We are notifying you of a recent arrest of an individual in or around your property or your neighborhood. We are asking that you tell us how you feel about this crime and/or offender and how this impacts your quality of life. We will give your input to the judge, who will review your input before sentencing.

Dear Members of the Waite Park Neighborhood:

Information about the crime involved and the community impact form is available with this post in PDF format below. Includes mug shot.

Christopher Karls, charged with raping a woman in her Como neighborhood home, has pleaded guilty.

[Karls] pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal sexual conduct, three counts of burglary and one count of kidnapping in connection with the May 4 assault.

The Wall Street Journal reports on a Hawaiian program to reduce probation violations through swift and certain punishment. The program, known by the official acronym HOPE, was proposed by a Judge who:

…was assigned to criminal court in 2004 and immediately faced a slew of motions to revoke probation. In every case, he recalls, the defendant had "pages of violations stretching back months or even years" yet had suffered virtually no consequences for any of them.

The national political debate often seems largely irrelevant to our local quality of life. We focus on general principles that align with an ideology, while the actual regulation of our daily living is left to a small cabal of insiders and activists. I contend our lives are impacted more by the local application of ideology than by the corresponding Federal directives.

Contributor Johnny Northside over at the Mpls Mirror took a look at sentences received by criminals in his neighborhood:

from what I'm seeing... paltry "slap on the wrist" sentences are the norm.

Some highlights of his research (with his commentary):

Kevin D. Holt, 29, caught fornicating in an alley (near 22nd Ave. N. and 3rd St. N.) and was charged with indecent exposure/conduct. Pleaded guilty. (Herland was prosecutor, Hopper was judge). He received a $50 fine and a suspended sentence of 30 days. Why not just sell licenses for $50 for the right to fornicate in an alley?

The Eastside Defender regularly alerts its readers when prosecutors are seeking statements about the harm caused by particular bad guys or types of crime. Here are some general instructions for filing Community Impact Statements from the Minneapolis Police Department:

Since the Eastside has suffered its share of vicious dog incidents, it seems worth noting the trial of the owner of a killer pit bull has begun.

Feb 25, 2008: The StarTribune reports, "The owners of Gabby's Saloon and Eatery in northeast Minneapolis filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday alleging that city officials are trying to drive away its African-American patrons by imposing sanctions against its liquor license."

The Columbia Heights teenager accused of an October 5th, 2007, rape in the 28xx block of Fillmore will be tried as an adult. Also charged with 2 rapes on the North side, he remains in jail awaiting trial.

Nov 21, 2007: An Administrative Law Judge has recommended, "that the Minneapolis City Council take appropriate action against the liquor license held by T.J. Management of Minneapolis d/b/a Gabby’s Saloon and Eatery."