We will have safe streets while ensuring “fair and equal” treatment for all…in ALL neighborhoods.

My name is Jarvis Jones and I am running for Hennepin County Attorney. Violent and serious crimes are destroying families and neighborhoods in Hennepin County. Without apology, we must take back control of our streets, neighborhoods, and the downtown Minneapolis area.

I believe that Job #1 for the Hennepin County Attorney is to protect our community from those who would challenge common decency and our way of life here in Minnesota. I view it as a fundamental right for all residents to feel and be safe in their homes…in ALL neighborhoods.

If elected, my solemn pledge to ALL Hennepin County residents is a simple one: “I will wake up every morning laser-focused on making all of Hennepin County’s neighborhoods safer, while, at the same time, working to ensure that all Hennepin County residents are treated “equally and fairly” and with dignity and respect.”

• Violent Crime Reduction Initiative: I will create a Violent Crime Initiative that unites the public and key stakeholders* in Hennepin County in the criminal justice system to develop innovative crime-prevention strategies and programs to reduce crime on our streets.
  
  
  
• Target Career Criminals/Repeat Offenders: I will work closely with key stakeholders* in Hennepin County to reduce the vicious cycle of repeat offenders continuing to offend.
  
  
  
• “Family Violence Initiative”: I will initiate a Family Violence Initiative to focus on reducing residential abuse of women, children, and the elderly that affect all neighborhoods in Hennepin County.
  
  
  
• Hate and Bias Crimes Unit : I will establish a unit to focus on hate crimes and crimes predicated on race, sex, gender identity (LGBTQ), and immigration status.

We need a Hennepin County Attorney with not only a short-term plan, but also one with a long-term plan that is fact-based, data-driven, and provides us with a pragmatic way to have sustained safer streets and justice for ALL Hennepin County residents. I have both.

See, Jarvis’ Short-Term Plan to make our streets safer

See, Jarvis’ Long-Term-Plan - Task Force’s Working Groups (6) to make our streets safer 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.

We will have safe streets, while ensuring “fair and equal” treatment for all…in ALL neighborhoods

It has been almost thirty years since the Minnesota Supreme Court issued its “Racial Bias Task Force” Report in May of 1993 and found that residents of color are held in custody prior to trial in Hennepin County at a rate disproportionately greater than whites; and, that jury pools are rarely representative of the racial composition of a community. See, the Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force - On Racial Bias“ -  Executive Summary”.

Thirty years later, we still face similar inherent institutional, implicit bias issues in our criminal justice system here in Hennepin County. For example, although the black population in Minneapolis was 18.8 percent, 54.8 percent of those drivers stopped were black and 74.8 percent of those searched were black.

More recently, the ACLU of Minnesota found in April 2020 that “Black people are 5.4 times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana possession in Minnesota…despite comparable usage rates.” In 2018, Minnesota ranked 8^th in the United States for the largest racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests.

Today, April 27, 2022, The Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation found the Minneapolis Police Department has repeatedly violated the civil rights law – especially of African-Americans and residents of color -  and that multiple iterations of city leaders have failed to hold police officers “accountable” for their misconduct.

As Hennepin County’s next county attorney, I will work tirelessly to ensure dignity, respect, and “equal and fair” treatment for all…in ALL neighborhoods, by:

• Diverse Hires: I will ensure that the diversity in the office reflects the diversity of Hennepin County and its neighborhoods.
  
  
• Independent Third-Party Office Assessment: My office will retain an independent third party with expertise in assessing prosecutor’s office policies, and practices to ensure that the office is not inadvertently contributing to racial bias or disparity.
  
  
  
• No Knock Warrants” – Must End!: New data shows that No-Knock Warrants “...executed by Minneapolis police from Sept. through January only targeted people of color – none involved whites”. Simply put, this practice must end immediately. (KARE 11 Investigatory Report: “MPD No-Knock warrant only target minorities”, dated April 28, 2022)
  
  
• Law Enforcement - Pre-Textual “Traffic Stops”: I will work closely with law enforcement and diverse neighborhoods to ensure that neither the prosecutor’s office nor law enforcement is unwittingly contributing to African-Americans being targeted for “driving while black.”
  
  
  
• Jury Selection - Striking People of Color: I will limit the ability of prosecutors to strike Hennepin County’s residents of color without cause from a jury, unless the prosecutor can provide internally a credible explanation for such a strike that does not include race, gender, or other biases as an explanation.
  
