Criminal Legal and Public Safety Reforms

As an attorney, I know firsthand the difference between a system of “criminal justice” and one of simply “criminal law.” 

I serve as Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee in the House, as well as on the Judiciary Committee, where we hear numerous bills relating to how Minnesota treats defendants in the criminal legal system and how this plays into public safety overall. This year, I was also appointed to the Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, which contains legislators from 11 midwest states and explores a range of issues related to public safety, including sentencing reform, reducing recidivism, specialty courts, alternatives to incarceration, police and community relations, victims’ rights, and more. 

In the legislature, I championed legislation to create an Office of Restorative Practices within the Department of Public Safety to expand youth restorative justice in Minnesota. This is a historic step away from a punitive, unjust, ineffective, costly system of youth justice towards one that reduces recidivism and racial disparities. You can read more about my restorative justice work in this great Star Tribune article and via this excellent interview on Minnesota Public Radio with my collaborators on this legislation.  

As part of my advocacy for deep investments in youth justice, I also chief authored legislation to significantly increase the annual funding for Youth Intervention Programs (YIP) that administer grants statewide to support youth growing up with toxic stress, trauma, or abuse. In addition, I secured funding for grants to intervene where youth are involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Collectively, these investments and innovations in youth justice represent historic, transformative steps forward for our state.