Community Outreach

Community engagement is an important function of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Court Watch offers a collaborative, community-based approach to justice where community members partner with law enforcement and community organizations to prevent and respond to public safety concerns.  We work with neighbors and law enforcement to deal with nuisance properties where drug dealing, prostitution, weapons violations and other conduct injures or endangers the public. Our staff engage with members of their community every day as they provides services for victims, give presentations at assisted living facilities, and works in schools across Hennepin County.

 

I have made it a practice to meet with a broad cross-section of the community on a regular basis and when re-elected I plan to expand that practice. Community input is a key part of my decision making process. A classic example involves the decision to discontinue using the grand jury in police shooting cases. After extensive study and valuable input from the community, I decided to make the decision myself to improve accountability and transparency in the process. Now more than ever, having regular engagement with communities impacted by the work our office does is critical. I am currently working on a process for additional communication and dialogue with community stakeholders around our child protection system. I intend to find more ways for cross jurisdictional collaboration to expand these efforts and I plan to take a leadership role in this endeavor.

 

Diverse Workforce

I have been committed to increasing the diversity of our office to better reflect the community we serve. Since 2010 our employees of color have increased from 16.3% to 23.1%. Our overall diversity, including other underserved communities, is closer to 28%. In addition, our law clerk staff for the summer of 2018 is nearly 50% diverse. I think that diversity in the office is important because when we have people with different backgrounds and experiences working together they can work together to create better understanding of different situations.

 

Transparency and Information Sharing

Under my leadership, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has been working to create a dashboard of our criminal charging and disposition data that can be updated on a monthly basis to promote accountability and transparency in our work. We hope to have this available soon. We do not originate the data on race or gender; that information is collected by law enforcement and the courts and then shared with us for limited use. As a result we are currently working through whether we are able to post race and gender data (even in its disaggregated form) and still be in compliance with the agreements we have to receive the data.

Bail Reform

From my experience working as the Hennepin County Attorney I know, cash bail is necessary in cases of very violent behavior when the accused might pose a threat to themselves or their community. Cash bail is also necessary when the offender has a history of failing to appear at their court dates.

 

We in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office do not generally prosecute misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors – that is where there has been abuse of cash bail in other areas of the country. To that end, we are open to participating in system-wide dialog about how proposed changes can best serve the county and its residents.

 

Capital Punishment

I have opposed the death penalty in any form my entire career and have been vocal in that opposition. Minnesota does not have the death penalty and I have opposed any legislation that has attempted to adopt the death penalty. In addition, I have prohibited any cooperation on federal cases that may result in a defendant receiving the death penalty. For example, in State v Onyelobi/Wilson federal authorities sought to return a woman who murdered potential witness against her boyfriend for possible death penalty eligibility. The case was tried in Hennepin County instead.

 

Immigration Policy

I am a strong advocate for immigrant communities. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has been a leader in utilizing the U-Visa program for undocumented people who cooperate with law enforcement and our office when they are victims of crimes so that we can prosecute criminal activity. I believe that the U-Visa program is an important program that creates a sense of trust between our immigrant communities and law enforcement.

 

Our office provides training to staff on the immigration process. We also provide diversion programming to juveniles and adults without regard to their immigration status, all who are otherwise eligible may participate. I was made aware of the possibility that the acceptance of responsibility that all diversion participants must complete had the potential to be used in immigration proceedings if filed with the Court. Accordingly, we immediately changed our diversion policy to permit the acceptance of responsibility to not be filed with the Court.

 

I believe local law enforcement should not be responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws. This can create a negative effect in our communities, causing the immigrant community to loose trust in law enforcement, making it more difficult to encourage witnesses and victims to come forward and report crimes. For prosecutors to do their job effectively, law enforcement agencies must reassure communities that they can come forward to report crimes and participate in the legal system without fear of negative consequences. Collaboration among social service providers, victim advocates, law enforcement, and legal professionals is necessary to make services and expertise accessible to immigrant crime victims. Developing and prioritizing resources for immigrant crime victims while building community trust supports public safety and the interests of justice.

 

Implicit Bias

Staff in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office have recently gone through extensive anti-bias training, including office-wide implicit bias training, by one of the U.S. leading experts in the subject. Implicit bias training is something that I would like our staff to do again, it is important that we are constantly working to better our office.

