While lawmakers this week celebrated reforms to Kentucky’s criminal justice system, prosecutors warn it’s no time for a party.
Proponents say the reforms successfully cut corrections costs and enhanced drug treatment programs. Reforms also allow the state to delay the prosecution of some drug possession offenders while they seek treatment.
Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Leveridge says those offenders are often back on the street, without any penalty.
“There case be reviewed from time to time just to see how it’s going, but they don’t have to enter a guilty plea or anything like that and there’s very little structure or options for those people to get treatment,” he said.
Leveridge stresses drug traffickers are still prosecuted with vigor. He adds low-income and homeless Kentuckians may have a hard time arranging drug treatment.
