Nearly two-thousand South Dakota juveniles were successfully diverted from the state’s court system this year, according to a new report. A 2024 law has added fiscal incentive for counties to continue these diversion efforts. When low-risk youth are diverted from the court system, they are 45-percent less likely to reoffend, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Diversion can take many forms, from mural-painting to skateboarding programs. State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel in Pennington County, where diversion programs have been used for about 25 years, says they can help unveil the root cause of a child’s misbehavior.
| :07 “Diversion gives you a chance to really get to know that young person, and get them the help that they need – because it’s not always obvious.” |
For example, she says, a child caught stealing may be doing so to support a drug habit, and would be best served through addiction counseling. The Department of Social Services has also expanded community-based treatment options for youth, including functional family therapy and aggression replacement therapy, according to a draft 2024 report from the state’s Juvenile Justice Oversight Council.
When a child avoids court or incarceration, the state saves money – so, the state compensates counties for the cost per child of successful diversions. South Dakota Senate Bill 47, passed this year, increased the amount paid from 250-dollars to 750 per child. Roetzel says that allows the diversion programming to continue.
| :13 “It meant that I just wrote a check this week that will allow me to pay for classes for almost all of the young people that will go through my juvenile diversion programs next year.” |
This is particularly helpful, she says, because otherwise the outstanding costs land on parents, who often can’t afford to pay them.
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