Restoring Order: The Prison Vote Truth

Leaflet from the SD Penitentiary Twine Plant

Fellow District 4 Residents and South Dakotans,

Listen carefully. I voted YES on the historic prison bill not out of convenience, but out of a deep, unflinching recognition of reality. Our families, our law enforcement officers on the front lines, and our communities are crying out for order in the face of disorder. Half-measures and polite excuses will not suffice when chaos reigns.

I personally toured the old penitentiary. I walked those decaying halls and saw with my own eyes the brutal truth: a 140-year-old relic, dangerously overcrowded, crumbling under mold and failing infrastructure, plagued by stabbings, assaults, and rampant contraband. This is not abstract policy. This is a moral failure that endangers everyone it touches. Enough is enough. I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the District 4 sheriffs who demanded real solutions, and I delivered a decisive YES for the 650 million dollar modern facility that will finally keep violent criminals locked securely behind strong walls and off our streets. Public safety is not optional. It is the foundational bedrock of a civilized society.

When the Department of Corrections had lost all credibility, when trust had eroded to nothing, I did not remain silent. I joined a group of lawmakers in publicly calling for the resignation of then-Secretary Kelli Wasko. We demanded accountability and a clean house before asking taxpayers to entrust us with this massive investment. True leadership requires the courage to name dysfunction and insist on reform. Not to look the other way while problems fester.

Smart, voluntary rehabilitation that actually transforms lives is also essential to long-term order. I strongly support proven in-prison programs like St. Dysmas, the faith-based ministry operating inside the penitentiary walls. I have personally attended their services and witnessed the profound, voluntary impact they have on men who choose to confront their own darkness and turn toward responsibility. Real second chances, rooted in faith, accountability, and voluntary self-improvement, help reduce recidivism without ever compromising the iron requirement of secure containment.

Center pages of penitentiary leaflet

Some of my opponents were either tepid at best or completely against this necessary project. A few expressed hesitation, calling the 650 million dollar price tag “hard to swallow,” demanding endless answers on costs and management, and leaning so heavily into rehabilitation talk that they sounded far less committed to the hard, non-negotiable walls required for safety. Others went further, outright opposing the bill and aligning with efforts to reject it over concerns like potential property tax increases.

In short, while I stood firm with a clear, decisive YES, some opponents chose doubt, hesitation, or outright rejection instead of the strong, unwavering commitment this crisis demanded.

Contrast that with my record: I voted YES without qualifiers because I understand that public safety comes first. Criminals who prey on the innocent belong behind strong, modern walls. Period. I support targeted, effective rehabilitation programs like St. Dysmas precisely because they work when properly paired with unyielding security. I backed the project with the Rhoden administration’s safeguards – guaranteed maximum price and shared savings – while refusing to allow complaints about cost to paralyze necessary action.

As your Representative in District 4, I refuse to hedge or apologize for prioritizing order over chaos. I deliver results for law enforcement, for victims, and for every hardworking family who understands that violent offenders must be contained in a facility that actually functions, while offering voluntary pathways for those willing to take responsibility and change. Not endless ideological debate or feel-good programs that ignore human nature and fail to cut recidivism.

That is why I am running for re-election: to keep confronting reality head-on and advancing unapologetic, pro-public-safety policies that put South Dakota families and civilized order first. No hesitation. No caveats. Just the courage to tell the truth and act decisively.

Vote Kent Roe for House District 4 – Strong. Decisive. Pro-Prison. Pro-Safety. Pro-Smart Rehabilitation. Pro-Order.

Paid for by Kent Roe for House. Sources: Legislative records, public statements, news coverage of the special session, and my firsthand tour of the facility.

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