KY Cuts Number Of Jailed Non-Criminal Juveniles

Judges in Kentucky have cut the number of children they’re sending to jail for non-criminal offenses such as skipping school and running away from home in half. Recently released data from Kentucky Youth Advocates shows that the number of juveniles jailed has steadily fallen to just over a thousand last year, down from almost 23 hundred in 2007. The Courier-Journal reports state and local officials have agreed dealing with children who are "status offenders" should be done outside of jail. One state representative predicts a push by the General Assembly to prohibit jailing juveniles for non-criminal offenses that don't apply to adults. Still, Kentucky ranks fourth in the U.S. for the number of status offenders jailed in the past year, using contempt-of-court violations to sidestep federal and state laws.