Letter to the Editor: Holmes: The Sheriff and Juvenile Detention Center
My name is Tom Holmes and I am running for a seat on the Minnehaha County Commission. To help prepare me for that role I have been busy attending county commission meetings and interviewing the heads of each of the departments that provide services to us in the county. What I have discovered is that we have a dedicated group of professionals who take great pride in their work in providing the best service possible for you and I.
I first visited the Sheriff’s Office and I will share with you some of what I learned. There are 600 square miles that comprise Minnehaha County. The Sheriff’s office is funded by property taxes, 70 percent of which goes to the schools and half of the remaining 30 percent goes to law enforcement. The county funds 100 percent of the jail and sheriff’s office. Salaries, especially for those working in the jail, are a major expenditure.
The other large expense is medication for those incarcerated. Drugs are the primary impetus driving crime in the county. Methamphetamine is the drug of choice, and sometimes heroine.
Those arrested for meth use are evaluated. The Sheriff’s Department has a great working relationship with Avera Behavioral Health and the Human Resources Center in Yankton. However, restoring the health of those suffering from meth addiction takes time and there are simply not enough beds to accommodate everyone who needs help. It is a lengthy and expensive process but necessary to assist these individuals who are seeking a second chance at life.
What about those who are juveniles and violate the law? That is where the Juvenile Detention Center comes in. Low level offenders may be released back to their parents or placed into a program called ARISE, a facility run by LSS that has 15 beds. Juveniles who have committed felony offenses against people are held at the JDC.
The Justice Department periodically certifies the JDC personnel and how it conducts its business, making sure the kids are safe and free of harassment. JDC personnel work hard to identify the trauma that often leads to issues and to provide the appropriate mental health in the form of medication, counseling, etc. JDC personnel are paid at a rate of $16.25 per hour, making it difficult to hire and retain workers. In spite of the myriad of challenges that confront those who work at the JDC, they shared with me that their greatest reward comes in seeing kids who have gotten their lives back together, living in the community.
Tom Holmes
Candidate for Minnehaha County Commission
