EKB News

The Kentucky Supreme Court has approved a proposal to test an initiative that would consider jail passes for nonviolent offenders. Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott says the move to allow people arrested on any of more than 700 mostly obscure charges, including marijuana possession, prostitution and hundreds of other nonviolent crimes to avoid going to jail, would save the state more than $400,000 a day in jail costs. The initiative will be tested in a handfull of counties before the Kentucky Supreme Court decides whether to expand it statewide. Prosecutors favor testing the initiative, saying it makes sense financially and poses no risk to public safety, although people convicted of crimes could still face jail time.