Shows
Smart JusticeThe Commitment: Pulaski County Funds Group Violence InterventionSend us a textOn November 20th, 2025, leaders in Pulaski County reached a pivotal moment in the fight against violence. After two years of discussions and research on bringing Group Violence Intervention to the area, they joined forces and made a commitment to fund the strategy. The announcement happened at a press conference that marked a new chapter for the community. In this episode, you’ll hear the voices from that moment—leaders explaining why this decision matters, what comes next, and the shared resolve to save lives.#community #safety #safecommunities #crimeprevention #communityviolenceintervention...
2025-12-0420 min
Mission MomentMission Moment with Trina FullardMission Moment – November 2025 Good day, CRM,This is your president/CEO, Trina Fullard, with your MissionMoment for November 2025. Last month, Ihad the pleasure of sitting on a bench for 24 hours in support of bringingawareness to World Homeless Day. Citygate, our national membership organization, created the opportunitycalled Conversations on a Bench to showcase the resources that are available toindividuals who are searching for life transformation, but are currently facinghomelessness, substance use disorders, and other mental health challenges. Wow is all I can say about that 24-hourperiod of time. When they say time flieswhen you are having fun, I...
2025-11-2102 min
Smart JusticeThe Impact of Violence on Children and FamiliesSend us a textViolence has left deep scars across Pulaski County, touching children, parents, and entire neighborhoods. LaShanna Bruce and Deanna Walderns of the 100 Families Initiative sit down with Restore Hope's Paul Chapman to explain how the initiative helps families in crisis and offers real alternatives to a life of violence.Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [Spotify + Apple + More]: https://smartjustice.buzzsprout.com/1213400/follow [Facebook]:...
2025-09-2522 min
Smart JusticeHow Fort Worth Is Reducing ShootingsSend us a textPastor Rodney McIntosh knew something had to change in Fort Worth, Texas. Drawing inspiration from the Advance Peace model in Richmond, California, he launched Violence Intervention and Prevention Fort Worth (VIPFW) – a program that's transforming how communities address gun violence by focusing on individual.VIPFW's success lies in who they hire: respected community members who once contributed to neighborhood problems and now dedicate themselves to solving them. These "neighborhood change agents" possess a unique blend of street credibility and professional commitment that allows them to reach people traditional authorities cannot. As on...
2025-09-1814 min
Smart JusticeSilencing the Sirens: Voices That Save LivesSend us a textIn this episode of the Smart Justice podcast, we sit down with Reverend Kevin Crumpton, pastor, community leader, and project manager for Pine Bluff’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy. Crumpton has worn many hats throughout his career—from probation officer and jail lieutenant to school PTO president—but his lifelong passion has always been serving young people and families in crisis.As a trusted voice in his community, Crumpton plays a unique role in bridging law enforcement, schools, social services, and families impacted by gun violence. He shares how Pine Bluff...
2025-09-1112 min
Smart JusticeMothers Who Lost Sons Share Their Journey Through Grief and HopeSend us a textYolanda Harrison and Tina Dobbins share raw, heartbreaking accounts of receiving the calls that changed everything—learning their sons had been shot, rushing to hospitals, and facing the brutal reality that their children were gone. Both women describe how this trauma fundamentally changed them, triggering serious health issues and requiring them to forge new identities in the aftermath of loss. "When he died, I died. I had to learn how to be someone else," Harrison explains, detailing her struggle with PTSD and depression despite her background as a healthcare worker.From th...
2025-09-0448 min
Smart JusticeHow Credible Messengers Save LivesSend 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 violen...
2025-08-2814 min
Smart JusticeA Community at a Crossroads: Understanding Crime in Pulaski CountySend us a textGun violence is devastating Pulaski County families and weakening community bonds. But what if there were proven strategies to interrupt this cycle of violence before more lives are shattered?This episode captures the first of three public meetings where local leaders come together to confront this challenge head-on. Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton shares encouraging statistics about crime while acknowledging the persistent problem of gun violence, particularly among young people. His message is clear: public safety requires everyone's participation, not just law enforcement's.County Prosecutor Will Jones reveals...
2025-08-2126 min
Smart JusticeProof in the Numbers: Tracking Change To Save LivesSend 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...
2025-08-1412 min
Smart JusticeAfter Little Rock’s Deadliest Year, a Prosecutor Charts a New PathSend 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...
