Letter to the Editor – Commissioners: Juvenile offenders taken care of
A recent letter to the editor discussed the Minnehaha County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) and the challenges that youth face when placed in detention. When youth are in detention, their mental health is a primary concern and we feel it is important to give some context to the statements made in the recent letter to the editor.
The letter indicated “approximately half of the kids who end up in our County Juvenile Detention Center are prescribed medication for their mental health.” While the JDC is not a treatment facility and the staff at JDC have no role in prescribing medication, they ensure that youth who have been prescribed medication prior to entering the facility continue to take those medications. On Aug. 16, 2022, the Commission signed a contract with Midwest Wellness Institute to provide psychiatric medical care at the JDC. This arrangement ensures that youth who need medication continue on those medications uninterrupted.
The letter also alluded to youth who “haven’t committed a crime” being locked “in jail cells when they need urgent help.” The JDC does not put kids in jail cells. There are instances in which the JDC receives youth who are experiencing a mental health crisis. South Dakota State Statute 27A-15-31 requires that, when there are no available beds in mental health facilities, the JDC must take these youth. In these instances, the JDC serves as a last resort to help keeping these kids safe. The JDC staff use a Risk Assessment Instrument, which provides an objective and uniform evaluation of youth to determine if they are eligible for intake to the facility. The JDC monthly reports, available on the county commission agenda webpage, highlight the number of intake calls and admission calls. Notably, in July 2022, 29 intakes occurred stemming from a variety of charges including: probation violation, misdemeanor person, felony drugs, and felony property. Determining whether youth need to stay in secure detention is a serious matter. Youth are held responsible for their actions while at the same time staying in a facility that provides education, programming, and improvement opportunities.
Minnehaha County has made great strides to improve outcomes for the youth at JDC. We have implemented the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), a nationally recognized approach to juvenile justice, which advocates that pre-adjudication secure detention should only be used for youth that pose a risk to public safety or pose a risk of not returning to court for future hearings.
Finally, the staff at the JDC do great work. The youth that come through their doors are in difficult positions in life and our staff work to provide programming and support to make positive impacts in the lives of these youth.
Gerald Beninga and Cindy Heiberger,
Minnehaha County Commissioners
