South Dakota lawmakers study prison disparities

Lawmakers on South Dakota’s recidivism and rehabilitation committee held their first meeting June 23 at the University of South Dakota’s Sioux Falls campus to address the state’s incarceration rate and prison programming. The committee aims to analyze prison population makeup, evaluate rehabilitation efforts and compare sentencing laws with similar states, according to South Dakota Searchlight.

Native Americans make up nearly 40% of the state’s prison population but only about 9% of the general population, according to a Legislative Research Council presentation. Several lawmakers called the disparity “alarming” and emphasized the need for policy changes. Rep. Jeff Bathke told South Dakota Searchlight, “Right now, we’re just a warehouse. We warehouse people.” Sen. Tamara Grove and others called for greater investment in intervention and reintegration. The committee is expected to meet again in July in the Rapid City area.