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

In 2024, 47 percent of violent crimes reported to police in Minnesota were solved. This is 3 percentage points lower than the solve rate in 2014. In Minnesota, we are underfunding, understaffing, and neglecting the most important thing law enforcement can do to prevent crime. Solving violent crimes sends a message that criminal behavior will not be tolerated, which deters future offenses, provides a sense of justice for victims, reduces the urge to retaliate, and builds publi

This choice between reform and transformation is not just about strategies—it's about what kind of future we believe is possible. Do we believe in a future where some people are disposable, where safety comes through separation, where healing attempts to happen in isolation? Or do we believe in a future where everyone belongs, where safety emerges from connection, where those who have caused harm can find their way home?

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

By the Minnesota Justice Research Center “I’m here to testify on HF 7 but more broadly on rebalancing our criminal legal system away from excess punishment to prevention.” On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, MNJRC Policy Director Dr. Will Cooley testified in front of the Minnesota House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, urging lawmakers to reject House File 7 (HF 7). The bill proposes longer sentences and mandatory minimums for certain crimes. In Dr. Cooley’s words, thes

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

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

The long-awaited consent decree between the State and the City is a beginning, not an end. Our reflection on this historic agreement.

Transforming the system of policing in Minnesota can feel like an impossible task. Despite growing numbers of calls to transform the system, very little seems to change. Until July 20th, Minnesotans have an opportunity to contribute to meaningful changes in policing by submitting comments in support of proposed rules changes at the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST Board). The proposed rules changes will strengthen the systems that hold police acc

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

In this post we share what we have learned since the release of our second report on police accountability.

Download statement [Minneapolis, MN] Justin Terrell, Executive Director of the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) today released the following statement: “At the Minnesota Justice Research Center, we are proud to be part of the work to help improve public safety and increase community trust in Minneapolis. We are collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) to engage with community members thoughtfully and intentionally. After MDHR released its

By MNJRC