An interim legislative committee studying the state’s prison system is noticing ways South Dakota stands out from other states. Notably, that includes a higher rate of drug offenses and a higher percentage of Native individuals behind bars.
Since 2020, roughly 90% of inmates assessed at intake were found to have a substance abuse disorder. Meanwhile, inmates convicted of drug offense as their most serious crime make up 30% of the state’s prison population.
That figure is much higher than similar states, according to the report. Sioux Falls Rep. Greg Jamison, the co-chair of the committee, said that’s a big takeaway for him.
"But it’s a pretty big picture of South Dakota," Jamison said. "And the takeaway I hope is that, as you can see, we have a drug problem.”
That led the committee to discuss and debate SB 83, a recently passed law that changed ingestion of a controlled substance. It dropped the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Sen. Tamara Groves was the bill’s prime sponsor. She said moving forward, the committee should focus its time on initial incarceration.
“We should put more emphasis on that," Groves said. "Now we’re connected to these people, how do we actually deal with them in this spot before it gets worse?”
The committee also discussed the disproportionate number of Native Americans in the state’s prison system.
While Native Americans make up 8.5% of the general population in South Dakota, Native men make up 35% and Native women make up over 60% of the prison population.
Rep. Jamison said he reached out to Flandreau Santee Sioux President Anthony Reider to connect the state with tribal leaders to see how the state can help.
"When you think about it, the authority we have on those Reservations is not, it’s really limited if any. And so, we need their help,” Jamison said.
Committee members agreed that would be a key focus in future meetings. The next meeting is tentatively set for July 16.
