Minnesota
Minnesota Judge Retires
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Court Innovation and Problem Solving Courts
Topics:
Courts and Judiciary Excerpt:
[Retiring Judge Gerald Martin]: "The most important cases are the little ones. Children being reunited with their families. People getting off of chemical dependency."
When asked about changes, Martin said the specialty courts are the most positive development he's seen. The negatives in the system include an overload of cases, and a rise in violent crime.
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S1152862.shtml?cat=10335
Editorial: Restorative Justice Improves Quality of Life
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Restorative Justice
Topics:
Juvenile/Criminal Justice http://www.startribune.com/yourvoices/59861782.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoa...
Circles help offenders find their way out of bad behavior.
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Restorative Justice
Topics:
Juvenile/Criminal Justice Excerpt: Lit by fluorescent lights in a basement tucked under the offices of the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, an ancient form of community justice is hashed out several nights a week by a group of people seated in a circle.
"It's about community involvement and repairing the harm done not only to individuals but the community itself," said Mark LaPointe, the keeper of the circle. "We have a responsibility to help those individuals repair the harm and to know what harm it is they caused."
New Community Lawyering Site Launched
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Community Lawyering
Topics:
Pro Bono and Community Service http://clp.phylliswheatley.org/
Excerpt:
The Phyllis Wheatley Community Lawyering Project is dedicated to providing free legal services to low income residents of North Minneapolis. The PWCLP works with community leaders, neighborhood organizers, and individuals to empower low-income residents of North Minneapolis to:
* Speak for themselves
* Affect change on their own terms
* Build stronger neighborhoods.
Sentencing Circles Considered as Money-Saving Approach
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Restorative Justice http://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/articles/2009/05/06/news/news02.txt
The Redwood County board is looking at different ways to cut the county’s budget.
Some of the programs it is looking at are restorative justice or circle sentencing, drug court and electronic monitoring.
Other counties in the area have used some or all of these programs in conjunction and see sizable savings directly to the taxpayers of the county.
MN Legislature Considers Restorative Justice
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Restorative Justice
Topics:
Politics and Policy http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=23287§ion=News
Excerpt:
The [MN] Senate’s budget plan currently includes two cost-saving reform measures which evolved from the meeting and were introduced as bills by [Mary] Olson, the Bemidji Democrat said:
"Drug Court Saved My Life"
Topics:
Courts and Judiciary Heather Eide was working as a registered nurse at North Memorial Medical Center when she reported on herself, as health professionals are required to do: She was hooked on meth.
The Robbinsdale hospital offered her the deal of a lifetime. She could keep getting paid — for an entire year — if she went into treatment. The first step was to get a psychological assessment.
"I was too busy getting high to go to the appointment," she said, "and I got fired.
Circle of Healing
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Court Innovation and Problem Solving Courts
Topics:
Courts and Judiciary [Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a two-part story on a restorative justice program in Washington County.]
The Yukon is a long way from Washington County. But a traditional practice of restorative justice used by the native populations in the westernmost Canadian province has found its way to the communities of Cottage Grove, Stillwater and most recently Woodbury.
Public TV program examines drug courts in MN
Cutting Edge Law Categories:
Court Innovation and Problem Solving Courts
Topics:
Juvenile/Criminal Justice From Capitol Report, March 23, 2009
A program examining Minnesota’s drug courts will air on Twin Cities Public Television today and Sunday.
“Drug Courts: Justice That Heals,” a co-production of the Minnesota Judicial Branch and TPT-Minnesota Channel, will air at 1 a.m. and 7 p.m. today on TPT-MN and at 11 a.m. Sunday on TPT-LIFE (formerly TPT Channel 17).
