American Experiment adds voice to national discussion on criminal justice

Recent advocacy around solving non-fatal shootings in Minnesota led to my invitation to paticipate in this week’s Niskanen Center Third Annual Criminal Justice Convening in Savannah Georgia.

The event brought together nearly 70 research, advocacy, and policy experts from across the nation to explore the emerging interventions that many believe will help strengthen our criminal justice system.

As American Experiment’s public safety policy fellow, I was proud to share our work leading to legislation focused on improving the solve rate for hundreds of non-fatal shootings that occur across Minnesota each year. The advocacy story dovetails well with other initiatives focused on deterring crime by solving violent crime faster and with more certainty – not solely relying on the threat of longer sentences. I remain, however, a firm believer that this is not an either–or proposition.

The event also served as a valuable networking opportunity, allowing me to connect with representatives of the Cicero Institute on the issue of expanding the use of civil commitment for those service resistant individuals with mental illness and/or chemical dependency who are decompensating in homeless encampments. The partnership with Cicero will undoubtedly aid our efforts to more effectively address this problem in Minnesota.