SOUTH DAKOTA

Disproportionate Minority Confinement

What is Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC)? Under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), disproportionate minority confinement (DMC) exists when the proportion of youths detained or confined in secure detention facilities, secure correctional facilities, jails and lockups who are members of minority groups exceed their groups' proportions in the general population.

How widespread is DMC? In virtually every state, at every stage of the juvenile justice system, youth of color are overrepresented and receive disparate treatment, particularly in secure confinement.

State Profile: South Dakota

South Dakota has an estimated minority youth population of 17%.
From July 1993 to June 1994, minorities represented 31% of youth admitted to State Training School and 44% of youth confined in adult jails.
In 1997, minority youth accounted for 43% of commitments to public facilities and 46% of secure detention placements.

Source: Disproportionate Minority Representation in the South Dakota Juvenile Justice System. 1995. South Dakota Juvenile Justice Advisory Council and the South Dakota Department of Corrections and Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. 1999. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

What must states do to comply with the DMC mandate? Current law directs states to identify the extent to which disproportionate minority confinement exists, to assess the reason that it exists and to develop intervention strategies to address the causes for disproportionate minority confinement. The law does not require, and has never resulted in, the release of any youths from custody based on race, nor has it required numerical quotas for arrests. No state's funding under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act has ever been reduced as a result of noncompliance with this provision.

Contact Information: To provide comments or obtain additional information on South Dakota’s state plan to address disproportionate minority confinement, contact South Dakota’s state juvenile justice specialist:

Kevin McLain
Juvenile Justice Specialist
3200 East Highway 34
c/o 500 East Capital Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: 605-945-0118
Fax: 605-773-3194
Email: kevin@doc.state.sd.us

Home / Juvenile Justice Issues / State-by-State Info / Research
Newsroom / About Us / BBY Partners / Contact us

Building Blocks for Youth
For a fair and effective youth justice system
...a comprehensive effort to protect minority youth in the justice system
and to promote rational and effective juvenile justice policies...