American Experiment’s David Zimmer joins Sentencing Guidelines Commission Special Meeting

Center of the American Experiment Public Safety Policy Fellow David Zimmer will participate in a roundtable discussion tomorrow with criminal justice system stakeholders and legislators called by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission (MSGC).

The MSGC is considering the elimination of custody status points from the current sentencing guidelines. If eliminated, a probationer or parolee who is convicted of a new crime would be less likely than they are today to face a prison commitment because of their continued criminal behavior. The Commission attempted to eliminate custody status points in 2021 but tabled the vote after receiving significant public opposition. Center of the American Experiment ran a public awareness campaign alerting citizens to the proposal and MSGC was subsequently flooded with 3,800 oppositional comments. 

This week the MSGC invited Zimmer, who served 33 years in local law enforcement, to represent Center of the American Experiment at this Special Commission Meeting.

“I’m glad to be joining this crucial roundtable,” Zimmer says. “We’re all working towards the same goal: a safer, more just Minnesota. Custody status points are an important piece of that puzzle and eliminating them would be a serious mistake.”

What: A roundtable on the custody status component of the criminal history score. The format of the meeting will be that of a collaborative, problem-solving workshop between Commission members and invited guests.

When: Thursday, July 21 at 1:00 PM

Where:

Minnesota Judicial Center – Room 230 

25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55155

Who:

  • David Zimmer, Center of the American Experiment Policy Fellow
  • The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission
  • Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties
  • Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault
  • Minnesota County Attorney’s Association
  • Minnesota House majority caucus
  • Minnesota Justice Research Center
  • Minnesota Senate majority caucus
  • Ujamaa Place
  • University of Minnesota Law School
  • Minnesota House minority caucus 
  • Minnesota Police & Peace Officers Association
  • Minnesota Senate minority caucus
  • and more

Remote option available