Gov. Larry Rhoden finalized the 30 people tasked to fix what many deem a broken rehabilitation system at the state’s Department of Corrections.
Following the Legislature’s approval of a new men’s prison in Sioux Falls last month, Gov. Rhoden announced his intent to establish the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force.
Members are tasked with assessing the inmate population’s programming needs, understanding options for faith-based and Native American-focused programs, studying best practices for reentry models and making recommendations on how to best use the expanded space of the new prison.
Rhoden said the “diverse membership” brings broad perspectives to the table. Membership includes Native American voices, something many asked for given the South Dakota state prison system’s demographics.
Despite collectively only making up about 8.5% of the general population, Native men make up 35% and Native women 60% of the prison population.
The full list of task force members is as follows:
- Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen, Chair;
- Mayor of Sioux Falls Paul TenHaken;
- Judge Pat Pardy, Third Judicial Circuit;
- Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, R-District 11;
- Senator Tamara Grove, R-District 26;
- Senator Joy Hohn, R-District 9;
- Senator Paul Miskimins, R-District 20;
- Senator Ernie Otten, R-District 6;
- Senator Sue Peterson, R-District 13;
- Senator Jamie Smith, D-District 15;
- Representative John Hughes, R-District 13;
- Representative Greg Jamison, R-District 12;
- Representative Chris Kassin, R-District 17;
- Representative Brian Mulder, R-District 11;
- Representative Tim Reisch, R-District 8;
- Representative Tesa Schwans, R-District 9;
- Representative Eric Emery, D-District 26A;
- Representative Kadyn Wittman, D-District 15;
- Minnehaha County State’s Attorney Danial Haggar;
- Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller;
- Southeast Tech President Cory Clasemann;
- Minnehaha County Jail Warden Mike Mattson;
- State Court Administrator Greg Sattizahn;
- Sioux Falls City Council member Rich Merkouris;
- Founder of I.Am.Legacy Erik Brings White;
- CEO of Great Plains Tribal Leader’s Health Board Jerilyn Church;
- Executive Director of SD Council of Mental Health Centers Terry Dosch;
- Sioux Falls School Board Member Dawn Marie Johnson;
- Secretary of Labor and Regulation Marcia Hultman; and
- Department of Corrections Deputy Secretary Brent Fluke.
