The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) administers grants, provides training and technical assistance, conducts research, publishes reports, protects crime victim rights, and provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime. In addition, under OJP are a number of offices devoted to specific areas of victimization and criminal justice response.

Offices, committees, and initiatives

Office of Restorative Practices Minnesota Statistical Analysis Center Violent Crime Coordinating Council 

Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee Youth Justice Office Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office

Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office  Minnesota Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Project

Leadership

Kate Weeks has been OJP's executive director since her appointment in October 2018. She is responsible for the development and execution of all programs within OJP and directs policy identification and implementation as well as fiscal and personnel administration.

Director Weeks has served in various public service capacities, including in positions with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, the St. Paul City Council, and the Minnesota Legislature and as the legislative director for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. She holds a Master of Public Policy from John Hopkins University and a Juris Doctor from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. 

Staff

OJP currently has 67 full-time employees, including 13 reimbursement staff, nine crime victim grants staff, eight justice and community grants staff, two research staff, one community engagement staff, one housing specialist, and one training staff, seven financial and administrative staff, three crime victim justice unit staff, four Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relations Office staff, four Youth Justice Office staff, and one law enforcement staff. 

Partnerships

• ​​Coordinating with the Minnesota Department of Corrections to complete annual inspections of adult and juvenile facilities to ensure compliance with the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act. 
• Partnering with the Minnesota departments of Education, Health, and Human Services to complete the triennial Minnesota Student Survey.
• Providing staff to the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, which is charged under the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act with providing advice and recommendations to the governor and the legislature on the state's juvenile justice system and allocating Minnesota's federal juvenile justice grant funds.
• Partnering with the Youth Intervention Program Association (YIPA) to administer grants in support of intervention programming for at-risk youth. Youth Intervention Programs (YIP) is a state funded program authorized under Minnesota Statutes 299A.73 in 1976. The intent of the program is to provide an ongoing stable funding source to community-based early intervention programs for youth and their families. 

History

OJP was created in May 2003 through the Department of Administration Reorganization Order No. 187 with the aim of improving the effectiveness of Minnesota's criminal justice planning, grant administration, and victim services activities. OJP brought together five programs from several state agencies, including:

• ​The Minnesota Center for Crime Victim Services and the Office of Drug Policy and Violence Prevention from the Department of Public Safety;
  Juvenile Justice Programs and the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee from the Department of Economic Security;
• The Statistical Analysis Center from Minnesota Planning; and
• The Office of the Crime Victim Ombudsman.

Each program had a long history of providing quality support or services to their constituents, whether juvenile and/or criminal justice system professionals, community-based agencies or crime victim service providers.

Related Statutes

The Minnesota Crime Victim Reimbursement Board is responsible for distributing funds in accordance with the Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Act (formerly the Crime Victims Reparations Act), Minnesota Statutes 611A.52-611A.68, and Minnesota Rules 3050.0100–2050.4100.

The Crime Victim Justice Unit carries out the functions outlined in the Crime Victim Oversight Act, Minnesota Statutes 611A.72-74. OJP administers grants authorized under Minnesota Statutes 611A.211, 611A.212, 611A.32, and 611A.45.  

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office operates under Minnesota Statutes 299A.85 and the Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office operates under Minnesota Statutes 299A.90.

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