Number of Homicides More than Doubles in South Dakota in 2020

2020 was a deadly year in South Dakota, and not just from COVID-19.

Dakota News Now is reporting that the number of homicides in the Mount Rushmore State more than doubled last year.

According to the Crime in South Dakota 2020 report released by State Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg's office Friday (April 9), there were 37 killings statewide, a jump of more than 130 percent from the 16 homicides in 2019.

Get our free mobile app

The other area where crimes jumped burglaries.

In 2020, there were 2,867 reported in the state, compared to 2,529 in 2019. That's an increase of more than 13 percent. Nearly a third of burglaries last year were forced entries.

Overall, crime in South Dakota was down nearly seven percent with 72,782 offenses reported statewide. Juvenile crime decreased nearly 30 percent.

Arrests in the state increased slightly, continuing a years-long trend of slow but steady increases. Although Juvenile arrests dropped by almost 30% compared to 2019. In 2020, juvenile arrestees accounted for 9.73% (3,677) of the total arrests (37,782), down from 5,054 in 2019, a drop of 27.25%.

DUI arrests were down nearly 13 percent with 5,099 in 2020.

Drug arrests decreased by more than 13 percent, from  8,997 in 2019 to 7,801 last year.