Regarding the men’s state penitentiary

Greetings! Back in March, maybe March 2, we discussed our need for a new penitentiary; let’s just call it “the pen.”

Our current facility is located inside the city limits of Sioux Falls. It was constructed in 1891. Back then this location was north of Sioux Falls but the city has grown in the last 133 years.

For the past 10 years I have been attending, a couple times a year, a church service in the pen. The Lutheran Churches of South Dakota, both ELCA and NALC sign up for a Thursday evening service. 

I’ve attended mostly with New Hope Lutheran Church located by Hayti, but also have attended with Community Lutheran of Hill City. Every Thursday throughout the entire year a South Dakota Lutheran church signs up and brings 15-20 members from their congregation to the pen church called Saint Dysmas.

It’s usually after inmates eat supper, so 6:30 or 7 pm. Each inmate gives up his free time to attend. The Lutheran church within the pen is named Saint Dysmas after the thief on the cross who asked Christ for forgiveness.

If you’ve never attended the Saint Dysmas service, you should. Before going, each time, you have to fill out pages of paperwork to be vetted to go inside the walls (very bureaucratic). 

Initially, it is a little unnerving going through the gates into the prison and up to the chapel. Yep, they have their own chapel with pews, a choir and a band made up of inmates. The inmates run the service. 

Ushers meet you at the doorway and inmates form a type of receiving line thanking you for attending. They really mean it. I had an inmate tell me a long time ago the reason the inmates appreciate the guests so much is because that’s the only time they get to visit and interact with people who aren’t either inmates or paid to be there. Most don’t receive visitors. It really tugged at my heart strings.

The church service is a traditional Lutheran service with usually three songs, readings of two Bible passages and then one final Bible lesson called the gospel. All readings are by inmates.

In fact, the only thing the pen chaplain is responsible for is the sermon. Don’t get me wrong, the chaplain is deeply involved in this prison ministry. He’s not even a state employee and is paid like any other minister out of the offering given at each service. After the service is over, we have a little time to mingle with the inmates before exiting the building.

Next we have supper at a Sioux Falls restaurant. There, former inmates who have served their time, eat with us and answer questions from those who have attended.

My point in going over all this is that the men in the pen are real people and need to be treated with humility and respect. 

Lately, say the last two years, there has been a lot of unrest within the pen because of almost inhumane conditions. I haven’t talked with a legislator yet who disagrees with the need for a new penitentiary. We have $825 million in the bank to pay for this facility. 

The Men’s Prison Summer Study, which I was not selected to be on, is meeting with a renewed effort to come up with the best plan, not only for the humane treatment of our inmates but also the most cost effective way to do so.

Next week I’ll try to show proposed costs and several of the different proposals. Even though I am not on the summer study, I get emails and calls almost daily in this regard. So until next week.