South Dakota imprisons Black adults at a rate higher than the national average, according to a new report from The Sentencing Project.
The report documents rates of incarceration for Black adults, white adults and Latinx individuals.
Nationally, 1 in 81 Black Americans per 100,000 in the U.S. are serving time in state prison. In South Dakota, that figure is 1 in 61.
The report finds that the cause of this disparity stems from our nation’s legacy of white supremacy made evident through biased policies and practices.
Though not included in the report it is notable that Native Americans make up 9 percent of the state’s total adult population, and more than 35 percent of the prison population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Corrections.
To read the full report, visit www.sentencingproject.org