A task force focused on the costs of new prison space in South Dakota made some recommendations at their meeting this week.
The “Legislative Task Force on Incarceration Construction Fund” has been working from a consultants report that suggests spending up to six hundred million dollars for new prisons in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City.

Task Force Chairman, Senator Michael Diedrich of Rapid City, says they are working on a core function of state government…..

Diedrich says there is a critical need all across the corrections system…..

Diedrich says the report on expected prisoners is shocking….

There was a split vote on which projects to recommend. Diedrich says they may have one more brief meeting this fall to come up with some directions for legislators in January.