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Advocacy Group Members Hope For Improvements At Women’s Prison

Some advocates hope allegations of misdeeds at a state women’s prison will prompt improvements at the facility.

In a letter last week, the U.S. Justice Department alleged sexual abuse by staff and other misconduct at the Topeka Correctional Facility.

Audra Fullerton, with the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, says the group works with officials at the prison. She says there have been improvements at the facility, but there are other steps she’d like them to take.

“We really do hope that this new attention brings the impetus for moving forward on some really critical things,” she says. “Having a safe space for victims to disclose abuse without repercussion, without retaliations. They are setting some things up now, but I think more can be done.”

Governor Sam Brownback says there were problems at the facility before his administration took office, but he says the Justice Department isn’t considering improvements his administration has made.