Criminal Justice Reform
The Latest
The Arc Toward Justice
The latest Westminster Town Hall Forum looked at where we stand two years since George Floyd’s murder and was moderated by our Chief Impact Officer and Senior Vice President, Chanda Smith Baker.
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One person can start a movement, but it takes a community to make change.- Jalilia Abdul-Brown
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Hennepin County Attorney Forum - 2022
Check out this educational forum to learn more about the role of the county attorney and meet the candidates running for the office this fall.
We are committed to dismantling the pervasive racial inequities of our society’s criminal legal system. Explore the ways we are pursuing justice, equity, and healing.

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Tracey Meares
This episode of Conversations with Chanda dives deep into policing with Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor and Founding Director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. Chanda and Tracey discuss the challenges police departments face as they work to ensure public safety while also building public trust.
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Bail and Pretrial Justice in the United States
In this review of bail and pretrial justice in the United States, the authors analyze how the field of bail operates and why it operates as it does, focusing on its official and unofficial objectives, core assumptions and values, power dynamics, and technologies.
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Safe Communities Grant Supports New Conviction Review Unit
The grant will enable the Conviction Review Unit to hire a paralegal, pay for services such as forensic testing and translation, and cover other expenses.
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2022 Safe Communities Micro Grants
This funding opportunity is designed to support gatherings and activities to address community trauma and promote wellness among Minneapolis youth and adults.
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The Violence Project
Using data from the writers’ groundbreaking research on mass shooters, including first-person accounts from the perpetrators themselves, The Violence Project charts new pathways to prevention and innovative ways to stop the social contagion of violence.
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Kevin Reese
Executive Director of Until We Are All Free, Kevin Reese, talks about his dedication to restorative justice, reimagining the prison system, and the importance of healing from unchecked and generational trauma.
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Jason DeRusha
Emmy award-winning reporter and anchor Jason DeRusha sat down with Chanda to discuss the challenges media faced in the wake of George Floyd's murder and throughout the pandemic.
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Fund for Safe Communities
The Fund for Safe Communities was established in 2018 to support tangible, specific, and meaningful actions to address and prevent violence. Learn more about the fund, our recent micro grants, and our advisory committee.
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Racism and the Economy: Focus on Criminal Justice
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis hosted a virtual event focused on how racism in the criminal justice system impacts the economy. Our Chief Impact Officer, Chanda Smith Baker, was a moderator at the event.
VisitConversations with Chanda
Conversations with Chanda unpacks complex topics that matter. Our past guests have experienced wrongful incarceration, lived through the murder of loved ones at the hands of police, and are striving to reform the criminal justice system. We invite you to listen to these real-life perspectives, expand your own knowledge, and become part of the movement for change.
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