Source Materials for the Comprehensive Review

This resource page offers a list of materials to provide a deeper understanding of the Comprehensive Review. This collection includes meeting materials related to the comprehensive review, studies, findings, and related resources.

2022

September

Comprehensive reviews of Pennsylvania's and Washington's Sentencing Guidelines

  Mark Bergstrom, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing

  Keri-Anne Jetzer, Coordinater, Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission



October

MSGC FY24-25 Budget Change Requests

Memorandum Supporting Comprehensive Review Proposal [A]

    Memorandum Supporting Comprehensive Review Proposal [B]
2023

October

Phase 1 – Parallel Track Concept

Stakeholder-Input Track – Charlie Sellew, MAD

Commission/Research Track – Staff Draft Plan

Resolution in Support of U of M's Research Support to Commission – Prof. Keving Reitz, Prof. Christopher Uggen, and Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, U of M

November

Staff's "Big Five" Sentencing Guidelines Issues

Identifying the Commission's Guiding Principles and Objectives for the Comprehensive Review – facilitated by Charlies Sellew, Stacy Sjogren, & Shamsa Dhayow, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Strategic Directions for Public Engagement – facilitated by Charlies Sellew, Stacy Sjogren, & Shamsa Dhayow, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

December

Refining the Commission's Guiding Principles and Objectives for the Comprehensive Review – facilitated by Charlies Sellew, Stacy Sjogren, & Shamsa Dhayow, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Refining the Commission's Directions on Public Engagement – facilitated by Charlies Sellew, Stacy Sjogren, & Shamsa Dhayow, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Additional Materials Provided by Mad:

Presentation

Objectives & Principles (with track changes)

Objectives & Principles (with track changes accepted)
2024

January

Model Penal Code: Sentencing – Prof. Kevin Reitz, James Annenberg La Vea Land Grant Chair in Criminal Procedure Law, University of Minnesota; Reporter, Model Penal Code: Sentencing

Comprehensive Review of the Sentencing Guidelines – Objectives and Principles

February

Principles [A] [B]

Public Engagement Planning – Shamsa Dhayow & Charlie Sellew, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

University of Minnesota Research Team Introduction – Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, Research Director, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, University of Minnesota Law School

March

Public Engagement Planning Update – Shamsa Dhayow & Charlie Sellew, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

University of Minnesota Research Team Update – Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, Research Director, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, University of Minnesota Law School

The Sentencing Guidelines in Operation – Two Sample Cases [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G]

Next Steps in the Comprehensive Review

April

University of Minnesota Research Team Update: Topics Being Pursued – Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, Research Director, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, University of Minnesota Law School

History of Sentencing Guidelines' Purpose and Principles [A] [B] [C] [D] [E]

Minnesota's Prison Population: Who is in Prison? – Dr. Grant Duwe, Department of Corrections' Director of Research and Evaluation

The Sentencing Guidelines in Operation – One Sample Case [A] [B] [C] [D]

May

Comprehensive Review Public Engagement Update – Shamsa Dhayow & Charlie Sellew, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Sentencing Guidelines' Purposes and Principles in Other States – Prof. Kevin Reitz, James Annenberg La Vea Land Grant Chair in Criminal Procedure Law, University of Minnesota; Reporter, Model Penal Code: Sentencing

June

Overview of Prominent Criminal History Issues and Solutions – Prof. Richard S. Frase, Benjamin N. Berger, Professor of Criminal Law Emeritus, University of Minnesota

Overview of Minnesota's Criminal History Policy

July

Overview of Prominent Criminal History Issues and Solutions – Prof. Richard S. Frase, Benjamin N. Berger, Professor of Criminal Law Emeritus, University of Minnesota

September

Overview of Minnesota's Criminal History Policy

University of Minnesota Research Team Presentation – Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, Research Director, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, University of Minnesota Law School

MSGC Staff Research Team Presentation

Overview of Criminal History and Other Sentencing Policies in Pennsylvania – Dr. Matt Kleiman, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing

October

University of Minnesota Research Team Update – Prof. Christopher Uggen, University of Minnesota

Comprehensive Review Public Engagement [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] – Preliminary Report – Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Judicial Branch Feedback of Comprehensive Review

Comprehensive Review Research and Public Engagement Feedback – Emerging Themes and Next Steps – Facilitated by MAD

November

Reviewing Criminal History: 2017 Recidivism Study

Reviewing High Departure-Rate Offenses [A] [B]

Severity-Level Ranking Project

December

2025 Direction of the Comprehensive Review
2025

February

Guidelines' Purpose and Principles [A] [B] – Prof. Kevin Reitz, James Annenberg La Vea Land Grant Chair in Criminal Procedure Law, University of Minnesota, Model Penal Code: Sentencing

Minnesota Rehabilitation and Investment Act – Karly Jorgensen, Department of Corrections

Community Supervision Advisory Committee – Kelly Lyn Mitchell, Assistant Commissioner of Community Services and Reentry, Department of Corrections

March

Comprehensive Review Public Engagement Update [A] [B] Shamsa Dhayow & Charlie Sellew, Management Analysis & Development (MAD)

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Severity-Level Ranking Principles and Process for Ranking Project

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Offense Group 1 – Felony Motor Vehicle Operation

April

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Results from Offense Group 1 – Felony Motor Vehicle Operation

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Offense Group 2 – Status Offenses

May

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Continue Reviewing Results from Offense Group 1 [A] [B]

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Introduction to Offense Group 2 – Status Offenses

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project: Introduction to Offense Group 3 – Assaults, Protective-Order Violations, & Agg. Robbery

June

Ranking Project – Offense Group 3 – Assaults, Protective-Order Violations, & Agg. Robbery

Comprehensive Review Practitioner Interviews – Dr. Julia Laskorunsky from the University of Minnesota

Proposals on Sentencing Purposes [1] [2] Prof. Kevin Reitz, James Annenberg, La Vea Land Grant Chair in Criminal Procedure Law, University of Minnesota, Model Penal Code: Sentencing

July

Comprehensive Review Ranking Project Results: Offense Group 3 (Assaults, Protective-Order Violations, and Aggravated Robbery)

August

Summary of Stakeholder Input

Reranking Offenses - Presentations & Discussion [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F]

Steering Committee's Proposed Changes to the Sentencing Guidelines [A] [B] [C]

Revision to Sentencing Guidelines' Purpose and Principles Statement

September

Comprehensive Review Package

Capacity as a Consideration [1] [2]

Fiscal Note Walkthrough

Purpose and Principles Language [1] [2]

List of Discussed Legislative Recommendations [A1] [A2]

Presented at the 2025 National Association of Sentencing Commissions (NASC) Conference

Examining the Increasing Presumptive Prison Rate in Minnesota Examining Offense Severity Levels