UALR gathering public feedback on justice system

Listening series sets stop at EACC for participants to voice concerns

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform has launched an effort to gather community feedback to make changes in the state’s judiciary procedures.

Zoya Miller, community engagement fellow at UALR and public liaison for the events, said the Northeast Judicial Listening Series, scheduled for Thursday evening at the East Arkansas Community College’s Fine Arts Center, is just one of the events planned in the state.

"It will be community leaders and communities voicing their concerns on racial justice and criminal justice reform to a panel of judges," said Miller.

The event will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at EACC.

“We are using this to gather feedback from our communities and then make meaningful changes with them," said Miller.

Miller said the Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice reform was launched in September last year with the goal to advance racial equity, access to justice and fairness in Arkansas.

"We carry this goal primarily through research," said Miller.

There are five events scheduled throughout the state where the center has partnered with representatives of the Arkansas Judicial Council and the National Center for State Courts, according to Miller.

“The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation provided the funding," she said.

The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation provided a grant to the Arkansas Judicial Council who reached out to the law school's center to help execute the events, according to André Cummings, associate dean and professor of law at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law.

"We hired students to help plan and execute the community listening events," said Cummings, adding that the school's students or fellows have put in the “leg work” for the five scheduled events.

"They've worked with the judges, they've organized the community numbers, they've organized the locations and they have called community members with registration issues. We are ready to have several community members stand up and speak to the judges about what issues are concerning them," said Cummings.

"At this event, attendees will be able to speak about their experiences with racial and criminal justice issues to a panel of Northeast Arkansas judges," said Miller. "The center will gather data on individuals' experiences with the Arkansas Judiciary and use it to produce a final report that will be used to foster real change in the areas of racial and criminal justice.

"The whole idea behind this project is for Arkansas judges to listen to community numbers," said Cummings.

Panelists at EACC will include Raymond Abramson, Court of Appeals, along with First Judicial District Circuit Court Judges Dion Wilson, Danny Glover, Christopher W. Morledge, Chalk S. Mitchel and Kathie Hess, according to Miller.

Those who want to register for the event should visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UtRWyhE3w_lfWkcJnObhQzjIg9SK8RWyhE3w_lfWkcJnObhQzjIg9SK8uDhvyEmxJxI1E/viewform?ts=6228d749&edit_requested=true

"Everyone is welcome to join," said Cummings.

Miller said these types of events have given her and her peers first-hand experiences as students of law with the communities that they one day hope to serve.

"The center has provided students with the unique opportunity to lead the Northeast Arkansas event," added Miller. "Before I came to law school, I knew that I wanted to use my legal education to improve the justice system."

Miller said she is "invested in the operations of courts throughout the United States, particularly the courts in Arkansas,” her home state.

"Change begins with understanding and discussion," said Miller. "The key to creating cohesive communities is to listen to those around you. This is what the center is doing here on April 7. We are here to discuss and we are here to listen to each other about issues in the Arkansas Judiciary."