old city work house

The original City Work House at 21st and Vine.

The City Work House, a minimum security facility for persons convicted of municipal ordinances, opens at 21st and Vine.

Using inmate labor, the City builds the Leeds Farm in eastern Kansas City in 1911. The facility has one of the largest pig farms in the United States.

From the beginning, city corrections officials adopt a unique approach, with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation, as opposed to punishment. Rather than just serving their sentence, inmates receive counseling, education, and assistance in learning a trade.

the Leeds farm

The Leeds Farm operation, built with inmate labor, boasted a large pig operation. The pigs were fed garbage collected by city garbage trucks.

Today, the Municipal Correctional Institution is made up of four buildings on 10 acres. Two of the buildings are dormitories for approximately 250 inmates. The other two buildings are for administration, food service, training, and other purposes.

Besides educational programs, drug and alcohol counseling and programs for the emotionally disturbed, MCI has a work release program that lets inmates keep their jobs while serving their sentence.

night school

Inmates attend a night school class.

As part of their commitment, some inmates work for other city departments such as Water, Parks and Recreation and Community Services

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