'Law enforcement'

This week KGI turns to some of the more “arresting” state documents in our collection, by bringing you the Criminal X-Ray from the Kansas State Penitentiary and Escaped Men and Parole Violators from the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory.  These publications circulated images and conviction information of criminals in the state and are a gold-mine of information for those interested in local history – not only for the personal records of the individuals recorded here, but also because the publication provides insight into the penal system at the time.

What is considered a crime, how severely that crime is punished, and the words used to define the crime all provide researchers an in-depth look at the cultural and social history of the time period.  Issues of class and race are embedded in the text alongside the images and actions of real, ordinary individuals from our past. 

Kansas State Industrial Reformatory – Escaped Men and Parole Violators - 1912 and 1914

Kansas State Penitentiary – Criminal X-Ray – 1915

Please note, these are large files and may take time to load.

The Attorney General is a constitutionally-elected officer of the state’s Executive Branch of government and is responsible for defending the legal interest of the State of Kansas in all actions and proceedings, civil and criminal.  Key responsibilities of the office include enforcement of the state’s Consumer Protection, Charitable Solicitations, and Charitable Trust Acts. Coordination of the Crime Victims Compensation  Board  and  the  Child  Death  Review Board  as well as licensure  of those  holding concealed carry permits.

The State Library's Kansas Government Information (KGI) Online Library has a wide variety of digitized publications of the Kansas Attorney General's Office, past and present, for general interest and in depth research.  Annual reports, statistics, news releases and other information are available to the public:

Attorney General, Kansas Office of the

• Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Unit - Annual Reports
• Annual Reports
• Attorney General Column (News Releases)
• Child Death Review Board - Annual Reports
• Child Death Review Board - Child Mortality Statistics
• Child Death Review Board - General Publications
• Concealed Carry Annual Reports
• Consumer Corner (News Releases)
• Consumer Protection Division - Annual Reports
• Consumer Protection Division - General Publications
• General Publications
• Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board - Annual Reports
• Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board - General Publications
• Kansas Crime Victims Reparations Board - Annual Reports
• KOMA/KORA Complaints Reports
• Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division - Annual Reports
• News Releases
• Report on Racial and Bias-Based Policing
• Takings Guidelines Update
• Victims Services Division - General Publications

Kansas Attorney General Opinions can be found at the Washburn University Law School's website:

Attorney General Opinions, 1974-2015