SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — With a special session on a proposed new men’s prison with a total price of $650 million about two weeks away, a member of the state’s Freedom Caucus said Wednesday its members are a hard no.
“We will be strongly opposing the building of a new prison,” Republican Rep. Tina Mulally said.
Mulally is a member of the Freedom Caucus, which lists at least nine legislative members on its website. The Freedom Caucus issued a news release on Wednesday that outlined concerns and opposition it has to a new prison.
Although the Freedom Caucus refers to a proposed $650 million men’s prison, the headline said “SDFC calls on Legislature to reject unwise Billion dollar Prison Spend.”
A 1,500 bed prison with a capped total price of $650 million in Sioux Falls has been recommended for the state.
The Freedom Caucus questions how an original plan for $825 million could be reduced by $175 million to the $650 million.
“…to come down $175 million, there is something wrong there,”Mulally said. Mulally did not have time for an interview with KELOLAND but did provide several statements over the phone.
In contrast to members of Gov. Larry Rhoden’s Project Prison Reset Task Force, the Freedom Caucus said in its news release that the existing prison in Sioux Falls is usable.
“The existing State Penitentiary, while old, is still in a completely usable condition and is housing prisoners in conjunction with the Jameson annex,” the caucus news release said.
Rhoden’s office released on Wednesday statements of support for a new prison from various entities including from the South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association.
“Our first duty is the safety of our communities,” Jason Foote, South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association President said in a letter of support for anew men’s prison. “South Dakota needs a secure, modern, and humane facility that keeps our communities safe, protects staff, treats those in custody with dignity, and supports rehabilitation where possible.”
Foote was a member of Rhoden’s prison task force.
Mulally said she and other Freedom Caucus members believe it’s wrong to spend $650 million on a new men’s prison without addressing the underlying issues such as the mental health of inmates.
Now that Department of Corrections Kellie Wasko has announced she will resign in October, the state needs to replace her before pursuing a new prison, the Freedom Caucus said in its news release.
The Freedom Caucus said in its news release that a “new Secretary of Corrections and give them 12 months to study the situation and implement POLICY changes that are the most important thing needed before building changes.”
Statements of support from the South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association and the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association cite that a new prison will help address rehabilitation of inmates.
“A new prison is not solely about incarceration, but also about rehabilitative services and ensuring that individuals who enter the correctional system have a meaningful incarceration with access to resources which address the root causes of much criminal behavior,” the State’s Attorneys Association said in its support statement.
Opposition to a new men’s prison is not new as the state House rejected funding for the $825 million proposal. Questions, opposition and concerns continued after the session ended and while Project Prison Reset Task Force met throughout the spring and part of the summer.
Rhoden even cited the still existing opposition in a Monday KELOLAND News story.
“I’ll be perfectly honest with you, there are a few legislators that for whatever reason are hell-bent on staying at a ‘no,’ and nothing we’ve been able to tell them or information we’ve been able to provide is going to change that,” Rhoden said in the KELOLAND News story.
KELOLAND News has contacted at least one other member of the Freedom Caucus for comment and Rhoden’s office. The story will be updated if responses are received.
