Here at the Minnesota Justice Research Center, we know the justice system isn’t just. That’s why we’re working to change it. We do things a little differently than traditional research organizations: we center the community and build bridges to transform our criminal legal system into one that is equitable, accountable, and restorative. What does that look like in action? Check out some of our accomplishments in 2025. We released our blueprint for a groundbreaking redesign of

By Ilene Park, Communications Intern My name is Ilene Park and I am a rising undergraduate senior at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently majoring in Media Studies with a concentration in Law & Policy as well as minoring in Political Economy with a concentration in Science, Technology, & Economic Development, I was searching for a summer internship in Minnesota that would allow me to work on something other than my passion for reading, skincare, tennis, piano, sp

"Had [Ryan] been provided his necessary medication while in jail, he may have been alive today." In response to the recent lawsuit to block the Larry R. Hill Medical Reform Act, the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) issued the following statement: At the Minnesota Justice Research Center, we believe that justice should be fair and that our systems for administering justice should operate as humanely as possible while holding Minnesotans accountable for causing harm in

Today, May 25, marks five years since former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, whose cries for breath and calls to his mother shook the world. It has been five years since our city rose in response, demanding acknowledgement of the rampant racism in our law enforcement and the need for a reckoning with the violence carried out by police against the Black community. As the movement quickly spread across the U.S. and globally, the world had a quest

On Thursday, May 8th, the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) hosted a powerful event alongside We Are All Criminals at the Weisman Art Museum titled "Let's Talk About Minnesota's Crumbling Prisons: A Community Conversation." At this event, we convened over 80 community members for a conversation about the viability of the century-old Minnesota Correctional Facilities in Stillwater and St. Cloud. After folks had a chance to walk through the powerful SEEN exhibit on carc

The Minnesota Justice Research Center is pleased to announce our new Associate Director, Jana Kooren. Kooren brings two decades of leadership experience in social justice work to this vital role at MNJRC. Kooren is a career leader with a deep background in nonprofit management, having contributed to the advancement of criminal justice, democracy, abortion access, and immigrant rights. Holding a dual Social Justice and French degree from Hamline University, Kooren was most rec

By Anna Simonton, Research Assistant - Pretrial Best Practices I’m always struck by the way people leave a community conversation, compared to how they came in the door. A transformation takes place - a shift, sometimes so significant that it feels like an entirely different group only two hours later. This summer, the Minnesota Justice Research Center held 14 community conversations across the state to hear from residents about their perspectives on and experiences with bai

By Justin Terrell, MNJRC Executive Director On Monday, January 15th, 2024 the country celebrated the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday. Justin Terrell, MNJRC's Executive Director, had the privilege of joining the Rochester Minnesota NAACP as their keynote speaker for a day full of events. The following blog post includes his remarks from the day. As we reflect on Dr. King's legacy in 2024, I want to speak to what we all know is true: That our country has been

By Tsiyhon Kika I was first introduced to the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) in a group meeting with the honors students in my Youth Crime and Punishment course with Professor Chris Uggen at the University of MN. He described the "Block to the Ballot" project, an initiative between researchers and community leaders working to increase voter turnout among the formerly incarcerated. To my luck, he also announced that they were looking for a Research Assistant to hel

Program Details Thursday, November 16th 6 - 9 PM: In-person opening reception and keynote address at Plymouth Congregational Church,1919 LaSalle Ave S, Minneapolis Friday, November 17th 8 AM - 1 PM: virtual plenary and breakout sessions via Zoom Break for lunch on your own 3 PM - 5 PM: In-person closing plenary and networking at PAIKKA/Lake Monster Brewing, 550 Vandalia St, St. Paul, MN 55114 Register for the conference HERE The MNJRC's annual Re-Imagining Justice Conference

By Grace Foss, Research Intern During winter break in 2022, I began the journey that every college student dreads during their academic career: applying for dozens and trying to secure a summer internship. I knew I had a passion for research but didn’t know where to start. After weeks of searching, I wasn’t finding any companies that fit my interests and where I foresaw my career going. I kept up the search during the spring semester and in early March, I had the honor of rec

Kayla Richards (she/her; Oglala Lakota) is a Research Manager at the Minnesota Justice Research Center. The following is a reflection on her work to support community engagement and the consent decree pursued by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights with the City of Mpls and Minneapolis Police Department. I come from a long line of Indigenous story-telling—my Unci, Dori “Tiny Girl” Siers spent several years at a boarding school and would later take college English courses

By Patrick Nolan, Project Coordinator for the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC). Patrick Nolan is the Project Coordinator for the Minnesota Justice Research Center. His work involves writing and research, as well as administrative and outreach support. The following is Patrick's reflection on a recent event the MNJRC hosted on the topic of restorative justice. The use of the phrase “restorative justice” has steadily grown in popularity since its formal introduction in

By Zeke Caligiuri with contributions from LaLinda Xiong and Antonio Williams Minnesota shows up to the polls. Often we are near the top of the country in voter turnout. However, conspicuously absent from last fall’s election were the votes of an estimated 50,000 (Uggen et al., 2022) Minnesotans who remain unable to vote because of a felony conviction, the vast majority (71%) of whom are out of prison serving parole or probation. Felony Disenfranchisement has become something

Registration is now open! Register HERE What: 2022 Re-Imagining Justice conference: Building Bridges - Seeking Solutions When and where: Wednesday, November 16, 6 - 8:30 PM: in-person keynote and opening reception at the Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis Thursday, November 17, 9 AM - 3:30 PM: virtual keynotes, plenaries, and breakout sessions With our conference happening THIS WEEK, we at the MNJRC are putting the final touches on what is shaping up to be an ins

Announcing our in-person opening keynote by Civil Rights Activist Desmond Meade Registration is now open! Register HERE The TL/DR: What: 2022 Re-Imagining Justice conference: Building Bridges - Seeking Solutions When and where: Wednesday, November 16, 6 - 8:30 PM: in-person keynote and opening reception at the Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis Thursday, November 17, 9 AM - 3 PM: virtual keynotes, plenaries, and breakout sessions Learn more about Desmond Meade he

Join the MNJRC and our partners over the next four weeks as we work to move eligible voters with criminal histories #FromTheBlockToTheBallot

By: Amy Dorman, MPP Research Manager at the Minnesota Justice Research Center Insights from the 2022 Midwest Asset Building Conference In June 2022, the MNJRC was invited to present our preliminary findings from the Returning Home Saint Paul pilot at the regional Midwest Asset Building Conference, held this year in Saint Paul, MN. The annual conference brings together practitioners, policy advocates, and researchers from across the region to strengthen efforts to disrupt the

By Audel Shokohzadeh Community Engagement Director, Minnesota Department of Human Rights Since launching the investigation in June 2020, engaging with community has always been a priority for us at the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. That’s why within minutes of announcing the findings from our investigation into the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and Minnesota Justice Research Center began to engage i

By Korie Manley In January, after weeks of researching for places to intern, I had the privilege of receiving a student internship position at the Minnesota Justice Research Center. The Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to driving meaningful change to Minnesota’s criminal legal system through rigorous and community-centered research, education, and policy development. I’m Korie Manley, a recent graduate