K.S.A. » Chapter 21
Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 21-6821 (2026)

Good time and program credits; calculation; forfeiture; rules and regulations of secretary; liability

✓ current as of May 2026
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21-6821. Good time and program credits; calculation; forfeiture; rules and regulations of secretary; liability. (a) The secretary of corrections is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations providing for a system of good time calculations. Such rules and regulations shall provide circumstances upon which an inmate may earn good time credits and for the forfeiture of earned credits. Such circumstances may include factors related to program and work participation and conduct and the inmate's willingness to examine and confront past behavioral patterns that resulted in the commission of the inmate's crimes.

(b) For purposes of determining release of an inmate, the following shall apply with regard to good time calculations:

(1) Good behavior by inmates is the expected norm and negative behavior will be punished; and

(2) the amount of good time which can be earned by an inmate and subtracted from any sentence is limited to:

(A) For a crime committed on or after July 1, 1993, an amount equal to 15% of the prison part of the sentence;

(B) for a nondrug severity level 7 through 10 crime committed on or after January 1, 2008, an amount equal to 20% of the prison part of the sentence; or

(C) for a drug severity level 3 or 4 crime committed on or after January 1, 2008, but prior to July 1, 2012, or a drug severity level 3 through 5 crime committed on or after July 1, 2012, an amount equal to 20% of the prison part of the sentence.

(c) The postrelease supervision term of a person sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a sentence for a sexually violent crime as defined in K.S.A. 22-3717, and amendments thereto, a sexually motivated crime in which the offender has been ordered to register pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3717(d)(1)(D)(vii), and amendments thereto, electronic solicitation, K.S.A. 21-3523, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5509, and amendments thereto, or unlawful sexual relations, K.S.A. 21-3520, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5512, and amendments thereto, shall have any time which is earned and subtracted from the prison part of such sentence and any other consecutive or concurrent sentence pursuant to good time calculation added to such inmate's postrelease supervision term.

(d) An inmate shall not be awarded good time credits pursuant to this section for any review period established by the secretary of corrections in which a court finds that the inmate has done any of the following while in the custody of the secretary of corrections:

(1) Filed a false or malicious action or claim with the court;

(2) brought an action or claim with the court solely or primarily for delay or harassment;

(3) testified falsely or otherwise submitted false evidence or information to the court;

(4) attempted to create or obtain a false affidavit, testimony or evidence; or

(5) abused the discovery process in any judicial action or proceeding.

(e) (1) For purposes of determining release of an inmate who is serving only a sentence for a nondrug severity level 4 through 10 crime or a drug severity level 3 or 4 crime committed on or after January 1, 2008, but prior to July 1, 2012, or an inmate who is serving only a sentence for a nondrug severity level 4 through 10 crime or a drug severity level 3 through 5 crime committed on or after July 1, 2012, the secretary of corrections is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations regarding program credit calculations. Such rules and regulations shall provide circumstances upon which an inmate may earn program credits and for the forfeiture of earned credits and such circumstances may include factors substantially related to program participation and conduct. In addition to any good time credits earned and retained, the following shall apply with regard to program credit calculations:

(A) A system shall be developed whereby program credits may be earned by inmates for the successful completion of requirements for a general education diploma, a technical or vocational training program, a substance abuse treatment program or any other program designated by the secretary which has been shown to reduce offenders' risk after release; and

(B) the amount of time which can be earned and retained by an inmate for the successful completion of programs and subtracted from any sentence is limited to not more than 120 days.

(2) Any time which is earned and subtracted from the prison part of the sentence of any inmate pursuant to program credit calculation shall not be added to such inmate's postrelease supervision term, if applicable, except that the postrelease supervision term of a person sentenced to a term of imprisonment that includes a sentence for a sexually violent crime as defined in K.S.A. 22-3717, and amendments thereto, a sexually motivated crime in which the offender has been ordered to register pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3717(d)(1)(D)(vii), and amendments thereto, electronic solicitation, K.S.A. 21-3523, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5509, and amendments thereto, or unlawful sexual relations, K.S.A. 21-3520, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5512, and amendments thereto, shall have any time which is earned and subtracted from the prison part of such sentence and any other consecutive or concurrent sentence pursuant to program credit calculation added to such inmate's postrelease supervision term.

(3) When separate sentences of imprisonment for different crimes are imposed on a defendant on the same date, a defendant shall only be eligible for program credits if such crimes are a nondrug severity level 4 through 10, a drug severity level 3 or 4 committed prior to July 1, 2012, or a drug severity level 3 through 5 committed on or after July 1, 2012.

(4) Program credits shall not be earned by any offender successfully completing a sex offender treatment program.

(5) The secretary of corrections shall report to the Kansas sentencing commission and the Kansas reentry policy council the data on the program credit calculations.