 

We requested and worked with personnel from the now defunct Council on Crime and Justice to review our juvenile charging standards. That effort concluded there was no measurable bias. We are seeking to do additional analysis with adult prosecutions soon. We do this so that we can be aware of ways to improve the work that we are doing in the office.

 

I know that this work is never complete and we will remain vigilant in our evaluation, training, and recommendations.

 

Jail and Prison Population

Our robust diversion programs for adults and juveniles have already reduced the incarceration population in Hennepin County. We have also worked with school districts in Hennepin County to dramatically reduce the number of school crime referrals, particularly those for disorderly conduct.

 

Our practices of decriminalizing truancy and curfew as well as our refusal to routinely charge low level drug offenses has also decreased incarceration. We will continue to reduce the prosecution of low level crime and focus our resources on serious and violent crime.

 

The prison population in Minnesota – historically, one of the lowest in the nation – was even more positively impacted by the major drug sentencing reform that I championed as Hennepin County Attorney. We will also continue to target and drive reductions in the prison population by bringing stakeholders together and using data to drive important policy changes.

 

Mass Incarceration

We have not experienced “mass incarceration” in Minnesota, but we can do more to reduce the prison population and rehabilitate formerly incarcerated individuals back into society. Our criminal justice system and leaders have invested in diversion programs, probation, and specialty courts addressing drug, veteran and mental health issues. In fact, through these multi-jurisdictional efforts the crime rate has decreased over the last 15 years. Under my leadership, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to divert juveniles and adults from minor drug and property crimes, and helped lead sweeping drug sentencing reforms during the 2016 legislative session. We remain vigilant to aggressively charge and prosecute violent offenders who pose a threat to the safety of our communities.

 

Opioid Epidemic

The opioid epidemic is ravaging communities across the country including in Hennepin County. We seem to all know someone who has been effected by the opiod epidemic because its victims cross all walks of life. This is why I made it a priority for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to create a multi-faceted strategy to combat the opioid epidemic.

 

My office charges drug dealers who distribute lethal narcotics with third degree murder. We will continue to prosecute dealers whose greed ruins lives.

 

We understand addiction is an illness best addressed through treatment and community support. For offenders dealing with substance abuse our office will continue to offer diversion, access to treatment, and Treatment Court. I am proud to have been an instrumental part in starting our Treatment Court in Hennepin County. I also support Minnesota’s “Steve’s Law,” Minn. Stat. § 604A.05, that provides immunity from drug possession or use charges to those who call for emergency medical services if someone else may be overdosing and provides immunity to the person who overdoses.

 

I am proud to be standing with county attorneys across the state to file civil lawsuits against the pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors who downplayed the addictive qualities of opioid drugs and negligently distributed large quantities of the drugs. My office is committed to educating the public about the dangers of opioids and working with community, law enforcement and public health stakeholders to address this issue.

 

Racial Profiling

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to eliminating racial profiling and racial bias throughout the criminal justice system. In order to address this issue, I have required implicit bias training for all Hennepin County Attorney staff. Further, we have been supportive of law enforcement agencies, and assisted when appropriate, in aggressive training programs to eliminate implicit and explicit bias in police work. I have promoted the use of body cameras for law enforcement as a means of safeguarding against bias and misconduct. Our office will take all appropriate action if it becomes aware of evidence demonstrating that racial profiling or racial bias has occurred in a case, up to and including the dismissal of charges.

 

Reducing Disparities in the Criminal Justice System

I am committed to studying racial disparities, evaluating the impact of our office policies upon disparities, and taking action to correct and proactively address disparities in the justice system. As an example, I commissioned an independent study of our juvenile charging practices by the Council on Crime and Justice. A detailed report found that our juvenile prosecutors did not charge cases in a disparate manner. However, there was disparity in the rate at which youth of color responded to offers of juvenile diversion. In response, our office deployed volunteer community outreach advocates to contact diversion-eligible youth of color. Now, our office has funded a full-time outreach coordinator to provide that service and the disparities in this area have dropped precipitously. We are also responding to disparities and reviewing practices in the child protection system. Going forward I will be working with leaders, advocates, and communities across Hennepin County to address disparities and make the system work for everyone.

