Smart Justice Proof in the Numbers: Tracking Change To Save Lives
"When violence drops, hope rises." These powerful words capture the remarkable transformation occurring in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where an innovative approach called Group Violence Intervention (GVI) has helped the city achieve over 500 consecutive days without a juvenile homicide. Once regularly appearing on lists of America's most dangerous places, Pine Bluff is now becoming a model for how smaller communities can effectively combat gun violence.
Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, a criminologist at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, leads the research measuring GVI's impact. Her team goes beyond tracking crime statistics, conducting surveys with youth in the justice system and their families to understand the full picture. This comprehensive approach reveals not just whether violence is decreasing, but why—identifying critical risk factors that can be addressed before tragedy strikes. "We're looking at it from all different points, which is very exciting, getting that full picture," Dr. ten Bensel explains.
What makes Pine Bluff's story particularly significant is how it demonstrates that strategies developed for major metropolitan areas can be successfully adapted to smaller communities. The program brings together law enforcement, social services, and families affected by violence to deliver a unified message: violence will not be tolerated, but help is available. This coordinated approach creates what Dr. ten Bensel describes as "almost a wraparound service to the problem." The results speak for themselves, showing that when communities apply evidence-based strategies with passion and persistence, even entrenched patterns of violence can change. As Dr. ten Bensel notes, gun violence impacts everything from trust in institutions to economic prosperity—making effective intervention strategies essential for community revitalization. "We're not just throwing money at the problem," she emphasizes. "We're actually being very thoughtful about how to spend our resources to get the most effective outcome."
Listen to A Shot at Hope on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, or visit smartjustice.org to discover how measurement turns good intentions into meaningful change.
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