LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A review of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice was released on Wednesday by state auditor Allison Ball.

The review states the Department of Juvenile Justice's detention division lacks a unified strategic direction and inconsistent practices plague the facilities. All eight of Kentucky's juvenile jails were included in the investigation led by a third-party, CGL Management Group, LLC.

"The state of the Department of Juvenile Justice has been a concern across the Commonwealth and a legislative priority over the past several years," Ball said in a news release. "The findings from this review demonstrate a lack of leadership from the Beshear Administration which has led to disorganization across facilities, and as a result, the unacceptably poor treatment of Kentucky youth."

Kentucky’s juvenile justice system has struggled to house increasing numbers of youth accused of violent offenses. The result was a string of assaults, riots and escapes.

A review of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice was released on Wednesday by state auditor Allison Ball.

The review found that findings from a 2017 audit haven't been implemented, while current policies and procedures for isolation are inconsistently defined, applied and conflict with best practices recognized nationally. 

A riot broke out in 2022 at a detention center, causing injuries to some young people and staff. Order was restored after state police and other law enforcement officers entered the facility. In another incident, some juveniles kicked and punched staff during an attack at another center.

Gov. Andy Beshear responded to the riot with a series of policy changes to try to quell the violence. He announced that male juveniles would be assigned to facilities based on the severity of their offenses, and “defensive equipment” — pepper spray and Tasers — was provided for the first time so detention center workers could defend themselves and others if attacked.

The review also found the Department of Juvenile Justice's use of force practices are inconsistent with national best practices and are poorly defined. The use of chemical agents, tasers and other security control devices have been deployed without a policy in place. The report states staff in Kentucky juvenile jails use pepper spray at a rate 73% higher than adult federal prisons.

Deplorable conditions, allegations of abuse at the Adair County Youth Detention Center are being addressed with lawsuits.

"The state has proven unable to address the problem and we are hoping the federal court can intervene and get things back on track so that these kids actually have a chance at getting rehabilitated," Laura Landenwich, lawyer representing one of the people to file a lawsuit against the center, said. 

The juvenile justice agency hired a director of security, and visitor screenings were bolstered to prevent drugs or other dangerous items from infiltrating detention centers.

The state’s Republican-dominated legislature passed legislation and pumped additional money into the system to try to overcome the chronic problems. The legislation added stricter rules for youths charged with or convicted of violent crimes. Lawmakers appropriated money to boost salaries for juvenile justice employees, hire more DJJ correctional officers, upgrade security at detention centers and increase diversion and treatment services for detained youths. The appropriations reflected much of the funding requests from Beshear’s administration to retain and recruit workers in the understaffed facilities.

According to the review, the juvenile detention centers are understaffed, which requires detention staff to work overtime. 

In addition, the report added poor medical and mental health record keeping and ineffective training of staff. Also, nearly every rehabilitation program is failing. The report states that education must be a priority, and the provision of education in detention is the primary form of rehab. The report said the current system is classified as inconsistent, poorly implemented and lacks oversight. 

"Juvenile justice is the last chance for some of these kids to turn it around," Kentucky Rep. Kevin Bratcher, R-Louisville, said. "Once they turn 18, it is a whole new ball game and we have to, as a state, as a Commonwealth, make sure that this department gets turned in the right direction save some of these kids."

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