 

Victim Advocacy

Victim services is a core function of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Providing support and advocacy for crime victims protects our communities and the interests of justice. Our office established the Domestic Abuse Service Center, a nationally recognized model which provides access to services and resources for victims of crime. I am very proud that in 2017, the Victim Witness Division worked with more than 35,000 adults and juveniles. Advocates try to remove barriers that may prevent victims from reporting crimes. Staff partner with other community organizations to provide support in a safe and respectful environment.  Victims have access to services that are culturally, physically and emotionally relevant to their needs. The goal is to let crime victims know that we are here to support them and assist them with referrals to services and resources. Their participation is crucial to prosecuting a case and ultimately seeking justice.

Adult Diversion

Our office aggressively pursues people who make our streets less safe. But, we also always look for better ways to meet the goals of protecting citizens and rehabilitating lawbreakers back into society. As part of our Adult Diversion Program, we work with first-time, low-level offenders to change their course away from the criminal justice system.

 

If a first-time, nonviolent offender has been charged with a low-level crime they can enroll in a diversion program in which they are required to pay restitution, acknowledge wrongdoing, complete community service, and take any other necessary steps to reduce their risk to reoffend. In exchange our office will put the case on hold and dismiss it if the offenders keep their commitments. Diversion participants attend classes and access resources through community-based organizations. Recently, we have improved the program to increase access to treatment for mental illness and substance abuse.

 

In addition to helping participants stay law-abiding, diversion holds individuals accountable, provides access to community services, and reduces costs in the criminal justice system, and ultimately county taxpayers.

 

Automatic Expungement

Arrests and convictions raise significant barriers for individuals seeking employment, housing, and educational opportunities. A criminal history can deny people jobs and professional licenses. Expungement is a process in which the legal record of an arrest or criminal conviction is sealed or erased in the eyes of the law. There are many qualifications that must be met before a record is expunged, including the nature and severity of the crime, length of time since the crime occurred, and steps taken towards rehabilitation. For more serious crimes expungement is not allowed. However, for individuals with less serious crimes on their record, expungement can help alleviate collateral consequences.

 

I am proud that theHennepin County Attorney’s Office is implementing a policy to offer “automatic” expungements for defendants who successfully complete diversion, pay restitution in full and remain law abiding for one year after. I believe that criminal conduct should have consequences, but individual mistakes that result in criminal convictions for low-level, non-violent offense should not permanently hinder a person’s ability to become a productive, law-abiding member of the community.

 

Domestic Violence

Sexual assault and domestic violence cases remain among the most prevalent cases charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Sexual assault and domestic violence are among the most underreported crimes. When they are reported, these cases are especially difficult cases to prosecute. Victims are often reluctant to testify against the perpetrators and lack of familiarity with the law, insufficient information, and misinformation all contribute to confusion with the process.

 

While these are very difficult cases, I take them very seriously and we will continue to file charges and prosecute these cases aggressively.

 

These cases are aggressively pursued because it is in the interest of justice, despite the challenges of obtaining a conviction. These cases are aggressively pursued because it is in the interest of justice, despite the challenges of obtaining a conviction.

 

Over 20 years ago, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office established the Domestic Abuse Service Center. This nationally recognized model serves as a one-stop service center where victims of domestic violence receive a range of services, file protection orders, receive assistance on criminal cases, and can work with a prosecutor and probation officer. The staff are a collaboration of law enforcement agencies and social service providers. Community agencies provide bilingual advocates and culturally specific services, specializing in serving Latino, Somali, Hmong and LGBTQ+ communities.

 

Drug Sentencing Reform

I am always looking for better ways for the Hennepin County Attorney’s office to meet the goals of protecting citizens and rehabilitating lawbreakers back into society. Our policies and office practices reduce prosecution of low level drug crimes by expanding programs of diversion, increasing access to treatment, and the use of Drug Court with its rehabilitation model. We are now building on this work by implementing automatic expungement for those drug offenders who successfully complete our drug diversion programs. Our office will continue to explore innovative practices, expand our programs, and encourage others to follow our lead.

