Gov. Rhoden Announces Additional Parole Reform Solutions

Article Body

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2026

Contact: Josie Harms

Gov. Rhoden Announces Additional Parole Reform Solutions

PIERRE, S.D. - Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced immediate steps to help improve parole supervision in South Dakota, all of which have been executed or are in the process of execution.

"Keeping South Dakotans safe is the most important duty of government, and we have been working specifically on strengthening the safety and integrity of our parole system," said Governor Larry Rhoden. "I appreciate the law enforcement leaders who have been working with me to deliver immediate improvements to the parole system. Together, we will better protect our communities."

Governor Rhoden and the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) are making it faster and easier to revoke repeat parole offenders and remove them from South Dakota communities. These directives will make parole supervision more focused, hold parolees more accountable, increase penalties for repeat offenders, and send parole violators back to prison faster.

"Parole is a layered issue, and the processes involve implementing the state law as it's written and coordinating among corrections, judges, local law enforcement, and the Board of Pardons and Parole," said DOC Secretary Nick Lamb. "I am grateful for Governor Rhoden's leadership as we work together to reform parole and enhance public safety."

Governor Rhoden's directive delivers several results, including:

• Creating an enhanced compliance unit with five specialized parole agents focused on a higher level of supervision including nights and weekends for the most intensive parolees;
• DOC will appoint experienced parole agents to the enhanced compliance unit and add five new agents to help lower caseloads and improve supervision at all levels. These additional parole officer jobs have been posted;
• Increasing punishment for parole violators. Instead of treating all misdemeanors the same, DOC has enhanced the severity of sanctions for DUIs, simple assault, and weapons violations that are a danger to others;
• Enforcing accountability by continuing to revoke parole from more people who are noncompliant, in particular with drug use. In the first week, DOC nearly doubled the average number of revocations and will continue to moving forward;
• Requesting the Board of Pardons and Parole process revocations faster and impose stronger sanctions. The director will hold disposition hearings more frequently and propose to the parole board increasing the length of returns to prison; and
• Working with parole stakeholders and DOC on the legislation and budgetary items to further reform parole and support local law enforcement.

All of these directives have been executed, or are in the process of execution, at the direction of Governor Rhoden.

Less than one month ago, the South Dakota Department of Corrections announced the "Smarter Supervision Initiative," which engages a consultant to review policies to supervise more effectively and reduce violent reoffending across the state. These directives are the next step in the continued effort to help solve the problems facing South Dakota communities when it comes to parole.

###