FARGO — When Cass County State’s Lawyer Kim Hegvik talks about her work, she usually mentions drug court docket.
Prosecutors usually see defendants on their worst days, however drug court docket is one time the place her group will get to see folks succeed, Hegvik mentioned. Probably the most rewarding a part of her job in her 16 years as a prosecutor has been seeing residents conquer their dependancy and legal historical past, she mentioned.
“We see their dangerous choices. We see the harm they depart after they commit crimes,” Hegvik mentioned. “However with drug court docket, they turn out to be extra human to us as a result of persons are so multifaceted. They are not only one dangerous act.”
Michael Vosburg/The Discussion board
Drug court docket has helped Hegvik construct relations, use evidence-based practices and discover methods to vary behaviors as a substitute of simply punishing folks, the prosecutor mentioned. These are abilities she mentioned she plans to make use of because the not too long ago elected state’s lawyer in Cass County.
Hegvik defeated colleague Ryan Younggren within the November common election by 1.4%. She succeeds Birch Burdick,
who retired Dec. 30 after he served as state’s attorney for 24 years.
Taking workplace on Jan. 3, Hegvik is the second girl to go the workplace. Cynthia Rothe-Seeger was the primary when she was seated from 1978 to 1981.
Hegvick initially went to North Dakota State College to turn out to be a small animal veterinarian. Rising up, the Cooperstown, North Dakota, native mentioned she beloved authorities and social research courses.
As she took courses at NDSU, she realized that legislation could be a greater match for her, she mentioned. She went on to get a level at Florida State College Faculty of Regulation. She clerked for a choose in Moorhead and likewise clerked for the Cass County State’s Lawyer’s Workplace earlier than Burdick employed her full time.
The prosecutor began out working juvenile and drug circumstances. She has led the financial crimes unit and site visitors group in Cass County.
She’s prosecuted quite a few high-profile circumstances. That included securing a conviction for Christopher Riley, who’s serving a life sentence for killing his father in 2018. She additionally labored on prosecuting defendants within the 2019 deadly capturing of 38-year-old Jason “Jay” Allen Halvorson. He was killed close to his meals truck in downtown Fargo.
One in every of her passions has been engaged on drug court docket, an intensive community-based program that admits defendants as a substitute of forcing them to sit down in jail. Some have mentioned this system is more durable than serving time behind bars, because it contains attending court docket hearings, partaking in therapy and collaborating in self-help conferences.
The initiative helps folks turn out to be sober, get secure housing, get hold of jobs and reunite with household. The commencement is a celebration of the graduates’ accomplishments, Hegvik mentioned.
“The entire group is simply so proud,” she mentioned.
Hegvik has promoted a ”sensible on crime” method. There’s a place for incarcerating those that are a hazard, however she has promoted utilizing options, reminiscent of psychological well being and dependancy therapy, group supervision packages and problem-solving packages reminiscent of drug court docket, she mentioned in her marketing campaign bio.
Her method says not everybody who breaks the legislation ought to be incarcerated. There’s a motion to deal with chemical dependency, substance-use issues and psychological sickness as a substitute of constructing these components legal, she mentioned.
“If we are able to get folks effectively, that may also scale back the crimes that persons are committing,” she mentioned. “I’m making an attempt to have a look at ways in which we are able to handle these issues in a extra significant means that may end in a discount of legal conduct in Cass County. I feel the general public is prepared for that.”
Utilizing evidence-based practices may help higher inform prosecutors on the best way to deal with circumstances in a means that modifications conduct, she mentioned. That may assist her group suggest sentences which can be extra significant, she added.
Hegvik has illustrated a compassionate nature all through her profession, Southeast District Choose Cherie Clark mentioned throughout the state’s lawyer’s swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 27 on the Cass County Courthouse.
“She has all the time listened to victims and heard their ideas,” Clark mentioned of Hegvik. “She has studied dependancy and therapy and has utilized her information in making choices referring to particular person offenders.”
Hegvik has inspired colleagues by arduous instances, Clark mentioned in describing the prosecutor’s collaborative trait. Hegvik acknowledges the significance of coworkers and their contributions, Clark mentioned, including the state’s lawyer requested everybody within the Cass County workplace to remain on throughout her tenure.
Burdick referred to as Hegvik a wise and succesful girl who has creative concepts. He famous she has had an opportunity to steer the financial crimes unit and can learn to supervise the workplace.
“I’m certain she’ll do effectively,” he mentioned. “I’ve no cause to suppose in any other case.”
Hegvik mentioned she is honored that the residents of Cass County have given her the chance to steer her workplace. The folks she works with have a ardour for in search of justice and making their group a spot they need to reside and work, she mentioned.
You will need to hearken to victims and determine the best way to get folks out of the legal justice system, Hegvik mentioned.
“I come to work on a regular basis to do the precise factor,” she mentioned. “I hope that they really feel that I’m accessible and that my workplace is accessible, as a result of once we’re doing the precise factor and we’re in search of the reality, we don’t have something to cover.”
