Become a member at lakotalaw.org/donateWe believe that South Dakota’s DSS has created a co

Become a member at lakotalaw.org/donate

We believe that South Dakota’s DSS has created a conception of “neglect” that is severely biased against American Indian families, especially those residing on reservation. First, this conception inappropriately equates economic poverty with neglect. Second, it fails to understand the tribes’ kinship system of extended family care, a cultural tradition of the kind that ICWA was actually designed to protect. Under this bias, South Dakota identified neglect as the primary justification in 95.8% of its cases that resulted in removal of children into state custody. The national average is 78.3%.

This inflated statistic represents South Dakota’s clear discrimination against Native American culture. Become a member to help return Lakota children to their families and communities: lakotalaw.org/donate