MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) South Dakota lawmakers are digging into prison numbers, and this time it isn’t about building a new prison. The Legislature’s interim committee on Incarceration and Re-entry is beginning an interim summer study of overall prison numbers. South Dakota’s percentage of incarceration is above the national average, while the number of counselors working with inmates is low. During the meeting on Tuesday Committee member, Representative Jeff Bathke of Mitchell asked why. Several committee members questioned the impact of sentencing guidelines, which may contribute to the high incarceration numbers. For more Government stories from MitchellNow.com, Click Here.
Lawmakers Launch Study on South Dakota’s Rising Prison Numbers and Re-entry Challenges
South Dakota lawmakers are launching a summer study on the state’s high incarceration rates through the Legislature’s Interim Committee on Incarceration and Re-entry. Unlike previous discussions focused on building new prisons, this effort targets sentencing guidelines, inmate rehabilitation, and reentry support.
