Monday, October 5, 2009

Behind the walls at the Topeka Correctional Facility are female inmates serving time for everything from murder to check fraud. Several of the inmates a Topeka newspaper they are forced to have sex with prison workers in exchange for contraband.

"No one in the department of corrections believes this is appropriate. We are aggressive in trying to root out this kind of behavior," said Kansas Secretary of Corrections Roger Werholtz.

One woman claims in 2007, a prison worker raped her. She said she got pregnant, and he forced her to take the 'day after pill' to induce an abortion, but it didn't work. In the end, a worker for the Department of Corrections drove her to an abortion clinic to end the pregnancy.

Werholtz said the prison system does not take a stand on abortion. He said if a woman has the money to get an abortion and wants one, someone from the prison will take her to the appropriate facility.

The prison worker who allegedly raped the woman entered a plea deal and is now serving two years probation.

The crime of trafficking contraband to an inmate carries a higher sentence than an employee having sex with an inmate.

Senator Jean Schodorf from Wichita wants a complete investigation into the Kansas prison system.
"I want to introduce a bill to make sex with an inmate a higher level crime. It's unacceptable," said Schodorf.

A study of every prison in the country shows in 2007 there were more than 60,000 reports of sexual abuse by prison workers.
The Kansas Department of Corrections says it is doing everything it can to prevent any abuse.