Justice

Attorney general intrigue: Future roles uncertain for Jackley, Natvig — and Ravnsborg

Jason Ravnsborg’s decision to not pursue re-election as South Dakota attorney general doesn’t rule out the possibility of him serving in state government following the November election, several South Dakota Republican officials told News Watch. The speculation is part of a larger sense of uncertainty and intrigue that

Political intrigue swirls around upcoming attorney general election in South Dakota

South Dakota’s political landscape will enter uncharted territory over the next two months as uncertainty over the Attorney General’s Office tests party loyalties and candidate qualifications heading into the Republican state convention June 23-25 in Watertown. The question of who will serve as the state’s chief law

Rising anger and violence toward healthcare workers hampering patient care in SD

Increasing anger and even violence toward healthcare workers in South Dakota and across the U.S. is adding great stress on practitioners who are already enduring the pain and hardship of providing care during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers in South Dakota have been called offensive names, faced threats

As holidays approach, cellphones and speeding remain major roadway risks in SD

Despite new laws and public-information campaigns, distracted driving and cell phone use behind the wheel continue to make roadways in South Dakota and across the country more dangerous. New survey data from the American Automobile Association show a significant reduction in some unsafe behaviors in recent years — including impaired driving,

Juvenile justice reforms working, but not as well for minority offenders in South Dakota

A series of juvenile justice reforms enacted in South Dakota over the past decade has kept more low-level youth offenders out of detention centers and away from criminal activity that could land them in the adult system, according to state officials. But state data show that youth of color — who

Successful opioid addiction treatment slow to catch on in South Dakota

South Dakotans battling addiction to opioids are increasingly relying on medication-assisted treatments to overcome their cravings for the dangerous drugs and to avoid potentially deadly overdoses. However, access to the life-saving medications is limited in South Dakota and some physicians in the state are reluctant to prescribe the drugs that

Experts fear child abuse rose and was more severe in SD during COVID-19 pandemic

Child protection advocates are worried that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a spike in child-abuse cases in South Dakota and that the abuse of children was more severe than in the past. They are also concerned that the pandemic led to an increase in child-on-child abuse that was more rare