Kansas looking for 5,000 Ned Flanders types to mentor ex-cons

One of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s Big Ideas is to pair prison inmates with mentors who can help them make the transition from the cell block to society. Brownback spoke Monday in Wichita at a conference sponsored by Prison Fellowship, a group that promotes ministry in prisons and support for ex-offenders.

A social conservative, Brownback has surprised no one by promoting faith-based efforts as governor. But Monday’s conference showed that such efforts need to strike a delicate balance.