How We Can Use Our Prisons as More Than Warehouses, Bev Livingston. MISD

We will replay – “A Conversation with Nancy Leazer – How We Can Use Our Prisons As More Than Warehouses”. Nancy Leazer was the last Director of the old Kansas City Jail, The Farm, before they moved to the Jackson County jail. When the Municipal Correctional Institution was closed in 2009 and all the inmates moved to the county jail, a lot more than the jobs of the employees were lost. The leadership and staff of MCI brought in local not-for-profit businesses to provide services that the city could not afford to address the mental health, drug abuse, homelessness and other problems of the inmates. This created an atmosphere of respect and concern for the prisoners by the administration, staff and organizations that came to provide services. None of those connections and resources have been invited to continue in the county jail where Kansas City now houses prisoners and that has resulted in more recidivism.  Host Dr J. Renee talks with Nancy Leazer, former Superintendent of Corrections at MCI about how she came to the job and the atmosphere she fostered in the facility. She explains how she worked with local service providers to get help for the inmates and how she trained her staff to treat the inmates with respect. Listen to learn their thoughts so we do not lose sight of how this was accomplished.

After the calendar, in the second half of our hour we will play an interview with Bev Livingston, founder and Chief Advocate for Mothers of Incarcerated Sons & Daughters (MISD). This advocacy support group assists families and persons dealing with incarceration and re-entry into the community.  Bev Livingston spends time lobbying in Jefferson City for prison legislative reforms and other efforts, seeking real “justice for all.”

We will air the 420 Drug War News at the end of our program.

Please  tune in!

Share This Episode