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| S.D. Prison Officials Propose $13 Million Construction Plan |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 02/03/2003 |
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The South Dakota Legislature should take advantage of federal funding to build new prison space for a growing inmate population, state prison officials said recently. Corrections Department officials proposed a $13 million plan that would expand the Jameson Unit for maximum security inmates in Sioux Falls, add a barracks for low-medium security inmates at the Springfield prison, and build a minimum security unit in western South Dakota. Officials said they considered converting the abandoned juvenile reform school in Plankinton into adult prison space, but the Plankinton buildings would not provide enough cells and would be too expensive to operate. South Dakota can tap nearly $11.8 million from a federal fund to help pay for the construction. The state would have to provide about $1.3 million in matching funds to qualify for the federal money. At a seminar for state legislators, Gov. Mike Rounds said he is open for suggestions to improve the plan. But the state should use the federal money to deal with overcrowding before someone files a lawsuit that would seek to force changes, he said. State Corrections Secretary Tim Reisch said the adult prison population grew by 4.4 percent a year from 1998 until 2002, but it then shot up by 7.3 percent a year. Unless new space is built, South Dakota will have a shortage of 207 maximum security beds, 418 low-medium security beds and 157 minimum security beds by 2010, Reisch said. The Legislature this year will be asked to authorize construction of the facilities and use of the federal funds. |
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