Head of Kans Law Firm discusses Community Impact Statements in criminal cases

BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota – March 14, 2013 – Douglas Kans of Kans Law Firm recently appeared on Minneapolis's ABC News to discuss his opinion on the use of Community Impact Statements in criminal cases. The story discussed the effects of these statements on court cases.

With a community impact statement, Kans explains, members of the community who have been either directly or indirectly affected by the crime are given the opportunity to present a statement to be included in the case file. This statement is part of the sentencing review after a defendant has been convicted. The judge will read all of these statements and take them into consideration when deciding a sentence.

If a home invasion occurs in a neighborhood, members of that neighbor might complete a community impact statement to emphasize the emotional trauma and potential economic impact the crime has had on the community. There can be multiple statements or a group can come together to create one solid statement as a community. Either way, the more specific a statement is, the more effective it is likely to be.

In the KSTP story, two criminals had been charged with counts of burglary. Both cases had attracted community impact statements, which drew the attention of the media, begging the question, "Do community impact statements make a difference?"

"In some cases it's a positive depending on what they say for the defendant," Kans told the news station. "But most times it's to look for specific sanctions against a defendant."

As Kans points out, however, these community impact statements are most often used in cases like the ones described above. Crimes involving theft, drugs, and possession by a felon are among the most likely candidates for community impact statements, since these crimes tend to have a tangible impact on the value of neighborhoods.

Douglas Kans is a former prosecutor who owns Kans Law in Minnesota. Specializing in DWI and DUI, Kans is frequently sought after by members of the field and media outlets to provide his expert opinion on criminal matters. With hundreds of criminal cases under his belt, Kans and his associates at Kans Law Firm works hard to explain the process to his clients, while ensuring they have the best representation possible in court.

Since DWI/DUI is the most common criminal complaint, Kans Law Firm represents quite a few clients in this area. But Kans Law Firm also handles criminal cases for those who have been charged with crimes like assault, domestic violence, drug possession, theft, and more. While Kans acknowledges there are criminals who can pose a danger to communities, in some cases, crimes were simply the result of a bad decision. In these cases, Kans prefers to try to help someone achieve the assistance he or she needs to pay penalties, serve time, or go through probation and rehabilitation.

For more information on Kans Law's services or to schedule an appointment for a free case review, visit www.kanslaw.com.