|
|
State by State Information: South Dakota
| Order the video: "Out of Control" |
Juvenile Justice advocates
Parents Who Care Coalition
Margaret Gramkow, President
Parents Who Care Coalition
P.O. Box 455
Whitewood, South Dakota 57793Deb Phillips
West River Coordinator
Parents Who Care Coalition
P.O. Box 455
Whitewood, South Dakota 57793
Email: whitewoodcitizen@hotmail.com
Parents Who Care Coalition
Juvenile Justice state government contacts
News
Three-Year Nightmare, from 60 Minutes 11
"Out of Control"
This 13 minute film is compiled from hundreds of videos obtained by the Youth
Law Center in litigation over conditions of confinement at the South Dakota
State Training School. This footage dramatically demonstrates that staff in the
facility regularly used excessive and abusive force on young people, including
forcing youth into four-point metal handcuff restraints, overwhelming youth with
"cell entry teams" dressed in riot gear, spraying youth with pepper
spray for minor misbehavior, leading youth around the facility on a leash, and
attaching youth to a large "restraint board." Many of the youth in the
facility were being held on minor charges such as truancy or running away from
home, and many of the young people were suicidal or had other mental health
problems. The Youth Law Center filed the lawsuit in February, 2000, and reached
a settlement with the State in December, 2000. The facility was closed for good
on December 31, 2001.