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Juvenile Arrests In State Drop For Second Straight Year

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota has seen a significant drop in juvenile arrests for the second consecutive year.

Attorney General Marty Jackley tells the Argus Leader ( ) that alternative juvenile detention services and improved support systems are responsible for the 12.5 percent drop in arrests. That decrease comes after a 15 percent decline in 2013.

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom says over the past few years the county has placed a greater emphasis on keeping juvenile offenders away from more hardened criminals. He says they’re more likely to reoffend if they are housed with more nefarious inmates.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard this year signed a proposal into law that aims to shift juvenile offenders toward community-based services. The measure is expected to further reduce the number of kids in state-funded facilities by 2020.

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Information from: Argus Leader,