Smart Justice

Send us a textOne of the most powerful tools in the fight against violence isn’t found in the courtroom—it’s in the community. Credible messengers are people with lived experience in gangs, incarceration, and the streets who now use their past to build trust and guide others toward a different future.In this episode, we meet Julius Buie, who spent more than two decades in gang life before becoming a credible messenger in Pulaski County. Today, he mentors youth, advocates in courtrooms, and offers second chances to people on the edge of violence.His story shows why credible messengers are essential partners in reducing shootings, saving lives, and creating safer communities.👉 Watch more episodes of the Smart Justice podcast: SmartJustice.org#CredibleMessenger #GunViolencePrevention #SmartJustice #AShotAtHopeSupport the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Will Jones, Pulaski County Prosecutor, battles a staggering case backlog while seeking justice for families. Heath Helton, Little Rock Police Chief, shares hopeful crime statistics and emphasizes community involvement to tackle gun violence. Kimberly Key-Bell from the Division of Youth Services discusses the troubling effects of COVID-19 on youth mental health and education, calling attention to 'ghost kids.' Casey Beard introduces the Group Violence Intervention strategy, focusing on proactive measures to support individuals fueling violence and advocating for community collaboration.

Send us a text"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.Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Send us a textPulaski County Prosecutor Will Jones started his role in 2023 following the deadliest year for homicides in Little Rock's history. He says it was time to find a different approach to fighting crime—one that would require him to think outside of the traditional prosecutor role. In this interview with Jones, we discuss crime trends, community trust, and a new path forward through Group Violence Intervention (GVI), an evidence-based approach he believes could be transformative for Pulaski County.According to Jones, violent crime in Pulaski County is trending downward now. He says homicide numbers are down 44% countywide and nearly 50% in Little Rock compared to 2022. But he is quick to note that success isn’t measured by statistics alone. “It’s still a very troubling number. We’re not going to stop until we get that number to zero.”He says we have to remember one key insight: most violent crime is committed by a small number of individuals. “It’s a very small number that is responsible for 90% of the violent crime,” he says. “If we can figure out a way to target that group—or help that group—then I think we’ll see a significant reduction in violent crime.”Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Mark DeYmaz, pastor of Mosaic Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, passionately discusses his mission to rebuild trust in high-crime neighborhoods. He emphasizes the importance of meeting people's needs for significance and security to prevent violence. DeYmaz shares insights on transforming abandoned spaces into community hubs offering essential services like food and counseling. He highlights the power of collaboration among diverse groups and the vital role of empathy and mentorship in fostering lasting change and hope for future generations.

