Fayette County prosecutor discusses resources available for juvenile offenders

Fayette County juvenile prosecutor Heather Matics says there has been an uptick in kids committing gun-related and violent crimes in Lexington.

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- After a sixteen year old was accused of shooting a Lexington police officer recently, there has been public criticism of how teens are handled in the criminal justice system.

Whit Whitaker, president of the Fayette County Chapter of the NAACP, called for changes in the juvenile justice system after the recent police shooting. He says the system should focus on rehabilitation instead of punishment. He notes that the accused shooter was on house arrest at the time as an adult, instead of being in the juvenile justice system getting needed help.

“The juvenile system needs to take into account previous socioeconomic, racial, sexual abuse, violent trauma  and build a system that is a trauma informed system that speaks directly to the issues of the youth,” Whitaker said.

Fayette County juvenile prosecutor Heather Matics says there has been an uptick in youth committing gun-related and violent crimes in Lexington.
But she says there are plenty of resources available for juvenile offenders- all of which are treatment based.

“When we get to court here in Lexington, we are very fortunate,” Matics said. “Our urban county government funds a second juvenile probation branch through our Division of Youth Services. They’re able to provide community supervision. We heavily focus on mental health treatment. We focus on substance abuse treatment. We use community programs, like Operation Making a Change.”

Even with reoccurring crimes from juvenile offenders, Matics says they don’t give up on trying to make resources available. She says prosecutors try to get juvenile offenders help until all avenues are exhausted.

“By statute, we are mandated to look for solutions. And the main goal of juvenile court is to avoid having our folks do what we call graduating to adult court whether that is as teenagers or as actual adults,” said Matics.

Whitaker said community groups, like the NAACP should stand in the gap for the youth who need support. He wants to work with legislatures to get more help for minority communities who don’t receive as much help as others.

“It is indeed a necessity for community groups, leaders, mentors to step up and intervene in the lives of the young people,” Whitaker said.

Back at the prosecutor’s office, Matics agrees that where you come from can play a big part.

“If you live in a neighborhood where a certain amount of your neighbors are engaged in a certain activity, you might kind of follow along because it keeps you safer than if you don’t hang out with them,” Matics said.

But she says help is out there, and they’re ready and willing.