News Report | April 23, 2017
In First Year, South Dakota Reforms Cut Juvenile Commitments By Half
During fiscal year (FY) 2016, the first full year of its juvenile justice reform, South Dakota reduced juvenile commitments by half, from 220 in 2014, the fiscal year before the reform was enacted, to 193 in 2015 when the reform went live, to 110 during fiscal year 2016. The number of recommitments dropped from 21 in 2014, to 10 in 2015, to 8 in 2016. Juvenile arrests increased by 7% in 2016; the majority of arrests were for drug violations, thefts and assaults
During FY 2016 a total of 2,184 youth were being supervised on probation, an 11% reduction . . .