Smart Justice
Smart Justice covers the pursuit of better outcomes on justice system issues, including incarceration, foster care, and juvenile justice. The podcast is produced by Restore Hope.
Website: http://smartjustice.org
Support: https://smartjustice.supercast.com
Episodes
31 episodes
Where Others Fled, They Built
Pastor 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.H...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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19:33
How Indianapolis Significantly Cut Homicides
In 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 transf...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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20:19
I Live This Every Day. People Are Hurting.
"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 jour...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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22:01
Trailer: Introducing 'A Shot at Hope'
Around 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...
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Season 5
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2:00
Bonus Episode: Every Seat at the Table
This 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 bon...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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47:26
Locked in the System: A Call for Solutions
Imagine 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 ...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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1:06:06
Out of Isolation: Addicted and Alone
Loss 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 m...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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45:22
Shield Our Youth: Kids Born Into Chaos
What 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 easi...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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30:23
Young Lives Interrupted: What's The Game Plan?
This 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 c...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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30:19
The Young & Armed: Violence Risk in Teens
What 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 Am...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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44:06
Don't Look Away: A Generation At Risk
When 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 ...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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30:46
Trailer: Season 4 Youth Crime
Many 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 implemen...
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Season 4
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1:29
Bonus: Understanding Childhood Trauma's Lasting Impact
Ever 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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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54:40
What Is Every Child Arkansas?
Interested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Welcome to season 3 of Sma...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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34:48
Juveniles in Court & Available for Adoption
Guests 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...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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49:19
Supporting Foster Families
Interested 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 Zer...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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33:33
Foster Families
Guests Allie GravesChristen Butler - Executive Director The CALLDr. Derek Brown - Executive Director Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries<...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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45:15
Biological Families
Interested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine GuestsJeff PikerSk...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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40:31
Introduction to the Child Welfare System
Interested in becoming a foster parent? Find info here Every Child ArkansasRead the SmartJustice Season 3 magazine Welcome to season 3 of SmartJus...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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42:52
A Look to the Future
We 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 pilo...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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35:27
A Look Inside: The Crawford County Model
Many 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 ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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35:46
The Law and the Lawyers
Many 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 ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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39:31
Those Sinking
Many 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 ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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35:59
Why District Court? Going Upstream.
Many 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 ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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33:04
The Opportunity in District Courts
Many 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 a...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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32:16