Minnesota Law Enforcement Meet With Klobuchar
Feb 2nd 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A delegation of top law enforcement leaders from Minneapolis, St. Paul and across Minnesota met with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in Washington, D.C. to discuss reforms to the juvenile justice system that will cut crime, reduce juvenile violence and save taxpayers far more than they cost.
The Minnesotan law enforcement leaders discussed with Sen. Klobuchar the value of evidence-based intervention programs for juvenile offenders as well as increased federal funding for early childhood education and care.
Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom, Fairmont Police Department Chief Greg Brolsma, Maple Grove Police Chief Ramona Dohman, Washington County Attorney Doug Johnson, and Miriam Rollin, FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS Chief Operating Officer participated in the meeting. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek joined the conversation by phone.
Under the current system, juvenile offenders often lack access to mental health services and other effective treatments, yet in many cases, these interventions can dramatically reduce the likelihood that young offenders will go on to become repeat offenders and commit more serious crimes.
The Juvenile Accountability Block Grant and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act provide needed support for crime prevention initiatives targeted at juveniles. However, because of inadequate funding, the most effective programs only reach a fraction of the youth who need it most. Klobuchar serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which handles legal reform and juvenile justice issues.
"We can continue practices that simply do not work or make smart investments that prevent crime," said Dohman, who serves as president of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association. "These reforms are essential to reaching troubled kids before they become career criminals."
One model program, Functional Family Therapy (FFT), cuts repeat arrests among juveniles in half. FFT provides juveniles and their families with mental health treatment instead of placement in the juvenile justice system, saving taxpayers $32,000 for every youth treated.
"This approach can turn kids around before it's too late, cutting crime and saving money in the process," Stanek said.
The law enforcement leaders also encouraged Klobuchar to support increased funding for early childhood education and care to prevent kids from starting on a path toward crime. They discussed new opportunities to expand federal support for high-quality early education programs in Minnesota and nationwide. Children who benefit from early learning are significantly more likely to succeed academically and, as a result, avoid criminal activity.
A study of a high-quality preschool in Chicago found that children who did not attend were 70 percent more likely to commit a violent crime by age 18 than those who did participate. The children who did not attend were also more likely to become unwed parents, abuse illegal drugs and collect welfare.
"The best defense against crime is a smart offense, and providing access to better preschool and child care programs is a proactive step to get kids off to the right start in life," Backstrom said.
The Minnesota law enforcement officials are members of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS, a national anti-crime organization of more than 4,500 law enforcement leaders and crime survivors. During her tenure as Hennepin County Attorney, Klobuchar was also a member of the organization.
###