 

Electronic Discovery

Discovery is the process by which defense attorneys obtain evidence to share with their clients. In the past, defense attorneys were required to come to the Hennepin County Government Center and make copies of the evidence file. Recently, the Hennepin County Attorney’s office created electronic discovery to send files to attorneys securely and quickly. Our office seeks to continuously improve services and processes in the justice system. Electronic discovery is one way to speed up the criminal justice system, and we are very proud of it.

 

Marijuana

The enforcement of marijuana offenses requires balancing public safety concerns while reducing negative interactions with law enforcement, and minimizing collateral consequences for low level offenders. Arrests and felony convictions raise significant barriers for individuals seeking employment, housing, and education. As with any criminal justice policy, law enforcement and prosecutors must respond to public safety risks, including illegal sales that have been a source of violent crime. We must also recognize the public health dangers of impaired driving and marijuana use by children.

 

Nevertheless, the Minnesota Legislature has already made a significant policy determination to decriminalize the possession of up to 42.5 grams of marijuana – an amount roughly the size of a sandwich bag. Possession of up to 42.5 grams is not a crime and is punishable only with a fine of up to $300. Unfortunately, the legislature has not created a graduated series of penalties for possession of more than 42.5 grams of marijuana or the sale of small amounts of marijuana. Instead, possession of more than 42.5 grams of marijuana goes from a non-criminal petty misdemeanor to a felony and sale of any amount of marijuana is immediately a felony. Prosecuting low-level marijuana offenses as felonies consumes a considerable amount of resources in the criminal justice system with no discernable increase in public safety.

 

For these reasons, Mike Freeman and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has decided to no longer expend its limited felony prosecution resources to criminally prosecute people arrested for possessing and selling small amounts of marijuana. Instead, the office will exercise its discretion to decline cases involving small amounts of marijuana where appropriate, and allow for diversion, stays of adjudication, and non-jail or non-prison sanctions as a way to protect public safety and hold people accountable in a more fair and common sense manner. This is not to say that we believe individuals should be able to possess marijuana with absolute punishment. It is recognition that such conduct need not be addressed with the full weight and resources of felony convictions and sanctions.

 

I believe further policy reform should be achieved through legislation (which this office will support) that seeks broad stakeholder input and recognizes the economic and policy implications of this situation. In the meantime, this office will use its discretion to make decisions which reflect the values and needs of the residents of Hennepin County. We will continue to do this as fairly and thoughtfully as we can.

 

Transparency and Accountability

In March of 2016, in order to promote transparency and accountability, I discontinued the 40 year practice of utilizing the grand jury to make the charging decision in officer involved shooting cases. As part of this reform, my office issues a detailed report including the facts, the law, and the reason for the decision to charge or not. In addition, I committed to releasing all of the police reports, lab reports, audio and video so the public can view the evidence and rationale for our decisions. In charged cases, a factually detailed complaint will immediately be made public.

 

I support de-escalation and implicit bias training for all police. We must work to improve trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Police, like the rest of society, must be held accountable when they have broken the law. When necessary, my office has charged and obtained convictions for crimes committed by police officers.

 

My decision to discontinue using grand juries to make charging decisions in police shooting cases has expedited the process and made it more accountable and transparent. Others throughout Minnesota and the Country are starting to follow our lead.

 

Protecting Seniors and Vulnerable Adults

Everyone deserves to live with safety and dignity. Investigating and prosecuting cases involving vulnerable adults in assisted care facilities and group homes is a priority for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

 

I am proud that our office has dedicated attorneys and victim advocates to handle cases involving financial exploitation and physical abuse of vulnerable adults. These teams bring expertise and resources to bear on cases that can often be difficult. I also hired an Adult Protection investigator for our office, we are the first prosecutor’s office in the country to do so.

 

Education is an important tool to help people stay safe and prevent crime. Our office partners with living facilities to host presentations about the warning signs of abuse and financial exploitation and how to report these crimes. Attorneys also train law enforcement and other prosecutors on how to investigate these cases.

 

I am a fierce advocate at the legislature to enact statutes and sentences that protect all Minnesotans and reflect the severity of crimes against vulnerable adults. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office was instrumental in passing a felony neglect law in 2012. The law states that a caregiver, whether paid or a family member, can be charged with a felony for intentionally providing poor care to an adult who cannot take care of himself or herself that results in great or substantial bodily harm. Although there are only a few cases that qualify, it is appropriate for willful neglect of a vulnerable adult to face a 10-year felony sentence.