Send us a textIn 2021, Indianapolis was facing one of the highest homicide spikes in the nation. By 2024, the city had reduced criminal homicides by an astounding 54%. Smart Justice travels to Indiana to explore a bold new strategy that’s transforming how cities tackle gun violence. Known as Indy Peace, the city’s violence reduction model is a three-pronged approach built on intervention, prevention, and neighborhood stabilization—and it’s getting national attention.How can this help other communities? It's a roadmap that’s not cookie-cutter, but replicable—with the right leadership, resources, and patience.Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Send us a textAround the nation, gun violence is destroying families and weakening communities. And it's becoming a leading cause of death among young people. How can we move beyond just talking about this tragedy to implementing solutions that actually work? Join us for A Shot at Hope, a special series from Smart Justice. We're examining an evidence-based strategy that has already reduced gun violence in communities across the country. So, how does it work? We know that in nearly every city, only a small number of people are driving most of the violence. An approach called Group Violence Intervention (GVI) identifies those individuals and engages with them directly, trying to offer them a way out before the violence occurs. Throughout this series, we'll talk to people whose lives have been forever changed by violence and those hoping to bring the GVI strategy to their communities. And while this approach is a data-driven model focused on measuring outcomes, at its core, it's about human connection.Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Send us a text"Everyone sees a side on the news, but I live it. I have to live this every day."These powerful words from Yolanda Harrison capture the devastating reality of gun violence in America—not as a headline that fades, but as an unending journey of grief that transforms lives forever. Yolanda's story begins with her son Devan: a talented musician, church youth group member, and college student with dreams. Despite growing up in a good neighborhood, attending quality schools, and being raised with strong values, Devan became one of the countless young Black men lost to senseless violence.The night Devan died started ordinarily enough. They had planned to see a movie, but when Yolanda had a headache, Devan went out to meet someone about making music, saying he would return soon. That was the last time she saw him alive. What followed was every parent's nightmare—a middle-of-the-night hospital call, the trauma of seeing her son with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, and the fog of grief so thick she doesn't even remember his funeral.The shooter served less than a year on a misdemeanor charge. Media reports falsely suggested drug involvement, reinforcing the very stereotypes Yolanda had worked tirelessly to keep her son from being associated with.From this unimaginable loss emerged purpose. Yolanda founded Mothers of Black Sons Standing Against Death. Her advocacy work spans from partnering with former gang members to serving on the Mayor's Hope Council, all focused on creating paths away from violence for young people.This episode kicks off Smart Justice's special series on Group Violence Intervention (GVI), an evidence-based approach that identifies the small number of individuals driving most violent crime and engages them directly before violence occurs. Through stories like Yolanda's, we see that addressing gun violence requires more than outrage—it demands community-based solutions that offer everyone a shot at hope.Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Send us a textThis season of Smart Justice has explored the complexities of juvenile justice, the efforts to straighten the curves of the next generation's lives, and the solutions that are being developed to make a real change in Arkansas. In this final bonus episode, Paul Chapman is joined by some of the prominent voices from throughout this season including the Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam, who first suggested that we explore juvenile justice. Want to learn more about evidence-based approaches transforming juvenile justice? Visit smartjustice.org to explore additional resources and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest developments in this vital field.www.smartjustice.orgExecutive Director of Restore Hope Paul Chapman hosts this podcast. Executive producer is Karen Tricot Steward. Videography and production by Ti King. #justice #juvenile #arkansas #crime #youth #policeSupport the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/

Send us a textImagine being 15 years old, handcuffed, and sitting in a detention cell with no idea what comes next. For Emma (not her real name), this became her reality—not once, but eight times. Her journey from childhood trauma through addiction and into the juvenile justice system reveals how quickly vulnerable youth can spiral when their basic needs go unmet."You don't know how you're going to respond to somebody spitting in your face until somebody spits in your face," says Charles Parkins, reflecting on what detention staff sometimes encounter. As program director at the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center, Parkins has spent nearly three decades wrestling with a profound question: How do we help troubled kids without causing more harm?This episode explores juvenile detention facilities, where staffing shortages and solitary confinement can create environments that might worsen the very problems they aim to solve. We hear from Brooke Digby, Arkansas's juvenile ombudsman, who advocates for therapeutic approaches over punishment, especially recognizing that for many youth, criminal behavior stems from survival instincts in impossible circumstances. What emerges is a call for rethinking—prevention over detention when possible, community support over isolation, and investing in the adults who shape children's lives. As Parkins puts it, "This is a social problem, not a criminal justice problem." The solution lies in building stronger support systems for families before crises occur. Share your thoughts with us at media@restorehopeio.org and sign up for our weekly updates at smartjustice.org to stay connected with this important conversation.Want to learn more about evidence-based approaches transforming juvenile justice? Visit smartjustice.org to explore additional resources and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest developments in this vital field.www.smartjustice.orgExecutive Director of Restore Hope Paul Chapman hosts this podcast. Executive producer is Karen Tricot Steward. Videography and production by Ti King. #justice #juvenile #arkansas #crime #youth #policeSupport the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]: https://www.facebook.com/wewillrestorehope [LinkedIn]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restore-hope-arkansas [Instagram]: https://www.instagram.com/restorehope.io/