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establish policies and procedures for the use of solitary confinement in a juvenile facility.

This bill creates new rules to limit when solitary confinement can be used on juveniles in South Dakota detention and correctional facilities—it can only be used as a temporary response when a youth poses an immediate physical danger to themselves or others, and it prohibits use for punishment, discipline, administrative convenience, or retaliation. A facility director or supervisor must immediately review and approve every instance of solitary confinement, and staff must try less restrictive alternatives before resorting to isolation.

permit a court to commit a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for certain weapons offenses to the Department of Corrections.

SB 179 allows judges to send juveniles convicted of certain weapons offenses to South Dakota's adult prison system (Department of Corrections) instead of limiting them to juvenile facilities or community-based programs. Previously, judges had to choose from less restrictive options like probation, community service, or juvenile detention when sentencing young people found delinquent. This change gives courts the option to impose adult incarceration for serious weapons violations committed by minors.

authorize a comprehensive study of juvenile correctional and residential facilities, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota's Department of Corrections will study juvenile correctional and residential facilities in other states to identify best practices in areas like rehabilitation programs, mental health services, and staff-to-youth ratios. The state is appropriating $50,000 for the study, which must include on-site visits to at least three out-of-state facilities and a report back to lawmakers by September 1, 2026.

make an appropriation for providing a grant to a nonprofit that delivers diversion programming.

South Dakota will give a $2 million grant to a nonprofit organization in Sioux Falls that runs youth diversion programs aimed at keeping kids out of the criminal justice system. The nonprofit must use the money to run an annual week-long summer camp for sixth graders identified by school police, along with three follow-up family events each year, with participation from local law enforcement—and this program must continue for ten years starting in 2026. The nonprofit must report annually on how well the program is working to prevent youth crime.