Contact:
Mara Powell
859-496-5524
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement by Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

We applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing SB 120, sponsored by Chairman Whitney Westerfield, to give adults who have served their time the opportunity to get back to work and care for their children. Kentucky has the highest rate in the nation of children who have experienced a parent being incarcerated, and SB 120 will help limit the negative impact incarceration has on those children.

SB 120 is an important step in criminal justice reforms that will help adults reentering the community after incarceration to become contributing members of their community. We appreciate the work of the Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council for their work, along with Chairman Westerfield, Governor Matt Bevin, Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet John Tilley, and Secretary of the Labor Cabinet Derrick Ramsey for championing this bill.