SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Recidivism has been a topic in prison discussions in South Dakota for at least 20 years. It’s become a buzz word that’s been circulating in talks about a possible new men’s prison in the state since at least early 2022.
Recidivism is when a prisoner returns to prison with three years of release because of a new offense or technical parole violation, according to the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC). The state’s adult inmate recidivism rate since 2004 has been as high as 46% in 2007. It hovers around the 42% mark. KELOLAND News asked the DOC for recidivism rates from 2004 through the most recent of fiscal year 2020 (cohorts). The rate includes adult female and male inmates.
The FY2022 DOC statistical report said that males typically have a higher rate of recidivism than females. That’s also true for younger offenders and Native American inmates.
In an archival search of recidivism and a men’s prison project, dozens of KELOLAND stories were found. Below are two examples.
In a July KELOLAND News story about the Initial Incarceration, Reentry Analysis, and Comparison of Relevant States Interim Committee Republican Rep. Kevin Jensen said “If we can get the recidivism down to about 20%, that would open up about 200 beds a year for the next two or three years.”
Jensen has often discussed the need for programs to reduce recidivism during legislative discussions about a men’s prison and in other meetings.
Democrat Erin Healy said in a December 2022 KELOLAND News story about the state budget and prison needs “I just would love to see equal thought put into social programs, mental health programs, programs that really help our people who are in the system. How they can become citizens again once they’re out.”
Healy said in the new story that there needs to be a focus on recidivism.
Healy is a member of Gov. Larry Rhoden’s Project Prison Reset task force.
Recidivism is likely to come up as the state legislature meets in special session on Sept. 23 to discuss a possible 1,500 bed prison in Sioux Falls at a maximum cost of $650 million recommended by Rhoden’s task force.
The DOC tracks the 36-month rates in cohorts, DOC spokesman Michael Winder said in an email to KELOLAND News. Winder defined a cohort as “A cohort compromises the total number of offenders released, excluding multiple releases of the same offender in a single year. Consequently, each offender is only considered to have recidivated once within a given cohort.”
Data reported from other states shows that South Dakota is tracking similarly to many others.
The federal Bureau of Justice Statistics completed a 10-year tracking of recidivism in 18 states from 2008 to 2018. The report was released in 2021 and is the most recent available. This study revealed that the more inmates returned to prison within 10 years than within three years.
In the 18 states with data on persons returned to prison, “about half (49%) had a parole or probation violation or an arrest that led to a new sentence within 3 years, a rate that increased to about 6 in 10 (61%) within 10 years,” the Bureau report said.
A recent report from the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments showed that 35% of people exiting prison in 2008 were back in prison within three years. The percentage decreased to 27% in 2019. The report said South Dakota with reduced its rate from 45% to 40%.
The report credited the The Second Chance Act (SCA) with helping to improve recidivism rates. The SCA supports state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations in their work to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning from state and federal prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities,” its website said.
South Dakota’s rate is still tracking behind the neighboring states of Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, according to World Population Review and the Justice Center.
The state has attempted to reduce recidivism in at least the past 20 years.
The fiscal year 2006 report from the DOC cited the Community Transition Program that started in October of 2004. The program was offered at DOC facilities located in Sioux Falls, Springfield, Pierre, Yankton, Rapid City, and Redfield. The program offered education on securing a job, saving money and transitioning to stable housing and similar topics. The program had 420 graduates and 264 were successful on probation. Of the graduates, 156 violated probation.. The report said the success rate was 62.85%.
An attempt to lower recidivism finished its pilot program first year in fiscal year 2014 when Denny Kaemingk was the DOC Secretary
This was a reentry pilot project started at Mike Durfee State Prison.
“The Ludeman Hall Transitional Release Housing program is a volunteer project, offered to offenders who are within six months of a possible release date from MDSP, but not eligible for minimum-custody status,” the FY2014 report said. The inmates needed to participate in certain programming geared to release preparation.
Similar programs have continued or started in the DOC system. The FY2024 DOC Statistical Report said the DOC’s reentry programs begins when an inmate enters prison during the admissions and orientation process. The tranistion phase usually with a year of the inmate’s release when they get a reentry coach. The community phase starts after release with the assigned parole agent.
