Jackley calls for better monitoring of prescriptions

Before Marty Jackley was sworn in as South Dakota’s 30th attorney general, he sometimes joked with fellow U.S. attorneys about the low level of corruption in South Dakota.

“I always tell my U.S. attorney buddies the reason we don’t have public corruption is we don’t have any money to steal,” Jackley told members of the Rotary Club of Mitchell on Thursday.

But when the laughter subsided, Jackley got serious about upcoming budget challenges for his office and all of state government.

Gov. Mike Rounds told the Associated Press recently that substantial spending cuts will have to be made to bal- ance the state budget. Jackley said he’s ready for the challenge.

“A lot of what I’m trying to do as attorney general is to work on producing more for the state for less money,” he said.

One early plan is encouraging state agencies to direct legal questions to their own inhouse counsel, as opposed to the attorney general’s office.

“Our position is we’re certainly there to assist, but those state funds are being used for your general counsel, so when you have basic questions, go to counsel,” Jackley said. “If you have a general legal question, you call them.”

Jackley was appointed in September by Gov. Mike Rounds to succeed Larry Long, who left the attorney general’s office near the end of his term to become a judge. Jackley is a Republican and has formed a campaign committee to run for attorney general in next year’s election.

During the three years Jackley spent as U.S. attorney for South Dakota, prescription drug abuse spiked. In 2007, the office prosecuted 50 cases. The number doubled in 2008 and is expected to come in at 156 this year.

Jackley said a system is needed for doctors to see what drugs have been prescribed to the patients they encounter. Ideally, the Department of Health would handle the project, he said. However, he’s certain that something needs to be done, no matter what department is assigned the responsibility.

“There are no checks and balances,” Jackley said. “The general position I’m taking is we have a problem and, ultimately, if it doesn’t get dealt with, the AG’s office is prepared to step up to the plate and responsibly address it.”

Jackley also praised the 24/7 sobriety program initiated by Long and the state’s new crime lab in Pierre.

“The FBI relies heavily upon the South Dakota crime lab as opposed to Minneapolis or other places,” Jackley said. “It’s quicker, it’s often better, and it’s more common-sense, frankly.”

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