  
  
• Prosecutor’s Office – Immigrant Communities: My office will take into full consideration the possible collateral consequences of such charges and pleas, such as deportation.

To help bring about sustained changes in our criminal justice system here in Hennepin County, I have a short-term and a long-term plan to bring us closer to Justice for ALL.

See, Jarvis’ Short-Term Plan to bring us closer to Justice for ALL 

See, Jarvis’ Long-Term-Plan - Task Force’s Working Groups (6) to bring us closer to Justice for ALL 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.

Campaign Theme:  Many neighborhoods, One community: Building bridges through “Community-Engagement” (Openings: Seeking Bridgebuilders)

One of my top priorities for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is to proactively participate in community engagement. Although we are comprised of many neighborhoods, we are but one community in Hennepin County.

To sustain safe streets in the long-term, we will not be able to spend our way out of this problem nor “lock-up everyone”. We have tried that for over forty years. Instead, we must make sure that we are unapologetically pursuing safer streets, while at the same time, making sure that we are treating all residents of Hennepin County “fairly and equally”…in ALL neighborhoods

As county attorney, I will personally engage our neighborhoods particularly those neighborhoods that have the highest rates of violent and serious crime-in constructive dialogue on how we  can collectively work  together to reduce crime and ensure equal and fair treatment for ALL residents, by:

• Hiring a “Community Liaison”: The Community Liaison will be responsible for the office’s community-engagement” initiatives. This position will be a senior position that reports in directly to me.
  
  
  
• “Listening Tour”: During my first six months in office, prosecutors in the office and I will make it a top priority to conduct a “meet and greet” listening tours in many of our neighborhoods, especially those with a high crime rate. We will not only listen but we also will make every reasonable effort to respond directly to residents’ concerns and proposals.
  
  
  
• Local Neighborhood Council - Form: Create a “Local Neighborhood Council” that meets bi-monthly with local elected officials to discuss how we can work collectively together to ensure safe streets and “fair and equal” treatment for all residents.

As chief prosecutor in Hennepin County, I will listen to and act upon the community’s feedback, ideas, and pragmatic proposals to ensure safer streets, dignity, respect, and  “fair and equal” treatment for all...in ALL neighborhoods.

See, Jarvis’ Short-Term Plan to bring us closer to Justice for ALL 

See, Jarvis’ Long-Term-Plan - Task Force’s Working Groups (6) to bring us closer to Justice for ALL 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.

  We will have safe streets while ensuring “fair and equal” treatment for all… in ALL Neighborhoods

If elected, my office will not engage in over-charging nor under-charging the accused. Without favor or disfavor, I will ensure that the punishment fits the crime committed regardless of  "who they are" or “what neighborhood they're from.” All charges, plea bargain agreements, and sentencing recommendations will be proportionate to the crime committed - nothing less, nothing more.

Prosecutors will assess all cases - on the front end - to make sure that we are avoiding penalizing the accused solely because they have less financial income and assets than some of our more affluent residents. My office will make pretrial detention recommendations to the court based on the offense allegedly committed and whether the accused is a flight risk or a danger to themself or the community.

We will take some of the following steps to ensure that the punishment fits the crime:

• Prosecutor’s Office – “Good Faith” Charges: On the front end, senior prosecutors will conduct a good faith screening of all proposed charges to determine if the evidence is sufficient to support the charges - that is to say, they will make sure that the punishment fits the crime.
  
  
  
• Prosecutor’s Office – Plea Bargain Offers: After a good-faith assessment of proper charges, the office will not withdraw a plea offer to an accused solely because the accused has refused to waive their constitutional rights to certain pre-trial procedures;
  
  
  
• Independent Investigation Crime Unit – Create: The ICU’s mandate will be to investigate government personnel that are credibly accused of a crime and that are directly involved in the criminal justice system that act under the “color of law.” The ICU’s preview will include prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, corrections system personnel, and others acting under the color of law.
  
  
  
• Pre-detention – Reform Cash Bail: As it relates to pre-trial detention, I will strongly urge the court to treat all accused - that are similar and pose a similar risk - the same pre-trial as it relates to cash bail, regardless of the accused's ability or inability to pay cash bail.
  
  
  
• Discovery Disclosure – “Open File” Policy: My office will fully disclose all relevant and material evidence subject to privilege or safety concerns on the front end - regardless of whether the evidence is exculpatory or not.

