Supporting the Need for a New Prison in South Dakota
By Casey Murschel, Sioux Falls
The South Dakota Legislature is considering House Bill 1025, a crucial step in transferring funds to help build a much-needed new prison. This project is essential for our state’s future, addressing key issues such as rehabilitation, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.
Rehabilitation and Education
A new prison will provide significantly better opportunities for rehabilitation and education. Currently, the men’s prison is operating at 182% of capacity, making it incredibly difficult to run effective education, rehabilitation, and treatment programs. Overcrowding also poses significant safety risks for both staff and inmates.
The new prison will be designed with programming and treatment options in mind, ensuring that inmates have access to substance abuse treatment, mental health support, and vocational training. The new women’s prison is being built to provide a therapeutic community where substance abuse treatment and other rehabilitative services can be effectively administered. We can replicate this model in the men’s prison, but we are currently severely limited by space constraints. A properly designed facility will enable better rehabilitation outcomes, reducing recidivism and preparing inmates for successful reintegration into society with valuable skills and employment opportunities.
A Thorough, Three-Year Process
The decision to build a new prison is not rushed—it has been in the works since 2022, with summer studies, task forces, and at least seven legislative reviews. Expert consultants have recommended constructing a new men’s prison expandable to 1,516 beds on 160 acres near Sioux Falls. While no community is eager to host a prison, this location aligns with best practices seen nationwide. Furthermore, this initiative is strongly supported by police chiefs, sheriffs’, and state’s attorney organizations, recognizing the necessity for a modern, efficient facility.
The Fiscally Responsible Choice
South Dakota has an opportunity to build this prison at a guaranteed price of $825 million, but this offer expires on March 31, 2025. Delaying the project could lead to an additional $40 million or more in costs. Constructing a modern, secure facility made of steel and concrete is expensive but not extravagant—it is a responsible investment in public safety and state infrastructure. Any change in location would only drive up costs and disrupt communities further.
Additionally, South Dakota is using the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) model, the same approach successfully used for other state building projects over the past 10 years. There is a common misunderstanding of this process. Under the CMAR model, the construction manager solicits multiple bids on various components of the project, including precast, plumbing, electrical, security, and other critical elements. They then compile the best subcontractors offering the greatest value for the project. This process ensures that the state is protected from cost overruns, as the construction manager guarantees a final price, providing financial predictability and accountability.
South Dakota has a long history of fiscal responsibility, with balanced budgets, a strong state retirement system, and low taxes. Approving House Bill 1025 ensures we replace a 100-year-old facility with a modern, 100-year solution, securing safety and efficiency for generations to come. The 100th session of the Legislature has the chance to make the right decision—let’s move forward with this essential project.
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Casey Murschel is a former Republican state legislator, Sioux Falls city council member, and in her younger years was a probation officer for the UJS Second Circuit.
Why does the offer of a guaranteed price expire in March? That makes this process feel artificially rushed.
Guaranteed price bids expire because construction companies cannot carry the risk of potential rising costs for an extended period of time. This is very common on guaranteed price bids regardless the type or size of project.
Thank you for the explanation. That does make sense.
Do you have any idea what goes into construction? No different than building a house. Material costs go up and up with every major natural disaster (double punch of hurricanes last year for example).
With all the threatened tariffs, I’ll be scared to see how much steel costs jump. You can’t sit on this stuff if you think you’re going to be paying the same price in 2028 as you were quoted in 2022.
South Dakotans understand the need for a new prison, but it doesn’t really matter where you put it because everyone is going full NIMBY no matter what you do. Place it in the area of the state with the most potential employees and greatest material support: Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. All of this “b-b-b-but the cost” is coming from either a NIMBY or someone who has zero clue what they are talking about.
Belle Fourche would be a good location. The northern hills could use employment that doesn’t require driving down to Rapid City.
Belle Fourche would be bad. The town only has 5000 people and sits an hour from Rapid City. Springfield can barely be staffed and it sits a half hour between Wagner, Yankton, and Tyndall, which have about, what, 3 or 4 times what Belle Fourche does?
I keep hearing ‘other states are building for $345-400 vs our $500/550 per bed’. Is anyone here aware of what other states these are and more importantly WHEN?
Nebraska, this year, half the price of SD with almost double the beds. They claim it is more of a bunk house style, apparently we need all solitary?
This has been mentioned at committee testimony for the last 3 years with nearly every bill, while people like Kevin Jensen voted Aye! Then, when we are down the final push, he is trying to act like he needs to represent his constituents suddenly. Sure, Kevin, you are totally representing us, my favorite was this year when he was asking “how can you do this” and they had to cite the multiple bills he voted yes on over the past few years, lol.
I have no confidence in the management of the Dept of Corrections. They fail to communicate with the legislature and the public Too many details seem to be lacking and without the full details we can not feel assured that this prison is what we need. Is it some one’s dream prison? Without trust this can not be approved.
What details are lacking, in your opinion?