Criminal Justice

 

      

     State Representative Rick Olsen speaks with              Governor Culver greets Terry Wells (AMOS) when the Youth
     members of the Criminal Justice Team.                       Race Detention Task Force recommendations were 
                                                                                    completed.
 

Des Moines Cluster

Purpose:  Ensure fair and appropriate treatment of youth and adults in our criminal justice system, with actions focused on disproportional incarceration rate for Iowa minorities in Iowa prisons and juvenile facilities.
 
Current Efforts: 
  • Gathering facts and meeting with community leaders to determine necessary actions to improve practices in Iowa schools and Iowa's criminal justice system:  Des Moines Police Department officials, Des Moines school officials. 
  • Representing AMOS priorities on the Learning Supports Advisory Team (State Department of Education), Stakeholder Group on Polk County Alternatives to Juvenile Incarceration Committee, Disproportionate minority Contact Committee (State Juvenile Justice Planning), and Iowa Collaborative for Youth Development (Department of Human Rights).
  • Supporting implementation of recommendations by the Youth Race Detention Task Force report (2009), a group appointed by Governor Culver.
  • Promoting improvements in Iowa's criminal justice legislation for 2010 session.
  • Writing editorials for the Des Moines Register promoting implementation of the Youth Race Detention Task Force recommendations.
  • Addressing dropout prevention and promoting the use of positive behavior supports with Des Moines school officials.
  • Assessing support for AMOS position by conducting an Accountability Night for Des Moines school board candidates in September 2009 election.
  •  Promoting federal legislation (HR 2597) to form a network of positive behaviors support at the federal, state and local levels.

Successes:

  • Won commitments from Iowa legislators at December 2008 Legislative Strategy Session to work with AMOS on criminal justice issues in 2009 legislative session.

  •  Rekha Basu January 16, 2009 column in the Des Moines Register highlighting the case of Nikkolas Kemp and AMOS's work against mandatory minimum sentencing.

  • Established working relationships with Des Moines Schools, Des Moines Police Department, Iowa Department of Human Rights, Iowa Department of Education, Iowa legislators working on criminal justice,  the Polk County Juvenile Detention Alternatives, and representatives of restorative justice programs in Urbandale and West Des Moines.

 

Contact People:  Kim Cheeks

                         kim.cheeks@iowa.gov

                         Jeff Grimes

                         jgrimes_bp5@earthlink.net

 

 

Click on this link for the Criminal Justice Fact Sheet: /sites/default/files/Criminal%20Justice%20Fact%20Sheet.doc