I have a short-term plan and a long-term plan to ensure that all Hennepin County residents are treated fairly and that the punishment fits the crime. See below:

See, Jarvis’ Short-Term Plan to ensure “Punishment fits the Crime” 

See, Jarvis’ Long-Term-Plan - Task Force’s Working Groups (6) to ensure “Punishment fits the Crime” 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.

We will have safe streets while ensuring “fair and equal” treatment for all…in ALL neighborhoods

Today, our criminal justice system is primarily focused on prosecuting crimes. We will continue the focus on prosecution but for longer-term sustained changes, we must also exponentially increase our efforts, energy, and time to reducing and preventing crime in some of our more troubled neighborhoods. 

We need more than “feel-good” fixes and short-term sugar pills to address the problems in our criminal justice system. Those alone will not give us the sustained, longer-term changes that are much needed here in Hennepin County. For long-term, sustained changes, we must reduce the oversized “footprint” of mass incarceration, its financial costs, and its resulting collateral damage to families and some neighborhoods.

As your next county attorney, I will convene a task force - Criminal Justice System Reform Task Force, Reducing Mass Incarceration (“CJS Reform Task Force”) - that will consist of six Working Groups and their Working Group sub-committees.

The task force’s primary purpose and goals will be to focus on how as Key Stakeholders* in the criminal justice system in Hennepin County, we can: 1) make our streets safer; 2) bring us closer to “fair and equal” treatment for all...in ALL neighborhoods; 3) significantly reduce the large footprint of mass incarceration in Hennepin County; and, 4) significantly reduce the associated financial costs and collateral damage that arise from mass incarceration.

To achieve the CJS Reform Task Force’s primary goals, it will be tasked with identifying fact-driven, data-based, proven ideas and successful programs from around the Country that can be used here in Hennepin County. The Task Force will consist of Key Stakeholders’ representatives from the judiciary, public defender’s office, prosecutor’s office, law enforcement, probation officers, social services, elected local officials, and other appropriate Key stakeholders*.

See, Jarvis’ Long-Term-Plan  - CJS Reform Task Force and its Working Groups (6) 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.

We will have safe streets while ensuring “fair and equal” treatment for all…in ALL neighborhoods

For over thirty years, Hennepin County residents have poured more and more money into the criminal justice system and yet today, we do not feel safer. We must stop doing the same thing in Hennepin County and then wondering - why aren’t we safer? It’s time for a new approach with sustainable ideas and proven solutions. We must and can do better!

Contrary to popular belief in some quarters, we do not have unlimited financial resources (nor personnel, staff, or time) to “lock everyone up” in Hennepin County nor “spend our way” out of this problem. Instead, the financial reality dictates that we prioritize our limited resources to keep us safer and ensure “fair and equal” treatment for all residents.

We need to take a more common-sense, return on the public’s investment approach (“ROI”) in assessing existing and new policies, proposed ideas, and programs to ensure that the criminal justice system is more responsive to its Hennepin County residents’ fears, needs and concerns.

Below are my short-term plans to increase financial accountability for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office by, in part, reducing the financial cost and collateral damage to families arising from the over-sized “footprint” of mass incarceration:

• Refocus Priorities: I will refocus the office's priorities to focus on violent and serious crimes. By doing so, we will free up more personnel, financial resources, and prosecutors’ time to spend on violent and more serious crimes.
  
  
• Proven New Programs: My office will take a pragmatic look at fact-based, data-based, proven ideas and programs that are being successfully implemented around the country to help reduce and prevent crime.
  
  
• Incarceration – Alternative “Accountability” Programs: In addition to incarceration, my office will also take a fresh look at the feasibility of expanding its use of alternative forms of “accountability” programs for low-level, non-violent criminal offenders, such as, diversion programs, mental health and substance abuse programs.
  
  
• Longer-term plan – Task Force’s Reform Working Groups (6): I will convene a high-level task force composed of key stakeholders* from the criminal justice system in Hennepin County. The primary goal of the six Working Groups will be to identify data-based, proven ideas, and successful programs from around the country that will assist in making us safer and support “equal and fair” treatment for ALL.

See, Jarvis’s Short-Term Plan to establish Financial Stewardship Accountability 

See, Jarvis’s Long-Term-Plan - Task Force’s Working Groups (6) to create and establish Financial Stewardship Accountability 

*Key Stakeholders in the criminal justice system include the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office, criminal defense attorneys, law enforcement, police chiefs, the judiciary, correction personnel, parole/probate officers, social services, mayors, city manager, council members, state legislators, businesses, community-based group, faith leaders, and other criminal justice-related groups and services.