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, these are “expensive, reactive measures that do little to prevent crime.” Research agrees.
At the MNJRC, we are committed to transforming the criminal legal system into one that is more equitable, accountable, and restorative in delivering justice. We’re working towards a criminal legal system that is committed to preventing crime and future harm in its communities rather than tacking on punishments and seeking retribution. Yet, Minnesota continues to underfund the preventative measures we know can make a difference.
Dr. Cooley laid out the consequences in his testimony—here were his key points:
We are underfunding and understaffing the most important thing law enforcement can do to prevent crime: solving violent crimes.
Successfully 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 public trust in law enforcement agencies.
Unfortunately, this crucial aspect of effective law enforcement is not working as it should.
Two examples:
The award winning 2019 Star Tribune examination of more than 1,000 sexual assault cases revealed a neglect to interview witnesses, collect crucial evidence, or conduct criminal background checks on suspects. Many cases were never even assigned to an investigator.
Likewise, the Minnesota Reformer reported that about 78% of the 879 shootings in Minneapolis between 2018 and 2020 did not result in any arrests or charges.
Here are two more recent examples:
There are 12 investigators total working all the homicides and nonfatal shootings in Minneapolis. Nonfatal shootings become a low priority and are not being adequately investigated. In contrast, Boston has up to 38 detectives JUST working homicides. This effort and emphasis on solving shootings matters. In 2024, Boston had 24 homicides. Minneapolis had 76.
Another example is the Full Stop Gas Station on Logan and Lowry. Anyone who drove past there last summer and fall knew that there would be trouble. At MNJRC, we were fielding calls from the neighborhood about the problems. This location needed officers skilled in the proven methods of hot spot and problem-oriented policing, but Minneapolis is badly understaffed. Sure enough, in late November, a 23-year-old man was murdered in broad daylight at the gas station.
This committee is split down the middle, which is an excellent opportunity to come together on something on which we all agree: the best way law enforcement can prevent violent crime is to enhance the certainty of being caught.
In 2023, only 46 percent of violent crimes reported to law enforcement were solved. This is also a matter of racial justice, because when violent crimes go unsolved, it disproportionately affects historically disadvantaged communities.
The state has a finite amount of resources, and we can redirect those funds away from excessively long sentences and mandatory minimums and towards investing in highly trained investigators and police officers engaged in problem oriented policing - these officers, with our support, will be key to a safer future for all Minnesotans.
Learn more about HF 7 at https://www.house.mn.gov/bills/info/HF7/94/2025/0.
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