The Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet

With more than 8,000 employees, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet is the second largest agency in state government.  It is the state entity responsible for criminal justice services which encompass law enforcement and training; adult and juvenile incarceration; autopsies, death certifications and toxicology analyses; special investigations; paroling of eligible convicted felons; and long range planning and recommendations on statewide criminal justice reform issues. 

The cabinet provides overall leadership, policy direction and training for its departments and agencies.  Justice Administration contains the secretary, deputy secretary and general counsel, principal assistant and public affairs. This office is responsible for the administration of the cabinet through provision of legal services; development of legislation, regulation and policy, and coordination of media and public activities within the cabinet and among cabinet departments.

Agencies under the umbrella of Justice Administration include:

·        Kentucky  Medical Examiner Division - provides assistance to the state’s coroners in determining the cause and manner of death and identification of the deceased;

·        Grants Management Branch - administers federal and state funds to local communities;

·        Kentucky Parole Board - grants and revokes parole for adult felony offenders incarcerated in Kentucky correctional institutions;

·        Internal Investigations Branch - investigates allegations of abuse in Department of Juvenile Justice facilities; and

·        Administrative Services Branch - provides overall fiscal management for the cabinet.

The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet has six major departments.

·        Department of Corrections - manages the daily operations of the state correctional institutions and a variety of community-based services;

·        Department of Criminal Justice Training - provides basic, skills enhancement, telecommunications, leadership development and advanced individual training for law enforcement personnel statewide;

·        Department of Juvenile Justice - administers programs dealing with juvenile crime prevention and maintains the juvenile facilities for public offenders;

·        Department of Kentucky State Police - responsible for highway safety and traffic control, detects and prevents crime, apprehends criminals, and maintains law and order throughout the state;

·        Department of Vehicle Enforcement - Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement (KVE) focuses on safety on the highways of the Commonwealth. The primary emphasis for KVE is Commercial traffic: vehicle safety, driver safety, and proper authority and compliance for vehicles operating in commerce and

·        Department of Public Advocacy -The Sixth Amendment as interpreted in Gideon v. Wainwright guarantees all persons charged with a crime who cannot afford an attorney the right to state provided counsel. In 1972 the Kentucky General Assembly created the Department of Public Advocacy (DPA) and gave it the responsibility to implement this constitutional mandate. The Mission of DPA is to provide each eligible client with high quality services through an effective trial and post-trial delivery system, including a defender staff dedicated to the interests of their clients and the improvement of the criminal justice system. Today, DPA is an independent state agency providing services in all 120 Kentucky counties primarily through 29 field offices and a central office located in Frankfort.