Central Arkansas leaders announce partnership, dedicate funds to reduce violent crime – Little Rock Public Radio

Central Arkansas Initiative for Crime Reduction and Sustainable Development

Aligning with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Leaders in Central Arkansas have launched a new partnership to address violent crime through the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy, directly contributing to the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 16. This initiative aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates (Target 16.1) by fostering peace and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

• Strategy: The GVI model, developed by the National Network for Safe Communities, establishes a collaborative framework for law enforcement, community leaders, and social service groups.
• Objective: The primary goal is to prevent violence by providing support and intervention for individuals identified as being at high risk of committing violent acts, thereby promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice (Target 16.3).
• Process: According to Sixth Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Casey Beard, the initial phase involves a detailed analysis of recent homicides and shootings to identify the key individuals and networks driving violence in Pulaski County.

Fostering SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The initiative is a critical step toward making Central Arkansas’s cities and communities more inclusive, safe, and sustainable, in line with SDG 11. Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde highlighted the significant economic burden of violence, estimating its cost to the region at approximately $1.4 billion annually. By addressing crime, the partnership seeks to create a safer environment and redirect resources toward sustainable community development.

1. Economic Impact: Reducing crime is essential for fostering sustainable economic growth and creating safe public spaces for all residents (Target 11.7).
2. Proven Success: The decision to adopt the GVI model was influenced by its successful implementation in Pine Bluff, which recorded over 500 consecutive days without a juvenile homicide, demonstrating the strategy’s potential to enhance urban safety.
3. Core Philosophy: Judge Hyde emphasized that the initiative is not solely about enforcement but is built on prevention, collaboration, and hope, offering at-risk individuals a choice between accountability and a supportive path away from violence.

A Multi-Stakeholder Approach in Line with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

This program exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership (SDG 17) by uniting public, private, and civil society sectors to achieve a common goal. The collaborative funding and operational structure are fundamental to its design.

• Public Sector Commitment: The local governments of Pulaski County, Little Rock, and North Little Rock have each committed $25,000 from their general funds for the initial analytical phase.
• Private Sector Engagement: The economic organization Fifty for the Future has contributed $60,000. Chairman Patrick Shueck stated that the business community views this as an opportunity and obligation to positively affect the lives of young people and all citizens, reinforcing the link between community safety and economic prosperity (SDG 8).
• Implementation Timeline: The initial analysis and intelligence-gathering phase is expected to take approximately four months to complete.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This is the most relevant SDG as the article’s central theme is the implementation of the “Group Violence Intervention strategy” to reduce violent crime, homicides, and shootings in Central Arkansas. The goal is to promote a peaceful society by addressing the root causes of violence and strengthening the collaboration between law enforcement and the community, which directly aligns with promoting peace and justice.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The initiative is a local effort involving Pulaski County, Little Rock, and North Little Rock to make their communities safer. The article states that violent crime costs the region $1.4 billion annually, highlighting the negative impact of violence on the community’s economic and social sustainability. By aiming to reduce crime, the partnership works towards making the urban area of Central Arkansas more inclusive, safe, and resilient for all its citizens.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article explicitly details the formation of a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve the goal of crime reduction. It describes a collaboration between public entities (local governments, prosecuting attorney’s office), the private sector (economic organization “Fifty for the Future”), and civil society (community leaders, resource groups). This partnership model, including its joint funding mechanism, is a clear example of the collaborative approach promoted by SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

    The entire purpose of the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy discussed in the article is to “reduce violent crime.” The article mentions a review of “recent homicides and shootings” and cites the success of a similar program in Pine Bluff, which celebrated “over 500 days without a juvenile homicide,” directly addressing the reduction of violence and related deaths.

  • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

    The article highlights the impact of the GVI strategy on young people. The business community’s involvement is framed as a chance to “make a difference in young peoples’ lives,” and the success story from Pine Bluff specifically focuses on the elimination of “juvenile homicide,” which is a direct form of violence against children and youth.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces…

    While not mentioning public spaces directly, the initiative’s goal to reduce violent crime is a prerequisite for ensuring that communities are safe. A reduction in violence would increase the safety of all public areas for every citizen, which is the foundational element of this target. The stated goal is to positively affect “the lives of every citizen of greater Little Rock,” implying a community-wide improvement in safety and quality of life.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…

    The article is a case study of this target in action. It describes a partnership model that brings together “law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and resource groups.” It further details the specific partners, including Pulaski County, Little Rock, and North Little Rock governments (public), and the economic organization “Fifty for the Future” (private/civil society), which have pooled financial resources to launch the strategy.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for SDG 16 Targets

  • Number of homicides and shootings:

    The article states that the first phase of the project involves a “review of recent homicides and shootings in Pulaski County.” This implies that the number of such incidents is a key metric that will be tracked to measure the program’s effectiveness, aligning with Indicator 16.1.1 (Number of victims of intentional homicide).

  • Number of juvenile homicides:

    The success of the GVI strategy in Pine Bluff was measured by a specific, quantifiable outcome: “a streak of over 500 days without a juvenile homicide.” This serves as a direct indicator for measuring progress in reducing violence against children (Target 16.2).

• Indicators for SDG 11 Targets

  • Economic cost of violent crime:

    The article quantifies the economic burden of violence, stating that it “costs Central Arkansas around $1.4 billion each year.” A reduction in this figure could serve as a powerful indicator of progress towards creating a safer and more sustainable community.

• Indicators for SDG 17 Targets

  • Establishment and funding of a multi-stakeholder partnership:

    The article provides concrete evidence of the partnership’s formation and resourcing. The specific financial contributions—”$25,000 from each local government’s general fund” and a “$60,000 donation from economic organization Fifty for the Future”—serve as a direct indicator of the commitment to this public-private-civil society partnership, aligning with Indicator 17.17.1 (Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ualrpublicradio.org