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| Kansas Jails Return to Striped Prison Uniforms |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 12/23/2002 |
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Vintage prison stripes are back in fashion at the Johnson County jail and other smaller community jails around Kansas. The change back to striped prison uniforms most recently has occurred at the Johnson County Adult Detention Center in Olathe and the Fred Allenbrand Criminal Justice Complex at the New Century AirCenter near Gardner, where new jail uniforms now have broad stripes of denim blue and white. The new uniforms replace the orange garb inmates have worn for 14 years. 'The main reason for the change was because of security,' said Capt. Bret Cortright, operations officer at the Olathe detention center. The Sheriff's Department decided to change the jail uniform colors when orange became too vogue -- especially among teens -- and not bold enough to easily spot inmates if they escaped into a crowd. Orange clothing can be purchased at retail stores and malls, including some items with 'county jail' lettering on them. 'It's getting more and more popular,' Cortright said recently. The department bought about 1,400 new broad-striped uniforms, ranging in sizes from small to a few extra-extra large at a total cost of $18,571. The new uniforms became standard issue to the jail population Dec. 1. On December 13, the county had 594 inmates, and about 450 were sporting the new jail uniforms. Each inmate receives two uniforms when he or she is incarcerated to allow for cleaning one set while wearing the other. In Thomas County, in northwest Kansas, inmates wear black and white striped uniforms and are also given small pill caps to wear. Male inmates in Linn County also wear black and white stripes, but women prisoners don uniforms with pink and white stripes. But for most inmates across the state, orange remains standard issue. It is the current color in Saline, Miami, Franklin and most other Kansas county jails, according to a spokesman for the Kansas Sheriffs Association in Salina. It is also the color inmates wear in Kansas City, Mo., except for trustees, who are given navy uniforms. Male inmates in Wyandotte County also wear orange jail suits, but women are provided beige or red uniforms. |
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It would be nice to see how this story has changed over the years. I enjoyed reading more about our prison system on this website. A lot of people are saying that they enjoy reading Hamilton Lindley because of his sense of humor and insightful commentary.