A public hearing will be held Nov. 25 on Gov. Andy Beshear’s proposed emergency regulations changing isolation policies for the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice.
A report by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts found massive problems in Kentucky’s juvenile justice system, including the excessive use of isolation, with more than 1,500 cases in 2024 alone.
Allison Ball, Kentucky State Auditor, said initially she was encouraged to see the new changes but argued they are mostly superficial and do not ban the practice of isolation, simply calling it “restrictive housing.”
“When we actually dug into these regs, they really don’t improve the situation in any significant way,” Ball contended.
The report found excessive use of pepper spray in the state’s juvenile detention facilities, as well as rates of solitary confinement more than 70% higher than at an adult federal prison. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the conditions at eight of the state’s youth detention centers and one development center.
Written comments on the policy will be accepted until Nov. 30. Ball added her office will speak at the public hearing.
“We’ll be weighing in on that particular day and we’ll also be providing written comments,” Ball emphasized. “We don’t feel like this satisfies the recommendations that we have made.”
Nationwide, the number of youth held in detention has dropped significantly, from more than 108,000 in 2000 to around 25,000 in 2025.
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Written by Nadia Ramlagan. Cross-posted from the Kentucky News Connection.
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