 

Reducing Gun Violence

As a father, neighbor, and prosecutor, nothing worries me more than the increasing number of gun deaths in our community. National tragedies like the shootings at schools, workplaces, and large gatherings grab our attention. However, families and communities suffer from gun violence with every shot fired in neighborhoods across Hennepin County and with every accidental death of a child from a carelessly stored firearm. That is why reducing gun violence is a top priority for me.

 

To address this problem, I have implemented a variety of approaches. Our office sponsored a gun turn-in program to get guns off the street. We have clear guidelines to aggressively prosecute every single gun crime, with a focus on felons in possession of a firearm. In many cases, I work with the U.S. Attorney to determine whether the federal or state law provides a tougher sentence.

 

Over the last several years, I have helped pass legislation clamping down on violence by people with guns; from increasing penalties for domestic abusers who illegally possess guns to preventing violent felons from possessing ammunition. I will continue to support common sense gun safety reform, including universal background checks and allowing law enforcement to petition judges to remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others.

 

I consult with the Minneapolis Police Department about high-risk individuals. Together with the City of Minneapolis and community agencies, we are partnering on a Group Violence Intervention program, identifying individuals most likely to commit violence, putting them on notice that those actions will not be tolerated, and offering services and resources – including vigorous prosecution if they commit violence or are caught with a gun.

 

I believe that we must all have the courage to take a stand and advocate for the changes we need to keep our communities safe. We can’t accept the status quo when far too many people face the consequences of gun violence first hand.

 

Sexual Assault

I have made it a priority in our office to work to help victims and bring sexual assault perpetrators to justice. Sexual assault cases are among the most difficult cases to prosecute. My office assigns specially trained prosecutors to handle these complex cases. We also assign victim advocates to support and provide resources to victims as they go through the legal process.

 

I am committed to working closely with law enforcement and other criminal justice stakeholders to achieve better outcomes for these cases. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office will assign attorneys to work with police departments to improve the investigation of sexual assaults.

 

We have also prosecuted a number of sex trafficking cases, obtaining convictions and guilty pleas from the pimps who are taking advantage of vulnerable people in our community. To combat sex trafficking, my office has designated staff that work with local law enforcement to track down traffickers and bring them to justice. We also assist victims of sex trafficking by providing services at the Domestic Abuse Service Center.

Curfew

Under my leadership, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office created an initiative to keep youth who violate curfew out of the criminal justice system. In the first year of the program, 454 of 545 curfew cases (83%) were diverted. I know that early and effective interventions for these youth keep them out of deeper involvement in the criminal justice system.

 

Diversion

I am proud that the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office does important work in keeping young people out of the justice system and we partner with community agencies to improve the lives of children. Diversion is an opportunity for youth to avoid involvement in the court system and keep their record clean. The program holds participants accountable: they must accept responsibility for their offense and follow the conditions of the diversion contract.

 

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office partners with Headway and other community agencies to offer diversion programming. A variety of services are offered including, counseling, mental health and chemical dependency treatment, and educational support.

 

Our office also offers access to restorative justice programs. As part of a mediation process, juveniles work directly with their communities and victims of crime to agree on an appropriate resolution. This might include restitution to the victim or a community service project.

 

We know youth who participate in diversion are less likely to re-offend. Our goal with teenagers who commit minor crimes is to help them return to law-abiding behavior and avoid a criminal record, which might prevent them from getting a job, student loans, or housing.

 

These efforts help keep young people out of the criminal justice system, provide access to services and resources, and hold youth accountable for their actions.

 

The Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) is a detention-reform initiative implemented in Hennepin County in 2005 under my leadership. The goal of the initiative focuses on utilizing data to drive decisions and create more effective and efficient processes surrounding the use of detention. JDAI works to reduce the number of youth unnecessarily, or inappropriately, held in secure detention, while maintaining public safety and ensuring youth appear for scheduled court dates. JDAI also works to redirect resources toward successful reform strategies and to improve conditions of confinement in detention facilities for those youth who require more secure levels of supervision. Since 2005, annual admissions to the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) decreased by 63%. The average daily population in the JDC has decreased 51% since 2005.

