South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC)

The Attorney General’s office is bringing charges for an alleged drug-smuggling scheme that led to an overdose death within the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls.

For every adult released from the South Dakota prison system in 2021, half returned to prison by 2024. That’s according to the Department of Corrections annual report. A governor-appointed task force is working to lower that figure.

Advocates say changes within South Dakota’s prison system can’t come soon enough, but the impact of any changes won’t be fully seen for years.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said more charges are on the way in connection to drug overdose death investigations in state prisons.

South Dakota Department of Correction officials say two inmates died over the long holiday weekend.

While details are unclear on this case, Timothy Tyree's death marks seven overdose deaths in the state prison system in the last year.

The South Dakota Legislature and Executive branch agree something needs to change with the state’s approach to prisons and rehabilitation.

Gov. Larry Rhoden finalized the 30 people tasked to fix what many deem a broken rehabilitation system at the state’s Department of Corrections.

While the state Legislature and the Governor’s office have agreed to build a prison, conversations about rehabilitation inside the prison walls are now coming into focus.

A report from the Prison Policy Initiative found South Dakota has more women in prison per capita than any other state in the country — and more than any other country in the world.