Minnesota Citizens Council on Crime and Justice

The Council works on behalf of offenders, victims of crime, and persons at risk of involvement in and communities significantly impacted by the criminal justice system. Below are summaries of our current activities.

Advocacy

Collateral Effects /Public Policy Work : This project seeks policy change to reduce the long-term collateral consequences of a criminal history on a person’s life: from disenfranchisement, to discrimination with regards to employment, housing, education, and health. The work includes partnership building, community engagement and organizing, education and information dissemination.

Gaining Access to Useful and Gainful Employment (GAUGE): GAUGE addresses the challenges faced by individuals with a criminal history when trying to obtain gainful employment. The project works with a variety of business partners (employment service providers, entrepreneurs, city vendors, large corporations, etc.) to educate around the negligent hiring issue and to develop and promote Fair Hiring Practices within both the public and private employment sectors.

Criminal Records Project: The Council provides criminal record education and expungement services to eligible former offenders. We provide assistance in navigating the system and in the completion of necessary paperwork, court filings, and legal representation. The project also sets out to influence the reform of MN laws in order to enable a more meaningful expungement remedy.

Research

Children Exposed to Domestic Violence/Family Restoration Study : The Council, in collaboration with an Advisory Committee of pre-eminent experts in the field, has designed a model intervention project addressing the needs of children who have been exposed to domestic violence.

Juvenile Records Study: A Juvenile Records study, based on our findings representing adults with criminal records seeking employment, is in development.

Youth of Incarcerated Parents Study : This study examines the impact of parental incarceration on adolescents.

Demonstration

Family Strengthening Project (FSP): FSP is a unique initiative providing and evaluating wrap-around services for the children and families of fathers in long term correctional facilities and for the incarcerated fathers as well.