Category: Gubernatorial News

Update On The Tribal Pilot Parole Program
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

This week I had the honor of speaking about South Dakota’s criminal justice system at a policy briefing on Capitol Hill. I talked with policymakers about the process we undertook to study our growing prison population and the criminal justice reforms we adopted in 2013. I encouraged those who attended to look to South Dakota as they consider making similar reforms at the federal level.

It was an easy pitch because the reforms we’ve adopted in South Dakota are already bringing positive results. Our prison population is lower than what was projected; we haven’t had to construct a new state prison; and the tribal pilot parole program we put in place last year has been effective.

Nearly 30 percent of the inmates in the state prison system are Native American. More than half of parolees who abscond from the state parole supervision are Native Americans. In many of these cases, the absconders are returning to one of the reservations, where they often have homes and families. Unfortunately, because the state lacks jurisdiction on the reservations, state parole agents can no longer supervise parolees who return to a reservation.

The tribal pilot parole program was enacted one year ago as an agreement between the state of South Dakota and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. Under the program, the tribe supervises enrolled tribal members who want to return to the Lake Traverse Reservation while on parole.

The state provides the training and funding for a tribal parole agent to supervise parolees on the reservation under the same parole system that state agents use. This system applies swift, certain and proportionate sanctions for misbehavior, along with incentives for compliance. These evidence-based practices have been shown to reduce the risk that a parolee will return to the penitentiary.

As a part of the pilot program, a tribal wellness team meets regularly to provide support for the parolees in the program. The team includes individuals who work in a number of different areas including mental health, tribal law enforcement, drug and alcohol treatment, housing, and veteran’s affairs. If a participant violates parole, the wellness team reviews the individual’s case and determines the most appropriate sanctions. They take the risks and needs of each violator into consideration, and apply the penalties which are most likely to change behavior.

So far the results of the pilot program have been very promising. In the first year, 95 percent of the offenders in the tribal parole pilot did not abscond or have a parole violation report submitted. Nearly 70 percent went without a sanction due to a rule violation. No offenders were returned to prison because of a new conviction and only one offender was returned to prison due to a technical violation.

In its first year, the parole program with Sisseton Wahpeton has been a success. The pilot has led to smoother transitions for Native American parolees and restoration for tribal families. If the tribal pilot parole program continues to be successful, we’ll have the opportunity to expand it to other reservations.

Of all things undertaken in my four and a half years as Governor, the Public Safety Improvement Act is one of the efforts of which I am most proud. Through the tribal pilot parole program and other programs under the law, we are not only improving public safety and reducing spending, but holding offenders more accountable and improving lives.

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Studying South Dakota’s Education System With An Open Mind
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

South Dakotans all share three goals for our education system. First, we want a quality system of schools focused on student success. Second, we want a workforce of great teachers. Finally, we want an efficient, equitable funding system that supports those goals.

Earlier this year, I joined with legislative leaders to create the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teachers and Students. This task force will seek public input, collect and analyze data, and make recommendations to the 2016 State Legislature for reform.

The first step has already begun. Over the past couple of months, task force members have been holding meetings to seek public input. They have met with teachers and administrators, parents, business people and interested members of the public. The agenda is simple: the task force is there to listen.

Over the next couple of weeks, several more meetings are being held so that members of the public can offer input. An up-to-date schedule of public input meetings is available at blueribbon.sd.gov. Citizens can also email their input to the task force at that site. I encourage all South Dakotans to take advantage of these opportunities to participate in the process.

So far, these public meetings demonstrate the value that South Dakotans place on education. They want to have the people, facilities and resources to provide a quality education to our young people. Many ideas and suggestions have come forward – everything from a longer school year, to consolidation or sharing among small districts, to differential pay for high-demand teaching fields, to increased funding through a new tax.

Ideas like these can be controversial and I know they will lead to more discussion. That is why I have asked the task force to consider all viewpoints, honestly consider all available data and use good judgment as it recommends reforms. This process does not have a predetermined outcome and, at this point, no options should be taken off the table.

I hope everyone will wait to judge the process until it ends, and will consider the task force’s recommendations with an open mind. That is what I will do.

