Smart Justice

Send us a text On 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 ne...

Send us a text Violence 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.b...

Send us a text Pastor 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 "neig...

Send us a text In 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 e...

Send us a text Yolanda 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, d...