April 7, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Department of Corrections Announces Rehabilitation and Parole Supervision Reform Plans

PIERRE, S.D. –  The South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) announced the expansion of their work with the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center to improve rehabilitation and parole supervision.

DOC has signed a contract for $160,000 with the Council of State Governments Justice Center to continue providing support to the Governor’s Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force through March 31st of 2027. The contract will fund the completion of a comprehensive programming assessment, reentry assessment, final recommendation development with the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force (CRTF) and help translate those recommendations into action. A copy of the contract can be found here.

An evaluation of parole has launched the “Smarter Supervision Initiative” under the South Dakota DOC. The Smarter Supervision Initiative is designed to improve parole supervision by building the reporting capacity, community partnerships, and parole agent training that will allow South Dakota to supervise more effectively and reduce violent reoffending across the state. Phase one is complete with the DOC and CSG application for a federal grant of $891,721 from the Bureau of Justice. The grant application was submitted to the federal government at the end of March. Governor Larry Rhoden and Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen both submitted letters of support as part of the grant application. These letters can be found here and here.

“Keeping South Dakotans safe is the most important duty of government. The historic investment in the new Men’s prison was the first step in corrections reform, and the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force is providing necessary direction to reduce recidivism,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “This Smarter Supervision Initiative is the next step in investing in rehabilitation to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.”

In addition to the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force, CSG also has an embedded data analyst inside the DOC through a federal Advancing Data in Corrections Resident Analyst Program. With the grant application complete, South Dakota will plan to receive the initial funding for a three-year program in cooperation with the CSG work to develop additional Smarter Supervision Initiative actions.

“The Smarter Supervision Initiative grant will ensure we are meeting the needs of inmates in South Dakota,” said Secretary of Corrections Nick Lamb. “These needs can vary widely between urban and rural areas and the services and support we provide our parole agents is critical to lowering recidivism.”

In the last year, Governor Rhoden has supported DOC rehabilitation efforts, such as the upcoming prison seminary program, $1.5 million in Future Funds for equipment to start a diesel equipment training program, funded DOC’s first therapeutic drug rehabilitation community (starting in the new women’s prison in July), lead a special session for a new $650 million men’s multi-custody prison in Sioux Falls that will focus on expanded treatment, new vocational and work training programs, and drug rehabilitation, and formed the Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force.

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