SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The populations at the South Dakota penitentiaries continues climbing and a blue ribbon panel is investigating.
A major justice reform bill was passed almost four years ago and Governor Daugaard says it may need adjusting.
Daugaard says it's essential to keep career criminals and violent offenders behind bars. Daugaard says it's also important to hold drug offenders accountable. But he wonders if the state wants to hold them accountable through treatment or imprisonment.
Daugaard says the task force is investigating options for an expanding prison population.
He says it's possible that the overhaul passed in 2013 has some unintended consequences. He's sure that the panel and legislators will offer some bills for the upcoming session and wonders how broad support will be.
Daugaard suspects much of the prison boom is tied to methamphetamine.
In 2005, there were just over 3,100 prisoners and by 2010 that population grew to over 3,400. The general consensus among administrators is that there will be 3,500 prisoners at the end of this year.
Daugaard says his panel is working with a legislative committee and Attorney General Marty Jackley on answers