Sustained Progress Reforms
Sustained Progress Reforms
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Although these reforms went into effect straight away, their actual impact (or lack thereof) will emerge with time. For now, learn what policy changes were decided and why.
Although these reforms went into effect straight away, their actual impact (or lack thereof) will emerge with time. For now, learn what policy changes were decided and why.
As part of this reform, the Community Supervision Advisory Committee (CSAC) was tasked with reporting on supervision fees collected across Minnesota. Their report found that, in 2022, Minnesota counties imposed a total of $13.8 million in correctional fees* and only collected a total of $6.4 million.
After serving their time in prison, these Minnesotans face financial demands that they often can't afford to meet.
*Supervision fees could not be distinguished from other correctional fees, so the report accounts for all correctional fees.
Whereas fines are judge-ordered consequences, fees just produce revenue for the county. Still, in the words of one impacted person, "[fees] are being tossed out like candy off a Homecoming parade float, essentially extending their sentence beyond what was ordered by a judge."
They go on to explain how these fees create ongoing obstacles: "We experience success and confidence when we build it, not when the unnecessary financial barrier of these fees reminds us of who we were or what we did at every turn."
A 2024 national study from the U.S. Department of Justice showed that removing supervision fees was a relief for probation officers who found that collecting fees left them with little capacity to actually provide services to their clients. Meanwhile, the removal of fees allowed individuals on community supervision "to focus on individual well-being, which also promotes public safety."
The criminal legal system should be in the business of public safety, not of debt collection. Some Minnesota counties have already started phasing out supervision fees, which are set to end by 2027, but there's a long way to go.
Stay tuned as we continue to track the implementation of this reform and dive into the impact it has on those currently affected by supervision fees in Minnesota.
Minnesota's Intensive Supervised Release (ISR) program is designed for people who are considered high-risk after leaving prison. They receive round-the-clock supervision by a team of agents for a full year. A 2021 study found that while the program did reduce rates of crimes committed by individuals, people were far too often being revoked back to prison for minor violations of their conditions. Plus, MNJRC's interviews with supervision agents and clients revealed that the program needed to put less emphasis on clients complying with their conditions and more emphasis on services and support.
After years of research and data analysis, the Minnesota Department of Corrections recognized that standardization and some reform was needed. With seven different agencies providing ISR supervision across the state, inconsistent expectations created confusion and inequity.
To better understand the changes coming, we talked to Jake McLellan, who led the Department of Corrections’ effort to reform ISR through the Community Supervision Advisory Committee. Jake has served as an ISR agent and is currently a Field Services Regional Manager.
According to Jake, here are the major changes we can expect to see:
Standardization of ISR policies across the state
Adjustment of supervision intensity levels based on merit instead of time. This means that clients can earn a reduction in intensity based on their involvement in programming, interventions, and their community.
ISR clients will get individualized assessments of their risks, needs, and enhanced case planning to help them understand ISR and build rapport with their agents.
To measure if these changes are successful, the Commissioner of Corrections will gather and analyze data on the value and effectiveness of ISR, including rates of revocation. Future data metrics would look to identify the number and percentage of clients granted an early transfer off ISR.
Things are already looking promising. Early reports from ISR supervisors show they have seen more clients actively participating in programming in an effort to seek an early transfer to regular supervision. In the words of Jake, "This is exactly what we are looking for."
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