An official with the Governor’s office says he’s satisfied with the progress of initiatives implemented under the Public Safety Improvement Act. The act was passed in 2013 in response to South Dakota’s growing prison population.
The Public Safety Improvement Act created reforms to reduce South Dakota’s prison population. Jim Seward with the Governor’s office chairs the act’s oversight council. He says the act allowed the creation of specialty courts that focus on treatment and rehabilitation, rather than jail time. There were two drug and DUI courts in the state before the act’s passage, and there are now ten.
He says three years ago, the women’s prison was nearly at capacity. Now, he says that population has come down about 15 percent, as the number in specialty courts has risen dramatically.
“For the first time in recent history that anyone at DOC can remember this week the women’s prison dipped under 400 at 397,” Seward says. “And when we talk to the judges we find out that the treatment in the community is there, the probation had received additional resources, has received additional training, it’s improved.”
The Public Safety Improvement Act adopted an Earned Discharge Credit system for those on parole and probation. It provides one month off a parole term for every month a parolee is compliant. Seward says this has helped reduce South Dakota’s high case load.
“This allows them to earn their way off early, get off of probation, free up the probation officer’s time, so they can focus more diligently on those who are more likely to reoffend,” Seward says.
Seward says nearly 900 people were discharged from parole, and more than 500 from probation with these credits in fiscal year 2014.
The act also implemented a presumptive probation sentence for nonviolent class five and six felonies, unless a judge found aggravating circumstances.
Seward says as of June 30th, 2014, the actual prison population was slightly below what had been projected with the reforms. He says although it’s too early to declare victory, there are positive signs the reforms are working.
The governor’s office is introducing similar reforms for the juvenile justice system this session.