Minister hopes to save youth through jail visits

Ken Adkins wants at-risk juveniles to visit death row

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A local minister is pushing to allow at-risk teens to visit death row but he's running into roadblocks with the state government because it's illegal.

Ken Adkins is an ex-con from a long time ago, but now with his life turned around, he's a minister and community activist who wants to start somewhat of a scare-straight program with at-risk youth by taking them to see death row.

 "What's crazy to me is that the only way a juvenile can get behind the walls of a Florida state prison is to commit a crime. And we were thinking, if we could get them behind there, we could hopefully keep them from committing a crime," said Adkins.

Adkins ran into a problem earlier this year when he pitched this idea to Gov. Rick Scott and found that a state law that won't allow minors into anything except the commons area of a prison.

"As an ex-offender, this is what I learned when I was incarcerated-- that I never want to go again. And I think that if you talk to anybody who's ever been in a jail or prison that had I known it would be like this I wouldn't have done what I did to get there," Adkins said.

But State Rep. Lake Ray said the main problem is state representatives are only allowed to propose six bills each legislative session. And he's already committed to six, but he said he will be shopping this idea around the state Capitol.

"I'm not closing the door, it's one that I would suggest to say that there are others that handle more legislation that this would fit more appropriately into," said Ray. "There might be some others that I'll be talking to next week that might have some interest in that. Of course, they would want to be working with the governor's office, Department of Corrections and any issues out there would be corrected."

News4Jax also reached out to the State Attorney's Office about the idea, because Adkins forwarded them the letter, as well, and they released this statement:

"The SAO commits nearly a million dollars each year to juvenile and adult diversion programs, which provide assistance to those who have entered the criminal justice system. The SAO's diversion programs are tailored to help juveniles and their families get the support they need to turn their lives around and become productive citizens in the Fourth Judicial Circuit." 


About the Author:

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.