Volume 124 Issue 108
kansan.com
Thursday, March 1, 2012
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
GREEK LIFF
CLAIRE HOWARD/KANSAN
Chad Huston, playing Genie Pete, strikes a pose during dress rehearsal for Your Wish Is My Command, Kappa Alpha Theta and Phi Kappa Psi's original one act musical in Kansas' 63rd annual Rock Chalk Revue. Sororities and fraternities will perform at the Lied Center on March 1 and 2 at 7 p.m., and March 3 at 5 p.m. Tickets for students are $15.
Nearly $1 million raised at Revue
kcipolla@kansan.com
KELSEY CIPOLLA
The Rock Chalk Revue, the annual collection of original musicals from University fraternities and sororities, is on track to reach the $1 million mark this year. Since 1983, proceeds from the show have been donated to the United Way of Douglas County.
Emily Drape, a senior from Leawood and the show's co-executive director, said that the
"I also get to take part in contributing to my community," Drape said. "That is the most exciting part of all."
This year's pairings are Chi Omega and Beta Theta Pi, Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Nu, Delta Gamma and Sigma Phi Epsilon, Kappa Alpha Theta and Phi Kappa Psi, and Kappa Delta and Sigma Chi.
show is special because it does more than showcase the efforts of the fraternities and sororities.
The groups write, choreograph and perform 20 minute routines relating to the theme "Easier Said Than Done."
The show opens tonight at 7 on the Lied Center stage with encore performances Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at the Lied Center box office and website, http://lied.ku.edu.
- Edited by Max Rothman
CRIME
Study analyzes effect on inmates're-entry
MARSHALL SCHMIDT
mschmidt@kansan.com
With more than one out of every 100 adults in the United States behind bars according to Pew's Public Safety Performance Project, a recent study conducted through the University explores rehabilitation's effect on inmates' recidivism. Recidivism is defined as a released prisoner's re-incarceration.
"We lock people up and think that if we punish them, they will somehow learn not to do this anymore, but when you remove someone from their social support, family, jobs and their kids, you have multiple effects on the offenders and all the people in their social sphere," said Margaret Severson, professor of social work and conductor of the study.
The study looked at Kansas prison re-entry programs designed to provide convicts resources for making the transition from prison back into the community. The study found that prisoners receiving assistance had a recidivism rate at 30
percent. Those that didn't have assistance had a similar rate, but the majority of those were caused by probation violations.
"The assumption is that if you break a rule, it's somehow related to criminal behavior," Severson said. "It needs to be better substantiated between the decision to revoke parole and the actual risk for criminal behavior."
Although Severson is continuing her research, a lack of funding and social work students interested in prison research makes progress more difficult. Society, as well as students are not as interested in prison reform in spite that two million people are imprisoned in the U.S., the highest per capita in the world, said Severson.
Severson does see this research as benefiting positive prison reform.
"This research is a way we can inform people about how we ought to use prisons and the community's responsibility." Severson said.
The Kansas Department of Corrections already shifted the way they view equiping all
inmates to rejoin society.
Kim Bruns, project coordinator for justice research for the University, sees the resources of education, drug rehabilitation and housing assistance as beneficial, even with the unchanged rate of recidivism.
"Going back is what we measured, but what we aren't able to measure is what they had accomplished while they were out of prison," Bruns said.
Severson hopes that efforts to reform changes what crimes ought to be punished, how rehabilitation should be handled and how communities view inmates as many prisoners lacked basic social and economic resources growing up. Society has a responsibility for all of its members, including the imprisoned, Severson said.
"In many ways, it is the rehabilitation area that the importance of human rights and social justice come together." Severson said.
Edited by Pat Strathman
CLASSIFIEDS 11 CRYPTOQUIPS 4 SPORTS 12
CROSSWORD 4 OPINION 5 SUDOKU 4
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Don't Rock Chalk Revue is at 7 p.m. at the Lied Center. forget Student tickets are $15.
Today's Weather
Forecasts by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 2A.
Let the sun shine!