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% of which goes to the schools and half of the remaining 30% goes to law enforcement. The county funds 100% 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 heroin.
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 fifteen 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.
State’s Attorney, Public Defender, Public Advocate
I would now like to share with you what I have learned from my visits to the offices of the State’s Attorney, Public Defender, and Public Advocate.
Currently, there are 32 attorneys working in the State’s Attorney office, however, that number will expand due to the increasing needs of the county. Attorneys deal with juvenile prosecution, abuse and neglect of children, civil cases, as well as misdemeanor and felony cases. Fourteen of the lawyers deal with drugs, property crimes and crimes against persons.
A relatively new component has been the inclusion of diversion classes. The program serves juveniles and first offenders and is tailored to meet the needs of the individual. It utilizes counseling, treatment, and community service to rehabilitate those in the program.The program has been largely successful as there has been only a 9% recidivism rate.
Although methamphetamine is the primary driver of criminal activity in the county, there is growing concern regarding juveniles using guns in the commission of crimes. These guns are stolen out of unlocked vehicles, etc.
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees legal counsel to those accused of a crime. For those who cannot afford an attorney, the county provides them with one from the Public Defender’s Office. To qualify, individuals must complete an application verifying that they lack the funds.
Last year twenty-seven attorneys settled 9000 cases, dealing with abuse and neglect and often representing juveniles. If there is a second party contesting the claim made by the first party, a lawyer from the Public Advocate’s Office is assigned to represent that individual.
In South Dakota clients are charged $100 an hour and if they are unable to pay it becomes an automatic lien. The county can also garnish wages or take away a drivers license. Individuals seeking legal counsel often have mental health issues resulting from meth use. This condition is known as Substance Abuse Psychosis. The Public Defender’s Office works diligently with other departments in trying to help these individuals. The work is challenging but it can be very rewarding.
-Tom Holmes, Candidate Minnehaha County Commission
