Lawmakers Approve Spending On New Rapid City Prison

  Lawmakers have approved spending $3.8
million in state and federal funds for a minimum security prison
housing up to 400 inmates in Rapid City.

The money would be used to renovate a building on a site the
Corrections Department purchased a year ago. But the use of that
site is being challenged by a lawsuit against the state.
A bill approving the spending has cleared the Legislature and
goes to the governor.

The Corrections Department says the new prison would put inmates
near their families and help them find work-release jobs to prepare
for their eventual release.

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