Harsher Criminal Penalties Not a Proven Way to Address Heroin Problem
We all want to see Kentucky address its devastating drug problems. The issue touches individuals and families from all walks...
Would Charter School Proposal Negatively Impact Funding of Kentucky’s Existing Public Schools?
One of the key questions about how charter school legislation would change education in Kentucky is how it would affect funding for traditional public schools. Looking at what has occurred in...
Mix of Criminal Justice Bills So Far in 2017 General Assembly
With Kentucky’s growing inmate population and high rates of recidivism, what we need in 2017 is legislation that will make these problems better, not worse. The criminal justice bills filed...
How Criminal Justice Reform Would Help Kentucky Kids
Criminal justice reform is important not just for adults but also for children, as highlighted in a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). This link is especially relevant...
Kentucky’s Repeat Offender Laws Need Reform
Last week Kentucky’s Public Advocate Ed Monahan testified to the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary that the state needs to reform its Persistent Felony Offender (PFO) laws. This is also...
Kentucky’s Performance Funding Design Should Work to Prevent Unintended Consequences Reported in Neighboring States
A new book by leading education policy researchers highlights some of the unintended consequences resulting from performance funding for higher education in three of Kentucky’s neighboring states — Indiana, Ohio...
Roundup on Kentucky’s Criminal Justice Reform Needs and Options
Kentucky’s criminal justice issues have been in the news recently. The majority of Kentucky’s full-service jails are at or over capacity, and the state is considering reopening private prisons as...
Promising Reform Options Being Considered by Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council
The state’s Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council (CJPAC) is developing ideas in the areas of drug policy, prevention, jail reform, penal code reform, reentry, recidivism reduction, and probation and parole...
Department of Labor Rule Clears the Way for State Sponsored Retirement Plan for Private Sector Workers
A new federal Department of Labor (DOL) rule clears the way for states to offer a particular model of retirement plan for private sector workers without it being subject to...
New Data Shows Kentucky Has Third-Highest Student Loan Default Rate for Second Consecutive Year
Data released today by the U.S. Department of Education shows Kentuckians leaving college with student loan debt are among the most likely to default nationwide. The state’s new default rate...