Community Meetings Will Examine Violence in Pulaski County

A series of three meetings on violent crime in Pulaski County will be held to discuss meaningful, evidence-based solutions for violence reduction. All three meetings will be at Arkansas Baptist College, 1600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Little Rock.

The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 30 and will give an overview of violence in the community. Panelists will include Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton, Pulaski County Prosecutor Will Jones, and Division of Youth Services Assistant Director Kimberly Key-Bell. 

The meetings are hosted by the 100 Families Initiative of Pulaski County, a collaboration between service providers in the community to help families move from crisis to stability and on to career.

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 10 a.m.

“Our Cities, Our Safety: Understanding Violence in Pulaski County” 

Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 10 a.m.

“Strategic Engagement: Building A Collective Moral Voice”

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 10 a.m.

“Building a Safer Pulaski County: A Proven Violence Reduction Strategy”

A Companion Podcast Series: Evidence-Based Solutions to Violence

Restore Hope is dedicating Season 5 of its Smart Justice podcast to exploring how communities across the country are addressing gun violence through evidence-based strategies that emphasize prevention, intervention, and healing. 

Hosted by Restore Hope Executive Director Paul Chapman, the newly-released series builds on the momentum of Smart Justice Season 4, which focused on juvenile justice. That season uncovered a recurring theme: many youth caught in the justice system had been impacted by community violence long before incarceration. This realization inspired a shift in focus toward proven solutions, including a strategy known as Group Violence Intervention (GVI), which has reduced homicides and rebuilt trust in cities across the country, including in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. 

“We are exploring bringing this model to Pulaski County to create meaningful change. I believe gun violence is a solvable problem,” said Chapman. “A Shot at Hope from Smart Justice highlights the people and strategies proving that safer, more hopeful communities are possible when we focus resources on effective strategies.”