 

Public Court Appearances (16 and 17 year olds)

Most juvenile court cases are not open to the public. For serious crimes committed by children over the age of 16 court appearances are public in the interest of transparency for the community and accountability for the justice system. I believe that the public has a right to know how courts deal with children and families. For serious cases involving juveniles, the court should remain open to the public to hold itself accountable, educate others, and encourage greater community participation. When proceedings are open to public scrutiny, there is an opportunity to understand not only the workings of the court in a particular case, but the justice system as a whole.

 

Reducing School Referrals

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has significantly reduced the number of student misbehavior cases that are referred from schools to us.  I have partnered with the school districts in Hennepin County to dramatically reduce the number of school crime referrals, particularly those for disorderly conduct. In the 2006-2007 school year there were 919 school crime referrals from the Minneapolis Public Schools. In the 2016-2017 school year there were only 68 school crime referrals and of those only 5 involved disorderly conduct. County-wide the results are also striking. In the 2006-2007 school year there were 2513 total school crime referrals. In 2016-2017 there were only 728 referrals – a reduction of 71%. I am very proud of the work that we have done to keep our students in school and out of the criminal justice process.

 

School Resource Officers and School Safety

The safety of students and teachers is something I have always taken seriously. Maintaining school safety is a partnership between schools, law enforcement, and prosecutors. Attorneys in the Juvenile Prosecution Division serve as liaisons to all high schools in Hennepin County. We work with school staff and school resource officers to respond to incidents appropriately. For minor behavioral issues schools are the best place to address the situation. When more significant incidents occur, school staff and resource officers refer the case to our office for review and possible charges. For first time offenders, diversion and intervention services will often be offered. Violent juvenile offenders and any threats to school safety are prosecuted aggressively. Students and staff deserve to learn in an environment that is safe and welcoming. Attorneys in our office seek resolutions that return the student to law abiding behavior while protecting schools, neighborhoods and the community.

Mental Health

Our office protects the community from people with mental illness that pose a risk to others and/or themselves. I carefully evaluate cases where a person commits a violent act as a result of a mental illness and petitions to commit him or her to a secure mental health facility until he or she can be safely returned to the community.

 

My office also has the responsibility to help residents of Hennepin County understand and access the mental health system. My staff are active in the community, helping law enforcement and residents understand how the civil commitment system works, and helping the various agencies that provide services to the mentally ill work more seamlessly together. Over the past two years my staff noticed that immigrants and their families who became involved in the commitment process suffered from misconceptions and fear of treatment and contact with the government. We have since developed the “New Americans Project” to educate immigrant communities about the civil commitment process and the services provided by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

 

More reforms are needed in the treatment of people with mental illnesses. More community-based facilities are needed for supervised placement alternatives. In the meantime, my staff has worked with our local hospitals to coordinate mental health treatment in the best interests of patients. My office will continue to provide leadership to coordinate care and improve the delivery of mental health services to the residents of Hennepin County.

 

Sexual Violence

My office works to ensure our communities are safe from sexual violence. We do this is by keeping sexually dangerous persons committed to secure facilities.  Attorneys in our Adult Services division file petitions against sex offenders who are likely to reoffend.

 

We believe that sex offenders who are deemed highly likely to reoffend should be detained for treatment in secure settings. However, we also believe that once an offender has successfully completed the treatment program, he should be gradually and safely returned to the community.

The Child Support Division enforces child support laws to ensure that children have the support they need from both parents. Each year we serve 72,000 children in Hennepin County and collect approximately 100 million in child support. Attorneys in our office provide legal advice to child support workers and hold parents accountable if they owe child support. We are committed to reducing child poverty by effectively enforcing child support orders.

 

We continue to implement innovative approaches to make sure children receive the support they need. Over the last several years we’ve developed a system to monitor and intercept worker’s compensation of individuals who owe child support. This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being redirected to kids.

 

As the County Attorney in the  county with the highest volume of cases, I help craft the development of policy at the state and local level. Through this advocacy, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office works to strengthen families and helps ensure that children obtain the resources that they need.