Kan. Admin. Regs. § 44-15-101a - Grievance procedure distribution; orientation; applicability; remedies; advisory committee; investigation

(a) Grievance procedure regulations shall be distributed or made readily available to all employees and inmates in each correctional facility.

(b) Each inmate and employee, upon admittance to or employment by the facility, shall receive an oral explanation of the grievance procedure, including an opportunity to have questions regarding the procedure answered orally. Explanatory materials and the oral presentation shall be available in any language spoken by a significant portion of the facility's population. To the extent feasible, inmates who do not understand English shall receive an explanation of the grievance procedure in a language in which the inmate is fluent. Mentally impaired and physically handicapped inmates shall receive explanations in a manner comprehensible to them. Parole officers shall provide each parolee with a brief grievance procedure orientation that explains the manner in which the system functions for parolees. Following the explanation, each inmate and each parolee shall sign a statement indicating that the required explanation has been given.

(c) All employees of the facility who are directly involved in the operation of the grievance procedure shall receive training in the skills necessary to operate, or participate in, the grievance procedure.

(d)

(1) The grievance procedure shall be applicable to a broad range of matters that directly affect the inmate, including the following:

(A) Complaints by inmates regarding policies and conditions within the jurisdiction of the facility or the department of corrections; and

(B) actions by employees and inmates, and incidents occurring within the facility.

(2) The grievance procedure shall not be used in any way as a substitute for, or as part of, the inmate disciplinary procedure, the classification decision-making process, the property loss or personal injury claims procedure, or the procedure for censorship of publications specified in the secretary's internal management policy and procedure.

(e) The remedies available to the inmate may include action by the warden of the facility to correct the problem or action by the secretary of corrections to cause the problem to be corrected. Relief may include an agreement by facility officials to remedy an objectionable condition within a reasonable, specified time, or to change a facility policy or practice.

(f) A procedure shall be established by the warden for investigating the allegations and establishing the facts of each grievance. An inmate or employee who appears to be involved in the matter shall not participate in any capacity in the resolution of the grievance.

(g) A copy of the grievance response at each level shall be delivered to the unit team, to the inmate, and to the warden last responding.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 44-15-101a

Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 75-5210, K.S.A. 75-5251; effective May 1, 1984; amended May 1, 1985; amended Feb. 15, 2002; amended June 1, 2007.