Community Safety and Criminal Justice
Our community safety and criminal justice work focuses on programs, policies, and systems that address:
- Community safety, violence prevention and early intervention
- Criminal behavior intervention and diversion
- Support for victims of crime
This work is necessarily rooted in addressing the systems and root causes that affect community safety, with particular attention on populations that are underserved, unserved or harmed by existing systems. Central to this is an understanding that everybody impacted by criminal behavior deserves to be treated with dignity and to receive the supports necessary to repair the harm caused, heal and move on with their life.
We recognize that being involved in the criminal justice system has lasting impacts on many people, directly and indirectly.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force: A Report to the Minnesota Legislature
Presents research and recommendations from the task force to the Minnesota Legislature and other stakeholders on the root causes, systemic problems, and potential solutions to violence against Indigenous women and girls in Minnesota. Read the report »An Evaluation of the Safe Harbor Initiative in Minnesota
Minnesota's Safe Harbor program provides legal protection and services for sexually trafficked or exploited youth. Among the findings: Safe Harbor provides services that would not otherwise be available. Read the report »
Engaging Community to Prevent Crime and End Police Violence
Everybody deserves to be safe from violence, including police violence. Research shows community engagement is a key mechanism to both prevent crime and end police violence. Lindsay Turner explains. Read the article »Minnesota Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration Collaborative
Wilder Research is part of this collaborative addressing the strengths and needs of families affected by incarceration in Minnesota. Find out about the academic, chemical health, and mental health outcomes of youth who are affected, and what the collaborative is doing to support families.
