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Codington County allocates $219,000 in JJRI funds to Watertown Boys & Girls Club
Summary
The Codington County Commission approved allocation of Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative funds totaling $219,000 to support the county's juvenile diversion program, which is administered locally through the Boys & Girls Club. Commissioners and staff described the program as a community‑based alternative to detention for lower‑risk youth.
The Codington County Commission voted Nov. 4 to allocate $219,000 in Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JJRI) grant funds to the Watertown Boys & Girls Club to support the county’s juvenile diversion services.
County staff explained the funds will continue the local juvenile diversion effort, which diverts lower‑risk youth from detention and connects them with rehabilitative services at community providers, including the Boys & Girls Club. Staff said the program provides an intensive diversion option as an alternative to probation or other formal processing and that the program pays approximately $750 for a successful diversion case.
Commissioners asked about eligibility and success measures. Staff said any youth subject to county juvenile justice referral can be considered for diversion services regardless of club membership and that the program tracks annual outcomes required by the JJRI grant; specific success‑rate figures were not read aloud at the meeting.
Motion and vote: Commissioner Johnson moved to allocate the JJRI funds to the Boys & Girls Club and Commissioner Gable seconded. The commission approved the allocation by voice vote.
Why it matters: The JJRI program funds local community‑based options intended to reduce detention and recidivism among youth. County staff described the allocation as part of an ongoing reinvestment strategy to maintain community supervision and rehabilitative services for lower‑risk juveniles.
What’s next: Staff said they will continue to administer the grant, report outcomes to the state as required by JJRI, and work with partner agencies to deliver services. Details about the county’s annual outcome figures were available from staff but were not read into the record during the meeting.
