers warm to the idea of rehabilitation, years of study by experts point to the need to change the way people convicted of crimes are sentenced.

Patricia Prewitt spent decades imprisoned in Missouri for a murder she says she didn’t commit. She was granted clemency in December and compiled a book of letters detailing her experience.

The city council approved a plan that will begin the process of building a temporary jail facility. The trailer-like buildings will be completed before the World Cup and will house detainees until the city’s permanent jail is built.

A Wyandotte County judge agreed with criticisms of the death penalty, but he said the case was invalid because both defendants no longer face capital punishment.

Father Emil Kapaun served as an Army chaplain in the Korean war, and was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. In February, Pope Francis named him "venerable," bringing him one step closer to canonization as a saint. But interest in his life — and traffic to his hometown of Pilsen, Kansas — is already picking up.

Sandra Hemme was freed from prison after 43 years for a murder she didn't commit, and her case illustrates how difficult it is to correct errors in the criminal justice system. That's especially true in Missouri, where the attorney general's office aggressively opposes innocence claims regardless of the evidence.

On April 8, Kansas City voters will be asked whether to renew a sales tax that would fund the construction of a new city jail. Proponents call it a necessary public safety measure, while opponents argue it would fail to address the root causes of crime.

Kansas City voters will decide on April 8 whether to renew the public safety sales tax for 20 more years. Officials plan to use the bulk of the money to build a new municipal detention center. Despite concerns about property crime and gun violence, some residents don’t want a new jail built.

El impuesto a las ventas de seguridad pública de Kansas City se ha utilizado para apoyar al departamento de policía y los servicios médicos y de emergencia. El alcalde Quinton Lucas y otros funcionarios quieren que los votantes lo renueven para que la ciudad pueda usar el dinero para construir una nueva cárcel y un centro de rehabilitación.