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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky lawmakers in the House have approved a measure to create a task force to rewrite the state's juvenile code.

Sponsor Rep. John Tilley told The Courier-Journal the goal is to update the law in ways that improve juvenile justice (http://cjky.it/wNcY8J).

The Hopkinsville Democrat said that is especially important when it comes to "status offenses." Those are acts that would not be a crime for an adult, such as running away or missing school.

The Courier-Journal reported in December that Kentucky has the second-highest rate in the nation of placing young status offenders in juvenile jails. That's despite both federal and state laws that discourage detention in such cases and the near-unanimous agreement among experts that it harms children.

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Information from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com

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