criminal justice reform

A loophole in Kansas state law allows probation to be extended indefinitely for failure to pay court costs, fines or restitution. For those who are too poor to afford those costs, it could mean probation for the rest of their lives — which also means losing the right to vote.

The 2022 Kansas Mental Health Summit brought together more than 600 people to address the mental health crisis in the Kansas criminal justice system.

For Kevin Strickland, who was released from prison late last year after serving 43 years for a crime he didn't commit, life on the outside hasn’t been easy. Now, in addition to adjusting to the mundane details of everyday life, he's working to educate others on defects in the criminal justice system.

At 43 years, Kevin Strickland served Missouri's longest wrongful conviction sentence. He and fellow exoneree Ricky Kidd share plans to raise awareness and prevent others from similar fates.

As a number of marijuana legalization efforts aim for the 2022 ballot, some lawmakers are proposing an “automatic” system that would have the courts identify old, non-violent marijuana offenses and seal them on people’s records. Other ideas would require people to submit a petition and pay a fee.

What's happening in the Missouri General Assembly? State Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo (D-Independence) joins us to break down what lawmakers are up to in 2022 and how it could affect your life.

In a public forum Saturday, many community members discussed the need for a public defender's office. There was opposition, too, mostly from defense attorneys in the county.

The two became acquainted while in Western Missouri Correctional Center. Now Kidd works to help Strickland with the challenges of adjusting to life on the outside.

DeValkenaere is the first Kansas City law enforcement officer to be convicted for the fatal shooting of a Black man. Following the conviction, the department suspended DeValkenaere without pay.

To honor missing and murdered Indigenous people, a group of Native American advocates is making a months-long trip across the country on foot and by bike.

The Jackson County Prosecutor said in a court filing made public Monday that Kevin Strickland's "innocence is clear and convincing."

The use of racial slurs isn’t always enough to classify something as bias-based policing, according to the Kansas City Office of Community Complaints.