Three University of St. Thomas School of Law students in the Community Justice Project legal clinic are part of a growing push to reform Minnesota’s sentencing laws in cases that involve victims of abuse and exploitation.
Kristina Brindley, Elayna Chambers and Daphne Karofsky worked with the nonprofit Violence Free Minnesota in fall 2024 to conduct research and advocacy work in support of the Survivors Justice Act. If enacted, the legislation would allow judges the option to issue a reduced sentence if the defendant was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or sex trafficking, and the abuse was a contributing factor in the crime that they committed.
The Survivors Justice Act was first introduced at the Capitol in 2022. The bill, modeled after a New York statute, was sponsored by Rep. Athena Hollins ’11 J.D., a St. Thomas Law alumna.
The bill received a hearing by the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy committee, which voted to refer it to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law committee. The bill did not receive another hearing, but support for the legislation has not gone away.
Proponents say the Survivors Justice Act reflects a growing understanding of the link between victimization and criminal behavior, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment.
It aims to address disparities in the legal system by ensuring that survivors are not further victimized through excessive or unjust sentencing.
Seeking to reintroduce the bill in the 2025 session, representatives from Violence Free Minnesota reached out to St. Thomas Law’s Community Justice Project clinic where they were paired with Brindley, Chambers and Karofsky. The students contributed to revisions of the bill and did outreach to build support for it, including meetings with lawmakers and a panel discussion event on campus to raise awareness among law students.
The Community Justice Project, one of St. Thomas Law’s 10 legal clinics, seeks to address disparities in such areas as juvenile justice, housing, education and criminal justice systems. By conducting research and engaging with community members and decision-makers, law student practitioners strive to find public policy solutions to long-standing challenges throughout the Twin Cities. The clinic is led by Professor Carl Warren.
