In June of 2021 my husband and I were driving back from Saint Paul to our home in downtown Minneapolis. The stretch of Lake Street that we take from our daughter’s home back to our place includes the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct building, the flashpoint following the killing of George Floyd in May of 2020. A total of 167 buildings were burned in the weekend after his death, civil unrest sparked by the fury people felt after seeing the nearly nine-minute video. About a year had passed and many buildings had been demolished leaving empty lots surrounded by chain link fence. The buildings that were still standing were in varying states of repair, many were wrapped in street art-covered plywood. As we sat at a stoplight, I noticed one message that said, “Restorative Justice Over Criminal Justice.” It literally jumped out at me amid the flurry of images. We were preparing to launch an initiative on restorative justice at the University of Saint Thomas School of Law and it felt like a “hit between the eyes” sign. Providence!
I knew I wasn’t the only one profoundly touched by the work of these artists and I was heartened to later see a Tommie Newsroom article titled, St. Thomas Documents George Floyd and Anti-Racist Street Art from Across the Globe. The article describes how, “This collaborative project at the University of Saint Thomas seized the moment and captured the images that resulted from the outrage the community felt during those days. Some of the street art that was present back in 2021 is now gone. College of Arts and Sciences associate professors Todd Lawrence (English), Paul Lorah (Geography) and Heather Shirey (Art History) run the Urban Art Mapping Research Project. Students serve as research collaborators: senior Tiaryn Daniels and recent graduates Hannah Shogren-Smith ’20, and Chioma Uwagwu ’20.” The university tweeted, “A St. Thomas group is working to ensure the art created during this vital moment in history isn’t forgotten.” The result of their work, this searchable database has been made public. This is university-wide collaboration in the moment and at its best.
It’s been three years now since Mr. Floyd was killed and there will be remembrances this week. “Rise and Remember” has been the theme at each year’s commemoration and events including a candlelight vigil, a conference, and a festival have been planned by a group of committed individuals. Some of these events will take place at George Floyd Square. I’ve noticed a range of opinions from people who live in that Chicago Avenue area; some would like it restored to the neighborhood it was before, without the attention, without the tourist stops; others feel that it is indeed a sacred space and needs to be preserved in much the same way we would set aside and honor any site that is dedicated and holy.
With the anniversary it feels timely that last week the State of Minnesota passed HF46 a bill titled, “Office of Juvenile Restorative Justice established, local steering committees required to establish local juvenile restorative justice programs, grants established, reports required and money appropriated.” Data shows that restorative justice programs effectively foster accountability for harm and reduce recidivism. I just finished reading the bill, how it will be implemented, how grants will be established, and the review schedule that will determine and report on the impact. The package also included a proposal that will provide a second chance to minors sentenced to life in prison without parole if they have already served at least 15 years.
Coverage by local media of anything related to juvenile justice sets off opposing viewpoints, particularly in the Twin Cities, where everything that touches public safety feels raw. One of the headlines from the Minneapolis Star Tribune was “Minnesota lawmakers OK ‘transformative’ juvenile justice package”. The article pulled out the key elements of the house bill and included quotes from stakeholders and local subject matter experts who described the success of similar programs in Colorado, as well as a quote from Ramsey County Attorney John Choi who said, “We are starved for more options,” noting that judges often lament not having a place to send troubled youth who need intensive therapy. The bill will fund several youth intervention and cross-over programs. The reader comments were many and strong, opposing viewpoints calling the legislation “soft on crime”, its proponents, “virtue signaling”, and that the result would be another “catch and release” program that did not address how public safety was best served.
Commencement for the University of St. Thomas School of Law was celebrated last Saturday, and last week, the fall class learning module systems were made available to faculty and staff. As I opened the Canvas module for LAWS800 Restorative Justice, Law and Healing and started to think about updates we might make to the curriculum, having an opportunity for these students to reflect upon and discuss this polarization was at the top of my list. The class has become very popular – it filled up almost immediately and even after the class size was expanded, there is a waiting list. How do we close the knowledge gap about what restorative justice is and what it can do? How do we make a case for restorative options in a polarized environment? How do we acknowledge the real fear citizens feel and how they view crime rates? We’re not attempting this alone. In the law school, Sally Dahlquist in Career and Professional Development is providing guidance for an externship program so students can have practical experience in restorative justice. Prof. Mark Osler, who has written on clemency and human dignity has been generous with his insights. They along with other law school colleagues have been wonderful sounding boards. St. Thomas University President Rob Vischer has been a champion of the initiative and our work from the beginning.
The St. Thomas law school building will be quiet this week. Recent graduates will return to study for the bar exam, but the buzz of the conversations and the activity in the hallways during the academic year will quiet down for the summer. I will be spending the weeks ahead along with my colleague Father Daniel Griffith, the professor for the course, thinking about and praying about the students we will have in the fall. The reason why restorative justice has become a worldwide movement is because it is effective and adaptable in responding to harm and can be used in a variety of settings to promote healing. Now we need to start spreading the news and closing that knowledge gap about the positive story of restorative justice.
