State of South Dakota Archives: on Crime

Gordon Howie: Stricter punishment reduces crime

A: Support

Joel Dykstra: Supports the death penalty

Dykstra supports the following principles regarding crime:
• Support the death penalty in South Dakota.
• Strengthen sex-offender laws.

Joel Dykstra: End parole for repeat violent offenders

Dykstra supports the following principles regarding crime:
• Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
• End parole for repeat violent offenders.
• Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.

Marty Jackley: Joint federal-state cooperation to reduce violent crime

As South Dakota's Attorney General and the former Chairman of the Nation's Attorneys General, I am looking forward to working with our federal partners in continuing to strengthen public safety. Law enforcement cooperation in South Dakota involving the U.S. Attorney, Attorney General, State's Attorneys, Tribal officers, Chiefs, and Sheriffs, sets a high standard on how to better protect communities by developing task forces and sharing resources.

After our meeting, President Trump announced he has directed the Department of Justice to work with state and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime. President Trump has also said he will bring the full force and weight of the U.S. government to combat the epidemic of human trafficking.

Jon Hansen: Prisoners should serve their entire sentences

SB 146 , a truth in sentencing law passed in 2023, lengthened the prison stay for some violent offenders. At the time the bill was passed, the long-term effects weren't entirely hashed out. In 2023 on the House floor, Rep. Jon Hansen [spoke in favor of the bill, noting that people sentenced to 10 years should not serve only 5 years]. Hansen said that's not truth in sentencing. "And what this bill does, is it says to that victim and to that victim's family, that when that sentence comes down from that judge and that judge says 7 years or 10 years, that means 7 years or 10 years," Hansen said. "And I think that's just for that victim and that victim's family that's sitting in that court room on that day. Now, to be clear there are some instances where supervised release would be appropriate."