On March 29, the Webber-Camden Neighborhood Organization sponsored a listening session at Henry High School with Hennepin County judges so that Northside community members could let them know how our neighborhoods are impacted by crime, judicial processes and policies.
About 20 or so judges from all divisions of the court system, including criminal, civil, juvenile and family court, came. A cross section of the community came to speak, in a civil manner, to the judges rather than just sending in the usual written impact statements.
Because this was a listening session verses a question and answer session, the judges did not respond to community member statements but were actively listening and taking notes. Community members spoke about crime in the community and how frustrated they are with arrestees being released right away and not being detained, especially the amount of juveniles being arrested many times for stealing cars and still just being released right back into the community. It was brought up by a community member that because the Hennepin County and Ramsey County commissioners closed the Glen Lake Home School and Totem Town, respectively, that there is no longer a place to send juveniles.
There was also a number of people who spoke about plea deals handed out with little or no consequences, even for murder cases.
At the end of the session the head judge thanked the community for so many coming out and said they would be willing to do this again.