A state official confirms a federal investigation into Kentucky's juvenile detention centers.

That's despite the Trump administration ending another prominent civil rights case in the state.

Our June Lefler has more and this report as we begin tonight's legislative update.

In May of 2020 for Joe Biden's, Department of Justice launched an investigation into conditions at Kentucky's juvenile detention centers and they're looking into certain issues, basically whether the youth that are confined in the eight detention centers and a why DC receive reasonable protection from excessive use of use of force, isolation, physical and sexual abuse, and then also whether we are providing adequate mental health care.

Now, President Donald Trump's administration is in charge of the case.

At this point, the investigation is ongoing.

We just complied last week with the ninth request from DOJ for information and documents.

The continuation of this case is in spite of a shakeup at DOJ.

Trump's DOJ dropped another civil rights case in Kentucky.

The federal consent decree meant to hold Louisville's police force accountable to the local community.

His DOJ is also experiencing mass staff turnover.

We have given them access to data.

They have visited every detention center in Kentucky, juvenile detention center in Kentucky, and the idea why they see some of them more than once.

I don't believe they will be coming back for any more site visits.

But they could.

They haven't told us that.

State officials confirmed this at a legislative meeting last Friday.

Moving to state politics, the Department of Juvenile Justice says it will ask state lawmakers to find new facilities for girls and kids with severe mental illness based on the consultant review.

Governor Beshear requested funding for two female facilities and one higher acuity mental health facility during the 2024 and the 2025 legislative sessions.

These were not funded.

To date, they've been included again and age 2632 capital plan submissions.

A western Kentucky lawmaker has proposed these investments in recent years.

You all know the mental health component.

How important that is and that that's getting worse within the facilities.

And that's really, to me, the one that is the top priority.

We're making it with the female guards.

It's not an ideal situation at all, but the commissioner's making that work.

But consideration of our counties and our families, those women need to be closer to to where they live.

And again, that gives them the best opportunity to succeed in that they would have family close and then we can grow as we need to.

These facilities could cost tens of millions of dollars.

Lawmakers will enter into their budget session next year.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Jim Leffler.

Thank you, June.

Some updated juvenile detention centers are in the works That includes two facilities for boys from Jefferson County.

Neither have been operational since renovations began.

They should come back online in the fall of 2026 and spring of 2027.