York part of committee studying South Dakota’s regional jails (Audio)

September 26, 2022
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–State Representative Nancy York of Watertown (pictured) has been on a summer study committee of legislators looking at South Dakota’s regional jail system.

Less than half of the state’s counties have their own jail, and in many cases, they’re overcrowded, or are aging and falling into disrepair.

York tells KWAT News the committee has held four meetings on the topic so far…

York says committee members recognize there’s a problem that needs to be addressed, but the question is, how to pay for it….

The committee has toured jails in Watertown and Aberdeen. York says they also made a recent trip to the Clay County jail in Vermillion for a look at that facility…

The study committee will hold a fifth and final meeting, likely via zoom, at a still undetermined date.

York, who is not running for re-election in November, says she’d like to see the state be a funding partner in improving South Dakota’s regional jails.