Lawmakers address issues at DJJ during Statutory Legislative Oversight and Investigation Committee

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) — On Thursday, lawmakers met with those overseeing the Department of Juvenile Justice, holding them accountable on reports of the unauthorized use of pepper spray.
The Beshear administration authorized the use of pepper spray before the reform legislation, allowing its usage for defensive purposes.

“In the six month period prior to the deployment of OC spray in these facilities that we had 29 instances where one of our staff members was assaulted by a youth in the six months after this deployment, there have been only eight such instances,” said Secretary of the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet, Kerry Harvey.

Larry Chandler the director of security at the Department of Juvenile Justice spoke on the training of staff, on the usage of pepper spray.
Adding that there were instances where they did have to take disciplinary action within the staff.

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We have a situation in Campbell County where, the captain just, walked in and sprayed for no reason. And we were in the process of dismissing him. he got frustrated, with, one of our clients and he just walked in and sprayed her and, we terminated him and like Mr Chandler said he quit before we could terminate him,” added John Sweatt, the Director at the Department of Corrections.

Meantime, lawmakers had been informed that since 2015 there have been 55 sexual related reports filed, six were substantiated.

“We participate in PRIA and for the public, the Prison Rape Elimination Act and all, we’re required to keep all those statistics. Each facility has a PRIA coordinator and they teach a two hour component during a new staff training,” added Commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice, Vicki Reed.

According to those with Beshear’s administration, the Campbell County Youth Detention Center will start housing lower level offending male youth with a target date of November 1st.

The next meeting of the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31.