In Texas, children and teens in the juvenile justice system are routinely locked in cells for all but 30 minutes a day, and nearly half are on suicide watch.

This week, the director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, the agency in charge of the state’s five juvenile prisons, told lawmakers the system is on the verge of collapse. The hearing came a week after the Texas Tribune revealed just how dire the situation is for the almost 600 young people in custody. Several youth reported having to use water bottles as makeshift toilets on weekends because there is not enough staff to get them to the bathroom.

Continue reading “Confronting America’s ‘Cruel and Unusual’ Juvenile Justice System Crisis” →

Of the more than 11,000 federal inmates who were released to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 were returned to prison for committing new crimes, according to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

In response to a query from Keri Blakinger, a reporter for The Marshall Project, the Bureau of Prisons said that of the 17, 10 committed drug crimes, while the rest of the charges included smuggling non-citizens, nonviolent domestic disturbance, theft, aggravated assault, and DUI.

Continue reading “11,000 Federal Inmates Were Sent Home During the Pandemic. Only 17 Were Arrested for New Crimes.” →

The University of South Dakota athletics department has unveiled its plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX throughout the 2022-23 academic year.

Title IX, which was signed into law on June 23, 1972, states that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

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On this episode of The Bracewell Sidebar, hosts Matthew Nielsen and Seth DuCharme discuss how one goes about getting a search warrant in light of recent events, including what is required and what inferences can be fairly drawn from the existence of a warrant.

Continue reading “How to get a Search Warrant” →

New Biden administration rules that put homemade firearm kits used to build “ghost guns” in the same legal category as traditional firearms went into effect on Wednesday after federal judges declined requests to pause the change.

The regulations require that the main components used to manufacture ghost guns — the frames and receivers — be assigned serial numbers. They also require that buyers undergo background checks before purchasing the components and that dealers be federally licensed to sell the kits and keep records of sales.

Continue reading “Federal ‘ghost gun’ regulations go into effect after judges reject challenges” →

Continue reading “Burn pit law passes, but struggles may remain” →

A state law allowing landowners to privatize access to sections of public lakes continues to cause confusion in northeastern South Dakota.

Ryan Roehr has been fishing in the Webster area all his life. He’s also a board member for the South Dakota Wildlife Federation.

Continue reading “Concerns persist over law limiting public access to lakes” →

The federal government can’t use “circumstantial evidence” to permanently confiscate nearly $70,000 in cash, a federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday. “While it may be dubious to drive around with a large amount of cash in one’s car,” Judge Julius Richardson wrote for the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, “it does not create an inescapable inference of criminal activity. Not using a bank does not necessarily make one a criminal.”

Continue reading “Federal Court Upholds The Right To Carry Cash” →

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum did not mince words when describing the city’s fifth shooting involving an officer in less than five months, an unprecedented surge.

”These people are trying to kill our officers,” Thum said, “and that is something we are obviously very concerned about.”

Thum made a rare appearance at the city’s daily police briefing on Wednesday and partnered with Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead to answer over 25 minutes of questions from reporters about a Tuesday incident in which a man pulled a gun and shot at an officer, who immediately fired back and killed him.

Continue reading “Police chief, sheriff say violent crime spike has many reasons” →

With the annual Sturgis Rally ready to kick off in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Native American advocacy organization Native Hope is raising awareness of human trafficking at the rally, especially among Native women.

“Human trafficking of young Native American girls is a real issue here in South Dakota. Our goal is to help raise awareness, as well as to fund programs that offer girls the support they desperately need,” said Native Hope Director Julie Muldoon in 2016.

Continue reading “Group Raising Awareness of Human Trafficking at South Dakota’s Sturgis Rally” →