South Dakota state guidelines determine that records revealing public decisions including court papers, police arrest records, marriage licenses, traffic infractions and more are open and accessible to the populace, largely because of the South Dakota Open Meetings Law. This law, itself in line with the Freedom of Information Act at the country wide level, provides Winfred residents with information associated with instances of governmental involvement, such as the names and addresses of those involved, the events leading up an incidence, effects and sentences handed down, and much more. Both government bodies and offenders may be held responsible because of their actions as a consequence of these laws, that provide the citizenry with the resources they will need to look into problems separate from their governing administration.