Pennington County Drug Court to Hold Graduation on April 29
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 21, 2026
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, via email or 605.773.2031
Pennington County Drug Court to Hold Graduation on April 29
PIERRE, S.D.— Pennington County Drug Court will hold a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 3 p.m. MDT in Courtroom C2 (third floor) of the Pennington County Courthouse at 315 St. Joseph St. in Rapid City.
The Pennington County Treatment Drug Court team invites the public to join them in celebrating the graduates’ accomplishments and success. The ceremony is open to the public, media and cameras. The ceremony will be streamed live online for those who cannot attend in person.
Pennington County Drug Court was established in 2016 as a sentencing alternative that provides lifesaving treatment to justice-involved persons who are substantially impacted by a substance use disorder and are likely to be rearrested without intervention. This is a public health approach to justice reform in which treatment providers partner with probation, defense, prosecution, law enforcement and the judge to ensure participants receive personalized and evidence-based treatment, ongoing support, and recovery services to improve their overall wellbeing.
Treatment courts—which include drug court, DUI court, veterans court and mental health court—are an effective strategy for treating substance misuse and mental illness while reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars. These courts have proven that a combination of supervision, treatment and support can lead people with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders into lives of stability, wellness and recovery. Instead of prison time, treatment courts deliver services for lifelong recovery, keep our roads safe from impaired drivers, give parents tools they need to stay sober and maintain custody of their children, and divert individuals from a life of substance misuse, mental illness and crime. They have been proven to reduce use of jail and prison beds, emergency room admissions, family conflicts associated with domestic violence and child abuse, and foster care placements.
Learn more about South Dakota’s treatment courts. For more information about Pennington County Drug Court, contact Treatment Court Coordinator Ashlee May at 605-394-2595 ext. 1223 or via email.
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About South Dakota Courts: The Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts and State Court Administrator’s Office. The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and final decision maker on South Dakota law. The Circuit Courts are the state’s trial courts where criminal proceedings and civil litigation are handled. The State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services for the South Dakota judiciary. Learn more about UJS.