Programs

The Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center has developed a variety of programs to provide to detainees held in the facility. Upon admission, an assessment is completed to determine the detainee's needs. The assessment includes, but is not limited to: mental and physical well being, education and vocation levels and aspirations, legal situations and obligations, family situations, financial situations, social interactions, and chemical dependency/abuse history.

After consultation with the holding authority, WSDJSC case managers meet with the detainee and develop a program plan to address his/her specific needs. Program entrance is scheduled and coordinated with WSDJSC security staff and program facilitators.

Alternative Programs

A Detention Alternative is a program a youth can be referred to while they are pending their Court process. The youth who are referred to a detention alternative have exhibited at least some risk to re-offend before their Court hearing and/or have exhibited at least some risk to not show up at their Court hearing and are therefore in need of community supervision within a detention alternative program.

 Home Detention:  is a Post-Dispositional alternative to placement in detention.  A judge or holding authority (DOC) will make recommendation whether the juvenile is eligible for this program. If eligible, the Juvenile Services Center will screen the youth and refer to Home Detention for this alternative in lieu of detention time.  If a youth does not comply with the rules of Home Detention, they can be returned to detention without a detention hearing to complete the remainder of their sentence.  All adjudicated youth currently   serving a sentence are required to submit UA prior to placement on Home Detention.  

 Electronic Monitoring: is an alternative to Detention program for compact counties with a Memo of Understanding and or a User Agreement with the Juvenile Services Center.  An electronic monitor or SCRAM bracelet will be provided for the youth to wear.  JSC staff will send tracking reports daily and report any noncompliance to the holding authority in a timely manner. There is a hook up fee along with a daily fee to the juvenile for this program.

 Community Monitoring: is a Pre-Dispositional alternative to placement into the Arise Youth Center or the Juvenile Services Center.  Pennington County juveniles are referred / recommended to the Community Monitoring program from the Court Expediter Staffing group that meets daily, but the judge will ultimately make the final decision.  JSC Staff will assess the youth’s risk to determine the number of visits completed per week and whether or not they will have an electronic monitor or be placed on House arrest. There is no charge with this program to the juvenile.

The Arise Youth Center offers alternatives to detention on the Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center (WSDJSC) campus such as a Reception Center, Shelter Care and an Evening Reporting Center, and has a grant to house and work with homeless and runaway youth.

The Reception Center is an alternative intake center for youth who have allegedly committed non-violent, low level offenses and cannot be immediately released to a parent / guardian / custodian by the Law Enforcement Officer.

Shelter Care is an out of home setting for youth who are not appropriate to be released home, but are not appropriate for a referral to detention. Youth can be referred to Shelter Care for up to 30 days. 

In 2013 the Pennington County Sheriff’s office has partnered with Lutheran Social Service to run the Arise Youth Center (AYC).

The Evening Reporting Center (ERC) is a Pre-Dispositional after school and evening program that provides educational and therapeutic programs between the hours of 3:30pm to 8:00pm four or five days a week in a structured environment.