Kan. to move female juvenile offenders to Topeka

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Female juvenile offenders now housed at a north-central Kansas facility will be transferred to Topeka because of state budget problems.

Gov. Mark Parkinson has announced that the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility will suspend operations Aug. 28. The closing is expected to save the state $1.4 million during the current fiscal year.

The Juvenile Justice Authority says it will move the 22 offenders housed there to the Topeka Juvenile Correctional Facility.

The Topeka institution will add 20 staff members. The Beloit facility has 47 employees.

The Topeka facility now houses only male offenders.

But the Juvenile Justice Authority says the female offenders will be kept separate from the male offenders. They'll use separate buildings, with a new security fence in between.