Franklin County’s Post

Our first Trust for Civic Life newsletter is out! In this issue, we talk about Civic Hubs: what they are, why they matter, and what we're learning from them. Not on the mailing list? Follow the link to subscribe.

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We need multi-door justice delivery. Courts, connected with other mechanisms, that solve justice problems. Community justice mechanisms are a key component. In my conversations with leaders from ministries of justice and judiciaries there are 3 main challenges: scale, ensuring quality, and sustainable funding. In this webinar very valueable insights were shared.

A few days ago, HiiL | User-friendly Justice organized a very interesting event on community justice solutions. As my dear former professor Meg Satterthwaite, current UN Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, noted, 1.5 billion people lack meaningful access to justice for pressing everyday problems. Usually, this justice gap impacts the most those who are economically and socially disadvantaged. There are not enough judges and lawyers to close this gap, and often, a legal avenue is not even the best strategy to solve numerous issues. As many panellists stressed, instead in focusing only in lawyers and formal judicial systems, we should put people, communities, and their needs at the heart of the justice debate. It is crucial to democratise access to justice and empower communities to lead justice initiatives that can address issues better and strengthen the social fabric.

Last night's session of the Community Policing Council in the Foothills Command area was well attended by residents voicing their concerns, with representation from the police command, the mayor's office, and several neighborhood associations. We also learned about the extent of services offered by Goodwill Industries, specifically regarding job training, case management, and housing. A recurring theme of these meetings, held the 2nd Monday of each month from 6-8 pm, is that many of the social issues residents are most concerned about have complex causes that require a nuanced, multifaceted approach beyond police measures. As an example, youth committing crime is best mitigated by expanded opportunities and services geared towards youth, rather than merely increasing policing of youth. Attendees of the meeting are encouraged to speak, regardless of their politics, perspectives, or opinions. The purpose is to engage in dialogue and to come together to find solutions to community issues and to make recommendations to policymakers and legal entities for consideration. The Foothills Command has one opening remaining if you would like to serve on the council. If you live in another district, your local community policing council likely has vacancies. The positions are voluntary. As a council person, I am giving the opportunity to also review complaints filed against police, as well as the responses by the Community Police Oversight Agency. This is a unique opportunity. Not every city offers community members this level of involvement. https://lnkd.in/gayGdkjb

Well that was brilliant. Here are three key takeaways from our webinar ‘’Unlocking Community Justice Solutions: Scaling up for National Impact.’’ 1. Let's give Community Justice Systems the recognition they deserve. They need support, status, and the jurisdiction to build relevant partnerships. 2. It's time for formal justice systems and personnel to learn from customary and community justice systems. Judges can lead transformative change as system improvers and connectors between communities and the formal system. 3. Scaling up programmes will make them more effective, less expensive in the long run - and will shrink the Justice Gap. A huge thank you to all our amazing speakers: 🗣 Ms Jhoana Delgado Gaitán, Meg Satterthwaite, Tatyana Teplova, PhD, Annette Mbogoh, Hon. Justice Joel Ngugi, Hon. Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora, Milkii Mekuria, and Sam Muller; as well as our very engaged audience. Stay tuned - we will be sharing an outcomes agenda for action on scaling community justice soon! And we hope to see you all again at the next webinar. #BetterJusticeBetterWorld  

August is National Civic Health Month. The National Civic League has created a civic health index that includes seven components of community-based civic capital: engaged residents, inclusive community leadership, collaborative institutions, embracing diversity and equity, authentic communication, a culture of engagement, and shared vision and values. Here in Arkansas, it is in our best interests, and in the best interests of our children and grandchildren, that we elect leaders who make it their mission to create and sustain civic health infrastructure that empowers the citizens of Arkansas to build livable communities where we all can thrive together. Read the 2023 Arkansas Civic Health Index, that I co-authored, to find out what our elected officials should be thinking about to improve our state's civic health: https://lnkd.in/gqaPARWU

📣Appropriations Update 📣 We want to thank everyone who took action this week to protect funding for @AmeriCorps & @AmeriCorpsNCCC, and the vital resources they provide community-based organizations all over the country. This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would jeopardize more than 71,000 AmeriCorps positions, risking the loss of vital resources for community-based organizations all over the country in 2026. Congress still has opportunities to protect and strengthen this funding, and we’ll need advocates like you to voice your support in the months ahead. ➡️️ TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to reconsider this decision and protect funding for AmeriCorps by filling out this form, bit.ly/CCFY25, or share this and tag your representative, asking them to #Stand4Service [Image description: 1 graphic a black background saying, ‘Congress just jeaprodized 71,000 AmeriCorps positions, including vital roles at FoodCorps' and all capitalized text saying, ‘take action.’]

🌟Great to see Insights below from our recent partner roundtable in Durham, where we delved into strategies for enhancing sustained outcomes for individuals transitioning from custody and remand. 🤝One key finding from our mentoring service analysis: individuals often don't reside in the same area as the prison they exit. That's why our partnership models prioritise scalable mentoring services with local delivery. This approach ensures consistency of service provision, a crucial factor in driving positive outcomes. 📈Our analysis also underscores the importance of programme continuity. Those who complete a mentoring programme tend to experience significantly greater improvements compared to early exits. 🗣️And beyond quantitative data, our analysis reveals a recurring benefit of our approach — the advocacy provided by mentors. This personal touch plays a vital role in empowering individuals and navigating their onward journey. Excited to continue this dialogue and explore further opportunities for impact The Wise Group  

Check out this podcast with Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday and Senator Josh Becker about the power of service!