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board even before the plan was released publicly. Some details include adding two more drug courts and piloting a new HOPE program for drug offenders similar to the 24/7 program for those monitored for alcohol offenses. Daugaard has looked at what has worked in other states and says South Dakota -- where 80 percent of new prisoners are nonviolent offenders -- won't be soft on crime but will be smart about it.
• Without all of the details, it is difficult to say if everything Daugaard proposes for criminal justice reform eventually will make it through the House and Senate. Maybe there are suggestions that lawmakers and others will think of to make his ideas even better.
• But what is encouraging is that Daugaard has worked upfront on the issue and included experts and those who work in criminal justice before proposing changes. That could be in part sensitivity to last session when educators complained that they were not included in the process until after plans were announced.
• In South Dakota, all services such as education and prisons compete for money in a limited, balanced-budget approach. The criminal justice reform ideas brought forward, which include sentencing instead of just addressing what to do with someone once they are incarcerated, are a good start.
• In his speech, Daugaard focused on crime without tackling education and other initiatives. We're sure that is intentional, and yet those topics will get discussed during the time lawmakers are working in Pierre. It's all part of a long-standing budgeting process.
• We're interested in hearing more.
• ___
• Rapid City Journal. Jan. 10, 2013
• Lawmakers answer your questions
• One of the virtues of living in a state like South Dakota with a small and largely rural population is the access we have to our elected representatives. In fact, our elected leaders often go out of their way to make themselves available to their constituents.
• In most other states, the only time you see or hear from politicians is around election time.
• With the start of the 2013 South Dakota Legislature, many citizens will want to know what their elected representatives are up to. And lawmakers will be happy to oblige.
• Rapid City lawmakers will soon attend the first legislative crackerbarrel hosted by the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce's Governmental Affairs Committee. The

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