(f) The state of Kansas, the secretary of corrections and the secretary's agents or employees shall not be liable for damages caused by any negligent or wrongful act or omission in making the good time and program credit calculations authorized by this section.

(g) (1) The secretary of corrections shall make the good time and program credit calculations authorized by section 1 of chapter 54 of the 2015 Session Laws of Kansas no later than January 1, 2016.

(2) The secretary of corrections shall make the program credit calculations authorized by the amendments to this section by this act no later than January 1, 2017.

(h) The amendments to this section by section 1 of chapter 54 of the 2015 session laws of Kansas and this act shall be construed and applied retroactively.

History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 302; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 83; L. 2012, ch. 150, § 37; L. 2013, ch. 76, § 4; L. 2015, ch. 54, § 1; L. 2016, ch. 36, § 1; April 14.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 2013–2026 · leading case: State v. Herrmann, 384 P.3d 1019 (Kan. Ct. App. 2016).
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State v. Herrmann, 384 P.3d 1019 (Kan. Ct. App. 2016). “21-4722, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-6821, and amendments thereto, on postrelease supervision.”
State v. Brook, 440 P.3d 570 (Kan. 2019). “21-5512, and amendments thereto, shall serve the period of postrelease supervision as provided in subsections (d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(B) or (d)(1)(C) plus the amount of good time and program credit earned and retained pursuant to K.”
– State v. Carpenter, 453 P.3d 865 (Kan. 2019). “21-4722, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 2013 Supp. 21-6821, and amendments thereto, on postrelease supervision.”
State v. Jackson (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 4× “" The amount of good time credit a defendant can receive is set forth in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). Under K.”
State v. Holt (Kan. 2017). “Even if he earns the maximum 15% good time credit on the consecutive on-grid sentence pursuant to K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2)(A) [formerly K.”
State v. Holt (Kan. 2017). “Even if he earns the maximum 15% good time credit on the consecutive on-grid sentence pursuant to K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2)(A) [formerly K.”
State v. Bott (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “See K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). However, simply because the district court does not have discretion in determining the amount of the potential good time reduction, does not mean that the district court's failure to pronounce it has no effect on Bott.”
State v. Schmeal (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “21-4722, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 2017 Supp. 21-6821, and amendments thereto.”
State v. Magallanez (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “On March 29, 2019, the same day he filed his untimely notice of appeal, Magallanez filed a motion to withdraw his pleas on grounds that his plea counsel was ineffective in failing to inform him that any good time credit earned while incarcerated would be added to his postrelease…”
State v. Kirtdoll (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). “21-6620(a)(2); K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-6821(b). Kirtdoll initialed and signed the agreement.”
Love v. Schnurr (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). “See K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-6821. Likewise, if Love were somehow to complete serving his 816-month sentence, but had never been granted discretionary parole on his life sentence, he still could not leave prison.”
State v. Kewish (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). “" (ii) Persons sentenced to imprisonment for a sexually violent crime committed on or after the effective date of this act, when the offender was under 18 years of age, and who are released from prison, shall be released to a mandatory period of postrelease supervision for 60…”
Show all 16 citing cases →
— K.S.A. § 21-6821(b) — 1 case
State v. Kirtdoll (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). “21-6620(a)(2); K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-6821(b). Kirtdoll initialed and signed the agreement.”
— K.S.A. § 21-6821(b)(2) — 2 cases
State v. Bott (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “See K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). However, simply because the district court does not have discretion in determining the amount of the potential good time reduction, does not mean that the district court's failure to pronounce it has no effect on Bott.”
State v. Jackson (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). “" The amount of good time credit a defendant can receive is set forth in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). Under K.”
— K.S.A. § 21-6821(b)(2)(A) — 3 cases
State v. Jackson (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). “" The amount of good time credit a defendant can receive is set forth in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). Under K.”
State v. Holt (Kan. 2017). “Even if he earns the maximum 15% good time credit on the consecutive on-grid sentence pursuant to K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2)(A) [formerly K.”
State v. Holt (Kan. 2017). “Even if he earns the maximum 15% good time credit on the consecutive on-grid sentence pursuant to K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2)(A) [formerly K.”
— K.S.A. § 21-6821(b)(2)(C) — 1 case
State v. Jackson (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). “" The amount of good time credit a defendant can receive is set forth in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6821(b)(2). Under K.”
— K.S.A. § 21-6821(c) — 1 case
State v. Magallanez (Kan. Ct. App. 2020). “On March 29, 2019, the same day he filed his untimely notice of appeal, Magallanez filed a motion to withdraw his pleas on grounds that his plea counsel was ineffective in failing to inform him that any good time credit earned while incarcerated would be added to his postrelease…”
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