Poster #17 - A Policy Review of Juvenile Justice Structures Affecting Indigenous Youth in South Dakota

• In Event: ASC Poster Session II

Abstract

This poster presents a focused review of juvenile justice policies in South Dakota, examining how statutory frameworks and institutional practices shape outcomes for Indigenous youth. While Native youth represent a small share of the state’s population, they are significantly overrepresented at every stage of juvenile justice involvement. This review systematically analyzes the legal, procedural, and administrative mechanisms that enable this disparity. Drawing on state statutes, detention guidelines, and available state aggregate data, we identify structural issues that contribute to disproportionality, including limited access to culturally appropriate diversion and inconsistent application of risk assessments. The findings point to a system that remains largely punitive, fragmented, and culturally unresponsive. The poster concludes by proposing specific criminal justice reforms, including the increased use of community-based alternatives to detention and state investment in culturally grounded services for Native youth.

Authors

• Brittani Perez, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Vivian Aranda-Hughes, Michigan State University

• Na-Young Kim, University of Colorado Denver