Warden Named at Soon-to-Open Rapid City Correctional Facility in South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary Nick Lamb has appointed Eric Aldridge to serve as the first warden of the Rapid City Correctional Facility, which is scheduled to open this summer.
Aldridge most recently served as the warden of the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women, a Level III-security facility operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections. During his career, he has also served as a rehabilitation counselor, security assessment analyst and in facility leadership positions. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Weber State University and an M.P.A. from Brigham Young University.
“Warden Aldridge has 30 years of experience in corrections and brings an innovative approach to our system,” said Secretary Lamb. “We’re fortunate to have someone with his experience join our team.”
“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve as warden of a new facility and to implement industry best practices,” said Aldridge. “My focus is on positive change and improving the lives of offenders so that they will re-enter society as productive citizens.”
Aldridge will begin his work in South Dakota on April 1.
According to the South Dakota DOC, the Rapid City Correctional Facility will be a Level III-security facility for women with 300 beds to house medium- and minimum-custody offenders. The facility will feature a a mother-infant program, as well as a therapeutic community model for substance use disorder treatment, offering hours of daily therapeutic interventions from a comprehensive team including medical, behavioral health and vocational professionals.
“This will be a first-of-its-kind program in South Dakota, with a structured residential treatment program designed to specialize in the treatment of substance use disorders and the rehabilitation of offenders through peer and staff led, community-based therapy,” said Secretary Lamb. “We have not used this model in our other facilities because of a lack of available programming space. This modern facility allows us to do so.”
The DOC will also partner with the state Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) and Western Dakota Technical College to offer a Business-Entrepreneurship program at the facility, where offenders will have the opportunity earn a certificate for the Hospitality Training Program from the South Dakota Department of Tourism.
The $87 million facility was designed by a team that includes Architecture Incorporated, CGL and HDR, with Scull Construction and Flintco serving as the construction managers at-risk. Construction began in the summer of 2024.
The DOC has begun efforts to staff the facility, with positions in security, case management, medical and behavioral health services, finance, maintenance, and electronics posted on the state Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA) website.