Proven Solutions
As County Attorney, I will implement proven solutions for violence reduction. One of these is Stop the Bleeding: Just as an emergency room doctor must first stabilize a gunshot victim before addressing underlying health issues, we must prioritize targeted, immediate violence reduction before any other reform can truly take hold. Read my Op-Ed in the Star Tribune for more details.
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We will fight a War on Addiction instead of the failed War on Drugs.
Empower Crime Victims by enhancing their voices in prosecutorial decision-making.
Strengthen Law Enforcement and Community Partnerships throughout the county.
Upgrade Governance by introducing advanced data and analytics.
Improve Elder Justice by implementing new, evidence-based programs.
Create an Emerging Adult Program as an off-ramp from crime for youth 18-25.
Ethically Deploy Artificial Intelligence to optimize safety.
Upgrade Justice
The criminal justice system isn't broken—it's obsolete. Why? Because the incentives are mis-aligned and the focus is not on safety. For more, see a deeper analysis in this talk, and see my conversation with Federal Judge and former prosecutor Jed Rakoff about his recent book examining why innocent people plead guilty, why high-level executives aren’t prosecuted, and why you won’t get your day in court.
Improve Clearance Rates
Clearance rates are the bedrock measure of justice for crime victims because they measure the system's ability to solve crimes. It's a simple question: Did we get the bad guy? Far too often the answer is no. Clearance rates in Minneapolis for rape are 21%, burglary 9%, and auto theft just 1%. Almost everyone who commits these crimes is getting away with it. As County Attorney, we will draw on best practices and best available evidence to partner with communities and law enforcement to bring justice for victims and enhance safety by improving clearance rates.
Support Law Enforcement
As County Attorney I will prioritize supporting law enforcement and supporting local communities. We all win when we can prevent crime, and the evidence is clear that effective law enforcement can improve safety in communities. Innovative tools like AI-assisted traffic patrols can help to save lives.
Engage the Community
The evidence is clear that successful criminal justice systems must engage the communities they serve. My research work is embedded in the community, and as County Attorney we will prioritize community voices from all cities in the county.
Create an Emerging Adult Program
In partnership with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office in Boston, as well as youth and community partners like More Than Words (photo right), we are drawing on neuroscience to successfully implement an Emerging Adult Program. This program will produce better outcomes for justice involved individuals ages 18-25, and as County Attorney, we will create a program to address this critical period of youth development in order to improve safety.
Fight a War on Addiction
For decades the legal system has fought a war on drugs. Does anyone think it's worked? Strategies that only address supply without targeting demand are doomed to fail. In the 21st century we must pivot to a war on addiction. Drawing on new tools made possible by the neuroscience of addiction, we can tackle the demand for drugs and not just their supply. New modalities of treatment and intervention are already being implemented and can be expanded.
Strengthen Elder Justice
Older adults are too often victimized and elder financial exploitation has been labeled the “Crime of the 21st Century.” I've been at the forefront of aging brains and the law, and as County Attorney we will utilize evidence-based approaches, emphasizing restorative justice and supported decision-making. We will balance protection with autonomy, as neuroscience advances to empower older adults with new tools to measure and maintain their cognitive function.
Ensure Ethical Deployment of AI
I taught Minnesota's first Law and Artificial Intelligence course, created Harvard's first Bioethics and AI course, and serve as a national leader on AI ethics. Expertise and experience in AI law and ethics is crucial because the next County Attorney will lead the most significant technological transformation in the history of the office. As County Attorney I will ethically integrate AI into operations, to facilitate more effective individualized justice while keeping humans in the loop to ensure accountability.
Launch a Neurolaw Revolution
The innovations we will champion are rooted in a basic idea: the law is in the business of governing human behavior, and neuroscience can help the law understand why people do the bad things they do—and crucially, how to productively change that behavior. Grounded in community engagement, a neurolaw revolution will produce a more effective and just legal system.
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