Justice System Collaboration & Response to COVID-19
Justice system partners in Ramsey County – including elected officials, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, corrections staff and law enforcement – have a strong tradition of collaborating with our community on systemic reform efforts. For years, we have worked together in numerous ways from reducing detention of our youth through the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) to improving our response to adults through the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC).
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking critical steps to protect the health and safety of our community. We realized early on that an outbreak in our detention centers would not only impact staff and the people incarcerated there, but could quickly make its way into our larger community. We believe it is our collective responsibility to do everything we can to minimize that risk while protecting public safety by working collaboratively to reserve detention only for those who pose a serious threat to public safety.
Due to a yearlong planning initiative by the CJCC’s bail reform committee, co-led by people who have been justice-involved and those who work in the justice system, we were able to respond quickly to the pandemic and make informed decisions about who needs to be detained because they represent a serious threat to public safety and who can safely be released and supervised via tools like electronic home monitoring and probation staff.
Reducing the number of people booked into jail
Working with local law enforcement, we have significantly reduced the number of people booked into jail.
Reducing the number of people in detention
With the health and safety of our community first and foremost, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of people in detention since mid-March.
Release considerations
Adult Detention Center (Jail)
- Whether the person is a danger to themselves or others.
- The harm caused to any victim and risk of further harm to the community.
- Likelihood of person appearing in court
- Nature of the crime the person is charged with.
- Criminal history records and previous court appearances.
- Employment status, community ties, etc.
Ramsey County Correctional Facility (Workhouse)
- No one is released who poses a serious risk to public safety.
- Community Corrections continues to provide transitional services and resources to residents being released who do not have stable housing.
- Anyone who was regularly leaving the facility on work release has been placed on electronic home monitoring.
- Anyone who is medically vulnerable has been placed on electronic home monitoring with GPS.
- With the approval of the sentencing judge, we continue to review and furlough some people with fewer than 10 days to serve on their sentence.
Court orders regarding COVID-19
Working with justice system collaborative partners, the Second Judicial District issued the following orders during the COVID-19 pandemic that support and enable work across the system:
- Order Restricting Visitation at the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center - issued March 25, 2020 (PDF)
- Order Delegating Authority To Ramsey County Community Corrections To Release Incarcerated Defendants on Electronic Home Monitoring - issued March 22, 2020 (PDF)
- Order Delegating Certain Judicial Release Authority - issued March 19, 2020 (PDF)
- Order Delegating Ramsey County Community Corrections Authority on EHM, Turn in, and STS Suspension - issued March 17, 2020 (PDF)
More information about court operations - including a COVID-19 information guide - is available on the Second Judicial District Court website. Many court appearances are suspended under this order. The status of cases will not be adversely affected by this decision.
Safety precautions at detention and correction facilities
The following practices are being used at Ramsey County correction and detention facilities to protect the people and staff at these facilities from contracting COVID-19.
Adult Detention Center (Jail)
- No on-site video visitation.
- Remote visitation is available seven days a week from 12:30-2:30 p.m. and fees have been reduced to $2 for 20 minutes. Visitors are limited to two visits per week due to limited video visitation stations.
- Professional visitors are now non-contact and limited to weekday daytime hours. No professional visitors on evening or weekends.
- Contact family visiting is postponed.
Ramsey County Correctional Facility (Workhouse)
- All residents are screened daily for COVID-19. All staff and contractors are screened before entering the building. Non-essential personnel are not entering the building.
- New residents are placed into a 14-day quarantine.
- The facility is prepared to isolate anyone who shows symptoms or who tests positive for the virus.
- All visitation and volunteer programs have been suspended.
- Residents are spaced out as much as possible.
- All high traffic areas are sanitized multiple times a day and the entire building is sanitized nightly.
Juvenile Detention Center (JDC)
- All youth residents are screened daily for COVID-19. All staff and contractors are screened before entering the building. Non-essential personnel are not entering the building.
- New residents are placed into a 14-day quarantine.
- Staff is prepared to isolate any youth who shows symptoms or who tests positive for the virus.
- All visitation and volunteer programs have been suspended. Video visitation programs are available.
- Youth are spaced out as much as possible.
- All high traffic areas are sanitized multiple times a day and the entire building is sanitized nightly.
Collaborative partner agencies
- Ramsey County
- Board of Commissioners - Toni Carter, Chair
- Community Corrections
- Ramsey County Attorney's Office
John Choi, County Attorney - Ramsey County Sheriff's Office
Bob Fletcher, Sheriff - Office of the Public Defender Second Judicial District
Jim Fleming, Chief Public Defender - Minnesota Second Judicial District Court
John Guthmann, Chief Judge - Saint Paul City Attorney's Office
Lyndsey Olson, City Attorney