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

Statement by Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing SB 20, sponsored by Chairman Whitney Westerfield, to respond effectively to children who get in trouble. The youth justice system is a maze that has too many entrances and too few ways out. SB 20 seeks to make adjustments to the youth justice reforms made in 2014 to better hold youth accountable, prioritize community safety, and build more successful kids.

We appreciate the commitment of Chairman Westerfield and the Senate Judiciary Committee to common-sense shifts in practices to create a more effective youth justice system that better serves communities and puts kids back on track.