Progress Made on Drug Policy in 2023, Though the Legislature Increased Other Criminal Penalties
If Kentucky were a country, it would be the seventh most incarcerated place in the world – with more than...
Criminal Justice
House Bill 3 Proposes Harmful, Regressive Policy Changes to Kentucky’s Juvenile System
A robust body of research shows that locking kids behind bars harms their mental and physical well-being, gets in the way of their education, makes them more likely to be...
SB 225 Proposes Much-Needed Changes to Kentucky’s Persistent Felony Offender (PFO) Law
For the last 40 years, Kentucky’s persistent felony offender (PFO) law has added decades to prison sentences of convicted Kentuckians, contributing significantly to Kentucky's much-too high incarceration rate. Advocates have...
House Bill 353 Would Save Lives by Decriminalizing Fentanyl Testing Strips
With overdose deaths on the rise, and a growing need to assist Kentuckians battling substance use disorder, the General Assembly has an opportunity to move the state in a positive...
Lawmakers Should Help Our Kids, Not Lock More Up in Failing Juvenile System
All children deserve a chance to succeed, even those who’ve made mistakes. But when we emphasize detention over the supports that we know make a difference for kids, their ability...
Ailing Juvenile System Needs Investment and Care, Not Harsher Penalties
The bipartisan working group on Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) wrapped up last week, and the legislature heads back into session tomorrow. There are several key issues to keep...
The 2022 General Assembly Passed More Bills Increasing Incarceration Than Decreasing It, and Failed to Make Other Badly Needed Justice Changes
Kentucky has one of the worst rates of incarceration in the country. Two years after a sharp decline in the Kentucky jail population due to COVID-19 policy-driven releases, the state’s...
Pretrial Bills in the Kentucky General Assembly Are a Mixed Bag
Kentucky’s pretrial system — which determines whether a person charged with a crime waits for their day in court behind bars or at home — is arbitrary, unfair and rife...
While Failing to Address Kentucky’s Overdose Crisis, HB 215 Would Keep People Incarcerated Longer
Kentucky is currently in the midst of an overdose crisis, particularly with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that when pharmaceutically prescribed can be used to treat pain but when acquired illegally...
There’s Still Time for Kentucky to Reverse Course on Harmful Criminal Policies
The 2022 General Assembly has a big opportunity to build on positive changes in criminal policy from last session. Increasing the threshold at which theft becomes a felony, ending the...