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Gov. Daugaard Names Additional Members To Blue Ribbon Task Force

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard today announced the appointment of thirteen new members to the Blue Ribbon Task Force.

“I joined with legislators to create the Blue Ribbon Task Force because all South Dakotans want to ensure that we have a school funding system that provides a great education to our young people, based on great teachers,” said the Governor. “There was strong interest in participating in this task force, and I thank these appointees for committing their time and thoughtful consideration to this important issue.”

The new task force members are:

· Dave Davis, Rapid City – member of the Rapid City Area School District Board of Education

· Dr. Becky Guffin, Aberdeen – superintendent of Aberdeen School District

· Vicki Harmdierks, Mitchell – principal of Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School

· LuAnn Lindskov, Timber Lake – math and science teacher at Timber Lake High School and 2013 South Dakota Teacher of the Year

· Dr. Brian Maher, Sioux Falls – incoming superintendent of Sioux Falls School District

· DeLon Mork, Madison

· Steven O’Brien, Watertown – English teacher at Watertown High School

· Erik Person, Burke – superintendent of Burke School District

· Beth Pietila, Yankton

· Dr. Michael Rush, Pierre – incoming executive director of SD Board of Regents

· Jim Scull, Rapid City

· Eric Stroeder, Mobridge – member of Mobridge School District Board of Education and incoming president of Associated School Boards of South Dakota

· Kevin Tetzlaff, Brookings

These appointees will join the 13 members named earlier this year, to complete the 26-member task force.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force will continue to hold public input meetings throughout the summer. Beginning in July, the entire task force will meet to consider public input, analyze data and discuss ideas for reform. The task force will make recommendations to Gov. Daugaard and to the 2016 State Legislature.

Learn more about the Blue Ribbon Task Force and view the schedule of upcoming meetings at blueribbon.sd.gov.

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The Good Old Summertime – Outdoors In South Dakota
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

When I was a young boy, I couldn’t wait for summer. After nine months of school, June meant a break from studies and long, adventure-filled days outdoors in South Dakota.

Oh, sure, I still had work to do, just like most kids who grew up on the farms and in the small towns of South Dakota. I worked in the bean fields, did chores around the farm and helped in any other ways the family needed.

But when the work was done, I spent many warm, lazy days canoeing on the Big Sioux River, swimming and exploring the wooded areas along the river bottom. Summer also meant 4-H camp, a great opportunity to meet other young South Dakotans and share the activities and crafts of the 4-H program.

Once, on a family visit to the Black Hills, my sisters and I had the incredible experience of riding in a helicopter to view Mount Rushmore up close. I’ll never forget that, just as I’ll never forget the simpler times spent outdoors in our great state. I grew up with a respect and deep affection for South Dakota’s outdoors.

Many things have changed in South Dakota since I was a youngster, but the outdoor opportunities remain. In fact, opportunities have greatly expanded. People of all ages have more choices for outdoor activities today than we ever did when I was young. Think of all the bike paths in the communities, the swimming pools, the hiking adventures, the day camps and the summer recreation programs that invite boys and girls to get outside and get active.

More than that, think of all the facilities and recreation opportunities provided through the work of our Game, Fish and Parks Department. The department has upgraded and expanded trails, campgrounds, boating facilities and outdoor programs tremendously in recent years. If there’s something you want to do outdoors, Game, Fish and Parks probably has a program for you. Whether you want the experience of spending time in a modern campground or fishing pond, or you just want to take your son or daughter for a walk on a nature trail, you can do it here in South Dakota.

To recognize what an abundance of opportunities we all have in South Dakota, I recently declared June as “Great Outdoors Month.’’ It’s a way to encourage each of our citizens to connect or re-connect with nature in a safe and healthy way. It’s a celebration of the fun that’s to be had outdoors here in South Dakota.

And, if you wish, you can still take a helicopter ride to see Mount Rushmore up close the way I did as a youngster.

There’s a lot to do outdoors in South Dakota in the summer. Take advantage of the opportunities! Maybe we’ll meet along the trails.

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