2025-08-0719 min
Smart JusticeWhere Others Fled, They BuiltSend us a textPastor Mark DeYmaz leads Mosaic Church, a multiethnic congregation in Little Rock, Arkansas. He’s spent decades working across lines of race, class, and politics to try to rebuild broken trust in some of the most wounded neighborhoods.He intentionally built his church in an area of the city with some of the highest crime rates—an area with significant homelessness and opioid issues—putting them right in the middle of the challenges they aim to address.The church has spent decades creating what DeYmaz calls a “hub of hope”—of...
2025-07-3119 min
Smart JusticeHow Indianapolis Significantly Cut HomicidesSend 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...
2025-07-2420 min
Smart JusticeTrailer: Introducing 'A Shot at Hope'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 th...
2025-07-1702 min
Smart JusticeI Live This Every Day. People Are Hurting.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 yo...
2025-07-1722 min
Smart JusticeBonus Episode: Every Seat at the TableSend 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 a...
2025-06-1247 min
Smart JusticeLocked in the System: A Call for SolutionsSend 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...
2025-06-051h 06
Smart JusticeOut of Isolation: Addicted and AloneSend us a textLoss and disconnection lie at the heart of juvenile crime and substance abuse. That's the powerful message from those working on the frontlines of youth justice, including Crystal Davis, who transformed her life after 26 years of addiction to mentor young people in detention."The biggest reason that I've seen is loss—the loss of a family member, the loss of a parent, either to death, divorce, drugs," explains Davis, whose own journey into substance abuse began at age 12. Now she teaches incarcerated youth essential life skills and encourages them to see be...
2025-05-2945 min
Smart JusticeShield Our Youth: Kids Born Into ChaosSend us a textWhat if there was a smarter way to approach juvenile justice? One that identifies troubled youth before they commit serious crimes and connects them with resources instead of sending them to detention?Kevin Hunt knows firsthand how easily young people can slip into criminal behavior. Growing up in Little Rock during the notorious "Banging in the Rock" era, Hunt started with stealing coins from fountains before escalating to purse snatching and eventually more serious crimes. Despite having loving family members, the influences of poverty, neighborhood crime, and early exposure to drugs...
2025-05-2230 min
Smart JusticeYoung Lives Interrupted: What's The Game Plan?Send us a textThis is not just a story about youth crime—it’s a story about what’s possible when we stop asking ‘what’s wrong with them?’ and start asking ‘what happened to them?’In this episode of Smart Justice, we explore what it means to change the game plan for youth on the edge. We hear powerful testimony from former gang member Antoine Jones, who lost his daughter to gun violence. He shares his journey from the streets to prison, revealing how the absence of family structure drives many young people toward gangs see...
2025-05-1530 min
Smart JusticeDon't Look Away: A Generation At RiskSend us a textWhen young people find themselves isolated and without essential support systems, they go down some dangerous paths. Many communities around the nation are seeing a rise in violent crime among youth—and it’s more serious than ever. We take you inside the crisis and highlight solutions. You’ll hear from prosecutors, judges, outreach workers, and teens who’ve lived it. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — as schools closed, community programs were disrupted, and families found themselves under increased stress — many young people became vulnerable to negative influences and started engag...
2025-05-0830 min
Smart JusticeThe Young & Armed: Violence Risk in TeensSend us a textWhat happens when a community decides to reimagine juvenile justice? Across Arkansas, dedicated professionals are discovering that evidence-based interventions not only reduce crime but transform lives and strengthen communities.Meet Amber Govan, who at just eight years old learned sign language to facilitate her father's drug deals. Her path seemed predetermined—drug dealing, homelessness, and violence marked her early years. But when a high school teacher took interest in her success, everything changed. Today, Amber leads Carter's Crew, a nonprofit helping at-risk teens break cycles of crime and poverty.Ar...
