Governor Hoeven's Six Pillars
Law Enforcement and Public Safety - Making North Dakota Safer
In 2007, North Dakota again ranked the safest state in the nation, according to the annual survey published by Kansas-based research firm Morgan Quinto Press. This marks the 10th time in the last 14 years that North Dakota has held this title.
In fact, every year North Dakota is ranked by the U.S. Justice Department and private organizations among the safest states in America, but we can always make it safer. Gov. Hoeven is committed to that effort.
Making North Dakota Even Safer
Last year, the Governor reconvened the task force to make our laws protecting the public even stronger. Working with the Legislature in the 2007 session, we passed new measures and funding for laws that strengthen the state's penalties, probation, and civil commitment laws for sexual offenders.
- Jessica's Law: North Dakota now imposes a minimum 20 year sentence and lifetime supervised probation for violent sexual offenders, including for a first offense. The bill also increases the penalty and allows states attorneys more opportunity to prosecute individuals who commit sexual offenses against minors.
- Civil Commitment: North Dakota now allows for a more flexible determination of a sexual disorder or tendency to commit sexual crimes in civil commitment cases.
- GPS Monitoring: A new law stiffens the penalty for violating restrictions set by the court, parole board, or law enforcement for Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring.
- Mandatory background checks: This includes fingerprinting and nationwide criminal history searches for correctional officers at the city, county and state levels, as well as for other personnel.
- Protecting children at school: A new law limits registered sex offenders access to school property.
The Governor's Task Force on Violent and Sexual Offenders
In 2003, Hoeven established a Task Force on Violent and Sexual Offenders to review and strengthen North Dakota's sentencing and probation laws for violent offenders. The task force, which continues its work, includes legislators, judges, law enforcement and corrections officials, as well as representatives from the state hospital, victims rights groups and the public.
During the 2005 legislative session, the commission recommended new laws that:
- Established mandatory life sentences without parole for offenders when a sex crime results in the death of the victim
- Enhanced the civil commitment laws and probation
- Opened court records in civil commitment proceedings and
- Enhanced the civil commitment process to provide for greater monitoring and supervision of dangerous sex offenders.
