Reducing the Use of Administrative Segregation Project

The Encouraging Innovation: Field-Initiated (FI) Program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a) et seq.), the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state, local and tribal jurisdiction. It is designed to prevent and reduce crime and enhance the criminal justice system through collaboration with the field to identify, define, and respond to emerging or chronic crime problems and systemic issues. The FI Program furthers the Department's mission by trying new approaches, addressing gaps in responses, building or translating research knowledge, or building capacity to address the issues that bring fresh perspectives and ideas to enhance practices and prevent crime in the field.

The Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) at Community Resources for Justice will work with the South Dakota Department of Corrections (SD DOC) on administrative segregation reforms in the state and share lessons learned with other states. While specific goals and objectives will be based on the assessment findings, the overarching ones for the project are: 1) Safely reduce SD DOC's administrative segregation bed days or lengths of stay; 2) Improve institutional behavior and reduce SD DOC's high risk releases from administrative segregation to the community; 3) Increase the availability of information about tested administrative segregation strategies with departments of correction leaders and state policy makers.

CA/NCF