2025-05-0844 min
Smart JusticeTrailer: Season 4 Youth CrimeSend us a textMany communities across Arkansas are seeing an uptick in youth crime, especially violent offenses. We travel the state to talk to judges, law enforcement, juveniles in the system, and others to examine what's happening, solutions being implemented, and how we can continue to improve outcomes for families going forward. Subscribe on your favorite platform. Season 4 dives deep—real stories, bold solutions, and the voices shaping justice in Arkansas. The season drops May 8, 2025.Executive Producer: Karen Tricot Steward. Videography and production by Ti King. Support the show
2025-04-2401 min
Generous Business OwnerPhil Goad: God is the Author of Redemption and the Founder of FamiliesHow can you support the kids and families in need around you?In this episode, Jeff and Phil discuss: Building a business with spiritually aligned partners. Utilizing a leveraged buyout with your employees so everyone has ownership. Being drawn into foster and orphan care with a Godly heart.Orphan care domestically and internationally. How God blesses a giving spirit. Key Takeaways: Treat your employees generously. Your assets are your people. Treat people generously in a way that they would never want to leave.Take your skills and talents and apply them to kingdom...
2025-04-0842 min
Smart JusticeBonus: Understanding Childhood Trauma's Lasting ImpactSend us a textEver wondered how early childhood experiences shape a lifetime? Dr. Sufna John from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences gives her profound insights into infant and early childhood mental health. This special bonus episode kicks off with a compelling discussion on the real-world impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and PTSD. Dr. John’s expertise sheds light on the importance of understanding and addressing trauma to foster genuine compassion and create better outcomes.We then navigate the intricate relationship between childhood trauma and parenting. Learn how pregnancy and early childhood ca...
2024-09-1254 minSmart JusticeWhat Is Every Child Arkansas?Send us a textInterested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Welcome to season 3 of SmartJustice we're calling 'A Chance At Life'. This season we focus on the well-being and future of children, youth and families in the child welfare system. In this final episode we talk with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam about Executive Order to Protect Children, Support Families, and Improve Foster Care. And Jerome Strickland and Phil Goad about the new Every Child...
2023-11-2134 minSmart JusticeJuveniles in Court & Available for AdoptionSend us a textGuests Judge Troy Braswell and Project Zero Executive Director Christie Erwin. If you would like to explore adoption visit https://theprojectzero.org/index.php Emmy award winning film maker Nathan Willis is a long time partner with Project Zero to help find waiting children the right forever home. https://nathanwillisfilms.com/about https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectZero1/videosSupport the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://www.youtube.com/@wewillrestorehope [S...
2023-10-2549 minSmart JusticeSupporting Foster FamiliesSend us a textInterested in becoming a foster parent? Find info at Every Child Arkansas. Want to support a foster family? In this episode we talk with Darneshia Allen with Zero to Three, Christen Butler with The CALL, Dr. Derek Brown with Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries, Pastor Chris Massey with Fellowship Bible Church Searcy, and Dennis Berry, foster parent and The CALL board member. Hosts Dr. Andrew Baker with Harding University and Paul Chapman with Restore Hope. Read the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Support the show
2023-10-1733 minSmart JusticeFoster FamiliesSend us a textGuests Allie GravesChristen Butler - Executive Director The CALLDr. Derek Brown - Executive Director Arkansas Baptist Children and Family MinistriesDennis Berry Interested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Welcome to season 3 of SmartJustice we're calling 'A Chance At Life'. This season we focus on the well-being and future of children, youth and families in the child welfare system. Restore Hope https://www.restorehopear.org A...
2023-10-1145 minSmart JusticeBiological FamiliesSend us a textInterested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine GuestsJeff PikerSkye MitchellMahogany SmithLicia EtheridgeDevin SinghIn this episode we talk with Children and Family Services staff and community leaders in Russellville, AR about supporting families during and after child welfare cases. They share how their community is collaborating in a new way and seeing better outcomes for families. Restore Hope https://www.restorehopear.org A...
2023-10-0440 minSmart JusticeIntroduction to the Child Welfare SystemSend us a textInterested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Welcome to season 3 of SmartJustice we're calling 'A Chance At Life'. This season we focus on the well-being and future of children, youth and families in the child welfare system. In this edition, we spotlight visionary individuals who are reshapingthe system and breathing new life into the concept of care and support.In February of 2023, Governor Sanders issued a compelling executive order, underscoring the need to...
2023-09-2742 minSmart JusticeA Look to the FutureSend us a textWe talk with Arkansas' Attorney General about Community Diversion and a Representative from Fort Smith where the courts, law enforcement, and community providers are usually connected in innovative ways. The way forward is to run a pilot 'Community Diversion' program in around 10 different courts to define common measures and procedures and then assess outcomes across a broad range of factors including litigant substance use, housing, employment, and ability to satisfy unresolved legal obligations. Around 60 leaders including several judges are convening at the Rockefeller Institute in March of 2023 to plan a pilot.
