A grant of about 300-thousand dollars will bolster the work of a task force proposed by the state Supreme Court’s chief justice to study issues surrounding mentally ill people entering the criminal justice system. Officials on Wednesday announced the grant from the Leona M. and Harry
B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to the state Department of Health. The state is providing more than $100,000 through in-kind contributions to support the work. Governor Dennis Daugaard says the group is set to analyze why and how individuals with mental illness become involved with the justice system..
Chief Justice David Gilbertson says the criminal justice system often isn’t the most appropriate and cost-effective response. He says the task force has three goals….
Daugaard says South Dakota says this follows up on the efforts of the past few years to reform the state’s criminal justice and juvenile justice systems. The new task force held their first meeting Wednesday.