PIERRE, S.D. — Drug-related crimes declined more than six percent in South Dakota in 2025, according to the state’s latest crime report.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley released the Crime in South Dakota 2025 Report during a press conference Thursday. Overall crime in the state also fell six percent year over year.
“It shows South Dakota is a very safe place to raise a family,” Jackley said.
The report shows 64,261 total criminal offenses in 2025, down from 68,388 in 2024.
Drug offenses dropped 6.25 percent, with 6,358 reported in 2025 compared to 6,782 the previous year. Methamphetamine-related offenses saw a sharper decline, falling from 3,136 in 2024 to 2,672 in 2025.
Fentanyl cases are included in the “Other Narcotics” category. That category showed 230 offenses in 2025, down from 398 in 2024.
“Securing the southern border is having a positive impact,” Jackley said.
While Jackley credited increased enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border, he also pointed to the work of local law enforcement and prevention efforts across the state, including programs such as Emily’s Hope.
“These are opportunities to get ahead of it,” Jackley said. “Addressing addiction is huge, and I think it’s a game changer.”
Jackley said the reduction in drug crimes is a key factor in the state’s overall drop in crime.
“Often times when we investigate a violent crime, there will also be a drug crime,” he said.
During the press conference, one reporter asked whether Senate Bill 83 influenced the data. The law, passed in 2025, reclassified first and second offenses of knowingly ingesting a controlled substance from a Class 5 felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
“I don’t feel that change has impacted those numbers,” Jackley said.
Looking ahead, Jackley said continued investment in prevention will be critical. South Dakota is projected to receive just under $99 million in opioid settlement funds by 2038, according to the state’s settlement dashboard. The funding stems from nationwide settlements with manufacturers and distributors of opioid painkillers linked to rising addiction and overdose rates.