2023-02-2835 minSmart JusticeA Look Inside: The Crawford County ModelSend us a textMany Arkansans in prison and/or with children in the child welfare system started their legal engagement with misdemeanor crimes like traffic tickets, driving with no insurance, or theft. Community Diversion in District Courts is a key move to prevent future incarceration and/or foster care. In Crawford Co the District Court and Adult Ed have co-located to create a one-stop resource center. This unique situation has impacted hundreds of people who found their way out of crisis into stability and employment. Thanks to:Dr Debbie Faubus and th...
2023-02-0835 minSmart JusticeThe Law and the LawyersSend us a textMany Arkansans in prison and/or with children in the child welfare system started their legal engagement with misdemeanor crimes like traffic tickets, driving with no insurance, or theft. Community Diversion in District Courts is a key move to prevent future incarceration and/or foster care. In this episode we talk with law enforcement and prosecutors. It is our hope to see the expansion of Community Diversion to all Arkansas District Courts. Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://ww...
2023-02-0139 minSmart JusticeThose SinkingSend us a textMany Arkansans in prison and/or with children in the child welfare system started their legal engagement with misdemeanor crimes like traffic tickets, driving with no insurance, or theft. Community Diversion in District Courts is a key move to prevent future incarceration and/or foster care. In this episode we hear from participants in diversion programs. It is our hope to see the expansion of Community Diversion to all Arkansas District Courts. Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: https://ww...
2023-01-2535 minSmart JusticeWhy District Court? Going Upstream.Send us a textMany Arkansans in prison and/or with children in the child welfare system started their legal engagement with misdemeanor crimes like traffic tickets, driving with no insurance, or theft. Community Diversion in District Courts is a key move to prevent future incarceration and/or foster care. In this episode we talk with Judges who operate diversion programs. It is our hope to see the expansion of Community Diversion to all Arkansas District Courts. Support the show[Website]: https://smartjustice.org/ [YouTube]: ht...
2023-01-1833 minSmart JusticeThe Opportunity in District CourtsSend us a textMany Arkansans in prison and/or with children in the child welfare system started their legal engagement with misdemeanor crimes like traffic tickets, driving with no insurance, or theft. Some District Court Judges are taking steps to provide access to services that address root issues that might lead to incarceration and/or foster care for their children. Season 2 focuses on how these courts are improving public safety by addressing problems 'upstream' from felony crime and/or foster care. It is our hope that these stories will inspire a movement to make C...
2023-01-1032 minSmart JusticeSo What Works? A Way Forward.Send us a textAll communities work on criminal justice and child welfare issues but few have real systems change. You may have the right people and organizations, but if you don't get 5 things right you'll not make the change you're working so hard to make. In the season one final episode we discuss the impact a growing number of Arkansas communities are having by implementing the collective impact methodology of system change. Season 1 of SmartJustice: To improve outcomes in complex problems around child welfare, incarceration, and crime we journey upstream to examine the Family a...
2022-10-1248 minSmart JusticeTrauma - Doesn't Excuse, But ExplainsSend us a textChildhood trauma doesn't excuse bad behavior and crime, but it helps in understanding 'why' which is important in the creation of more successful interventions that yield better ROI for our communities. To improve outcomes in complex problems around child welfare, incarceration, and crime we journey upstream to examine the Family as the institution we should Interviewed:Circuit Court Judge Shanice JohnsonClinical Phycologist Dr Rose Smith Restore Hope A.D. of Community Development Karen PhillipsChairperson of Parent Counsel and Harding University professor Dr Andrew Baker
2022-10-0540 minSmart JusticeWhat About the KidsSend us a textTo improve outcomes in complex problems around child welfare, incarceration, and crime we journey upstream to examine the Family as the institution we should protect and seek to strengthen. Interviewed:Department of Children and Family Services Mischa MartinChairperson of Parent Counsel and Harding University professor Dr Andrew BakerTenth District Circuit Court Judge Shanice JohnsonRestore Hope Community Development Manager Karen Phillips 100 Families White Co Coordinator Dana Baker Restore Hope Sebastian Co Case Mgr Courtnee Harlan Restore Hope Executive Director Paul Chapman N...
2022-09-2754 min