One night last month, volunteers ventured out in Missouri to try to tally the state's homeless population. It's an incredibly important but flawed system that is especially difficult in rural areas. Plus: A shortage of attorneys in Kansas is so bad that it could lead to courts dismissing criminal cases.

Each year in January, volunteers venture into the night to count the number of homeless people across the country. It’s part of the annual count directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Resources for homeless assistance organizations depend on it. Getting an accurate count is a challenge, though, especially in rural regions. The Midwest Newsroom’s Kavahn Mansouri reports.

Kansas is facing a crisis when it comes to defending accused criminals who cannot afford their own attorneys. If the problem is not addressed, there is a risk that courts will throw out criminal cases. Dylan Lysen of the Kansas News Service has the story.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Olivia Hewitt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Lisa Rodriguez and Gabe Rosenberg.

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