juvenile justice

Disability Rights Tennessee filed a lawsuit against the state of Tennessee, Department of Children’s Services, and the commissioners of both DCS and the Department of Education Wednesday for failing to protect children in the juvenile justice system from physical and mental harm.

Starting next month, more kids who are charged with violent crimes will be automatically prosecuted as adults. In Louisville, police data show most will be Black.

A state law taking effect next month will require more kids charged with violent offenses to be held in Kentucky’s troubled juvenile jails — at a time when all eight of the youth detention centers are under federal investigation for possible abuses.

Disability Rights Tennessee and the Youth Law Center have published a new report on the state’s juvenile criminal justice system, offering suggestions on how to prevent abuse inside detention facilities, and set kids up for success after they leave.

An independent review of Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice’s detention facilities released Wednesday found that several of the department’s policies – including those surrounding discipline – lack clarity and consistency.

Despite reforms to Kentucky’s juvenile justice system over the last decade, data shows Black kids continue to disproportionately end up in youth detention compared to white and Hispanic children.

A bill requiring kids who are charged with certain offenses to be imprisoned for up to two days is nearing final passage in the Kentucky Legislature. Judges and advocates worry the policy would hurt kids, but supporters say it would keep communities safe.

Gov. Andy Beshear signed 29 more bills into law on Thursday, including a measure doing away with Kentucky’s automatic transfer law, which requires minors…

The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and the Department of Juvenile Justice are launching a new incentive fund for local programs that supervise…

Margie Beitz’s son had been gone nearly two weeks when she decided to file a court petition labeling him a runaway.She and her husband were blindsided by…