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OJJDP audit flags missed DJJ site visits; R/ED plan deadline moved up
Summary
A preliminary OJJDP compliance audit reported that Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice has not consistently conducted statutorily required site visits to verify juveniles are not held in adult or inappropriate facilities; JJAB staff also reported an accelerated R/ED plan deadline and readiness to submit when final data arrive.
A preliminary compliance audit by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) found multiple areas where Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) procedures diverge from the agency’s Compliance Manual, the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board (JJAB) heard June 20 in Elizabethtown.
The audit, conducted May 5–9 and summarized in a report distributed to board members, identified as the most significant finding that DJJ has not been carrying out statutorily required site visits to verify that juveniles are not being held in adult jails, county or regional detention centers, or other inappropriate placements. The report additionally cited omissions related to the separation of adults and children in mental health treatment settings; DJJ staff noted privacy concerns about some private mental health facilities.
Why it matters: Site visits are a statutory safeguard tied to federal Title II administration and to protections under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Without documented inspections, federal monitors flagged risks that could affect Kentucky’s compliance and future federal funding decisions.
DJJ staff also reported operational updates tied to the compliance work. Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Plan revisions must be submitted on an accelerated federal timeline in July; staff said all required data except a secure-confinement dataset have been received and that Tara Kelly and Dr. Deonte Hollowell will finalize the R/ED submission to incorporate six new OJJDP questions. The meeting record states the DJJ compliance monitoring tool and associated data are ready to submit once the R/ED update is complete.
What’s next: JJAB and DJJ staff described internal steps to complete missing documentation and the R/ED update. The board did not vote on any corrective action at the June meeting; members were briefed and scheduled internal review steps. The retreat on July 24 and a JJAB meeting on July 9 were scheduled to advance review of grant and programmatic recommendations.
Authorities referenced in the discussion included the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and DJJ’s Compliance Manual. The meeting record did not include direct quotes attributable to a single speaker for the audit findings; the preliminary report was distributed to members and summarized during the session.
Ending: Staff indicated readiness to submit required materials to OJJDP after the secure-confinement data arrive and the R/ED update is finalized; no formal board action on compliance was recorded at the meeting.
