S.D.: Juvenile justice reform movement aided by detention decline during crisis Wednesday, May 6, 2020
A downward trend in juvenile-detention populations during the pandemic is renewing hopes among reform advocates. The numbers are reflected in a national survey that reached out to agencies in 30 states, including South Dakota.
Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the report shows a 24% drop nationally in the number of young people held in local detention centers in March.
Nate Balis, director of the Casey Foundation's Juvenile Justice Strategy Group, said this creates a window for longstanding changes.