Former Juvenile Justice Administrators Sue Over Demotions
Two former Kentucky juvenile detention administrators allege their 2021 demotions were discriminatory and tied to press coverage of facility problems.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Criminal Justice
Live Poll
Do you trust your local government to treat its own employees fairly?
Tina Crowe and Rondesia Whitlow filed suit October 7 in Franklin Circuit Court against the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice and its current and former commissioners, Randy White and Vicky Reed. The former administrators allege they were demoted on October 11, 2021, and that they were paid less than a male colleague in an equivalent role.
Why it matters
The case raises questions about how state agencies discipline employees and whether personnel actions were linked to newspaper coverage of conditions in Kentucky's juvenile detention centers. The department states the employees were reverted because of unsatisfactory work performance.
The suit was filed October 7 in Franklin Circuit Court and the department had not responded in court as of the reporting date. Crowe has an appeal pending before the state Personnel Board, while Whitlow resigned and did not file a Personnel Board appeal.
The players
Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice
The state agency that oversees Kentucky's juvenile detention centers and is the defendant in the lawsuit.
Randy White
A former commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Vicky Reed
A current commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The details
Crowe served as superintendent at the Warren Regional Juvenile Detention Center from December 1, 2020, until her demotion, and Whitlow supervised several detention centers, including the Bowling Green facility. The plaintiffs allege the demotions followed Lexington Herald-Leader stories on problems in the state's juvenile detention centers, and they point to David Roger Kazee, a division director on site during a lockdown, who was not reprimanded or demoted and received a raise. The department placed reprimands in Crowe's personnel file, including an accusation of nepotism regarding relatives hired at the facility.
Timeline
December 1, 2020: Crowe became superintendent at Warren Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
October 11, 2021: Crowe and Whitlow were demoted.
October 7: Lawsuit filed in Franklin Circuit Court.
November 12: Article published about the lawsuit.
Legal Context
The department recently paid $70,000 to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging physical abuse of a teen boy at an Adair County detention center. The new suit adds to a pattern of legal challenges involving conduct and personnel decisions inside the state's juvenile facilities.
The outcome of the lawsuit and Crowe's Personnel Board appeal could affect how Kentucky handles disciplinary actions for staff at juvenile facilities. Residents served by these detention centers and the public funding them have a direct stake in how personnel and oversight decisions are made.
The takeaway
Personnel disputes at public agencies often turn on documented performance records, and both sides' accounts will be tested in court and before the state Personnel Board. Readers following state oversight of juvenile facilities can track how these pending proceedings resolve.
Further reading
For broader context on how state systems handle oversight of detention, see Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Lexington Herald Leader.
Live Poll
Do you trust your local government to treat its own employees fairly?
