South Dakota DOC Locks Down Third Prison in 2024
On October 7, 2024, the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) announced the results of searches conducted during a nearly three-week lockdown begun at the state penitentiary on September 15, 2024. During that time all visitation was suspended for its 1,262 prisoners, except for prisoner meetings with their attorneys and pre-approved special visits. Communication with the outside world was also restricted, with the DOC warning that phone access could be disabled.
The lockdown was not caused by an assault or fight, the DOC said, but was implemented as a “proactive security measure.” Searches turned up handmade weapons and illegal electronics equipment—of which DOC provided some pictures—but no numbers. Meanwhile, prisoners were allowed to shower only every four days and eat every 12-14 hours.
The DOC shut down tablet-based communication for prisoners in March 2024, leading to unrest in which several prisoners were charged. After tablet-based calling was restored, text messaging remained blocked. More unrest at Mike Durfee State Prison in July 2024 left six prisoners injured in violent altercations. But the DOC was tight-lipped about specifics, denying claims by prisoners that the number injured was higher.
DOC Secretary Kellie Wasco called the latest lockdown “a success.”
Sources: Nexstar Media Group, South Dakota Searchlight
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