Jack Smith, Legal Secretary

Pennington County States Attorney's Office

300 Kansas City Street, Suite 400

Rapid City, SD 57701

Phone:  394-2191

Juvenile Diversion Program

Fax:  394-6093

School: After a number of absences, the school follows their attendance and notification procedure. The school and/or Juvenile Diversion will attempt intervention efforts. If the student continues to be unexcused from school, the school may transfer the case to the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office. All efforts by the school will be documented on the form provided by the Juvenile Diversion Truancy Program.

Juvenile Diversion Truancy Program (JD): After intervention efforts by the school are unsuccessful, the case is sent to the Pennington County State's Attorney's office where they are reviewed by state's attorneys. They will determine whether a case will go through Formal Court or through the Juvenile Diversion Truancy Program. The Pennington County State's Attorneys will take into consideration any recommendation by a school official. If the case goes to Formal Court, then the case will be set for a court date which may take between 2-3 weeks. If the case is sent to the Juvenile Diversion Truancy Program, the following are the steps JD would pursue with the parents and the student:

• A letter is sent to the family asking them to contact JD.
• If the family does not respond with in 6 days, another letter is sent and phone contact is attempted by JD.
• If there has not been any response from a family within two weeks after the first letter, the case is sent back to the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office where the case will be scheduled for a formal court date.
• If the family makes contact with JD with in 2 weeks of the date of the first letter, a meeting with the family will be set up to formulate a truancy plan for the student. The plan may include participating in Truancy Court, meeting at the JD office for weekly or bi-weekly visits, monitoring of attendance, and a truancy contract with the student.
• The student's attendance is monitored on a weekly basis by JD.
• JD does take into account special situations such as deaths in the family, illnesses, etc…However, if frequent absentees for illnesses occur, then JD will request doctor's excuses for the JD program and school.
• If the student is not complying with the Truancy Contract or Truancy Goals then the student may be given one more week to try and rectify the situation. If the truancy situation has not improved within a week then the case may be sent back to the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office pending discussions between the State's Attorneys and JD.
• If the student is involved in Truancy Court then the Truancy Team will recommend when the case will be sent back to the State's Attorney's Office.