In September, Governor Andy Beshear signed emergency regulations to update the use of isolation in Kentucky's Department of Juvenile Justice.

Facilities.

Today, the state auditor released a letter saying that those new regulations are, quote, smoke and mirrors and an attempt by the administration to continue allowing harmful practices.

Our Mackenzie Spink tells us more about this.

Within the new regulations from Governor Andy Beshear is a switch from the term isolation to restrictive housing, as well as requirements recommended by the U.S.

Department of Justice to provide more frequent medical and mental health evaluations for the isolated.

Youth.

This step requires leadership review, and it requires leadership to approve time limits.

It will also mandate all JPS staff are trained on this new policy, and that isolation isn't excessively used, is only used in the most appropriate circumstances, and that it is used safely and effectively.

However, State Auditor Allison Ball says the new regulations fail to make substantial changes in the Department of Juvenile Justice or JPS.

In Auditor Ball's letter to the Justice and Public Safety cabinet.

She says the regulations don't clearly define the term restrictive housing, and give the DJ too much discretion as to when to use isolation.

At a hearing in front of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

A member from Auditor Ball's office expounded on the letter.

No substantive research exists showing the benefits of placing youth in isolation.

Yet an abundance of data and research exists indicating that isolation cause a great deal of harm to use.

The sheer amount of times isolation was used at facilities 1579 times in one year alone shows that Djj is overusing isolation, including for discipline, punishment and administrator convenience, all of which do not justify the use of isolation according to best practices.

In her letter, Auditor Ball shares examples of how she feels the new regulations defy best practices.

For example, the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative requires youth in isolation to be checked every 15 minutes, even while they're asleep.

The new regulations from the Beshear administration say that from 8 p.m.

to 6 a.m., staff do not need to perform the normally required checks.

In 2024, the auditor's office conducted a comprehensive review of the DJ and found what they say were deeply concerning and unacceptable conditions in DJ facilities, including excessive use of isolation as well as other instances of abuse.

Although our office provided many recommendations to D.J.

to help solve the issue of their problematic and harmful use of isolation, it doesn't appear that the administration has followed any of them.

These regulations are nothing more than a tune to convince the public into thinking that real change has occurred within the DJ.

Last month, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Juvenile justice workers admitted to investigators that they were routinely skipping mandatory visual checks on youth in isolation and falsely filling out paperwork.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Mackenzie Spink.

Thank you, Mackenzie, for that report.

The emergency regulation signed by Governor Beshear went into effect in September, when he signed them a permanent version of the regulations will be filed and reviewed by the Legislature's Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee.