Federal Advisory Panel To Hold Briefing On Civil Rights Issues in South Dakota: The Administration of Criminal Justice in Rapid City

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Aug 22, 2014, 06:00 ET

RAPID CITY, S.D., Aug. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

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WHAT:	Briefing of the South Dakota Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

WHEN:	Wednesday August 27, 2014 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:	United Tribes Technical College-Black Hills Learning Center Freedom Hall 321 Kansas City Street Rapid City, SD 57701

The South Dakota Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will convene a public briefing to gather information from government officials and others regarding the administration of criminal justice in Rapid City and South Dakota.

Background: People of color tend, on average, to suffer more severe consequences and harsher sentences than whites. In recent years, these disparities have become widely recognized as an important civil rights issue not only in South Dakota but across the United States. In South Dakota, the issue of the administration of justice continues to cause concern. At the briefing, the South Dakota Advisory Committee will hear testimony concerning the administration of justice and how it impacts Native Americans and other minorities, their families, and the Rapid City community.

The briefing is open to the public. The South Dakota Advisory Committee is interested in hearing from members of the public on this important issue. There will be an opportunity during the briefing meeting, beginning at approximately 3 pm for individuals to make remarks before the Committee.

For more information contact Malee V. Craft, Rocky Mountain Regional Office, 303-866-1040, or Richard Braunstein, Chairperson, South Dakota Advisory Committee, 605-670-0117.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency charged with studying and advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters and issuing an annual federal civil rights enforcement report. For information about the reports and meetings of the Commission and its State Advisory Committees, please visit http://www.usccr.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Commission on Civil Rights