The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) presented Judge Lori Bustamante of the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County with the Innovator of the Year Award for the creation of Project S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness & Firearms Education) at its 88th Annual Conference.
“I was extremely happy and humbled by the award,” Judge Busamante said. “This award is truly a testament to all our system partners who were involved in the creation of Project SAFE and those individuals in our Juvenile Probation Department and the Journey.do program who work tirelessly to keep the program moving.”
We sat down with her to learn more about Project S.A.F.E. and her plans to expand the program and other community projects.
AALM: Tell us about Project S.A.F.E. What inspired you to build it?
LB: I was inspired to build Project S.A.F.E. at a NCJFCJ Conference when people from Denver presented on their gun intervention program. I knew at that moment that I was going to get our system partners together to create a program for our youth in Maricopa County.
Project S.A.F.E. (Safety Awareness & Firearms Education) is a program designed to educate youth on the risks and consequences of gun possession and empower youth to make informed, responsible choices that prevent gun violence, reduce crime and enhance public safety. There are three components to the program:
Journey.do is a digital platform created by LifeLab Studios that contains modules designed to assist the youth in learning about themselves, avoiding unsafe situations, regulating emotions, building relationships, and planning for a positive future. The youth have mentors and coaches that provide encouragement and insight throughout their Journey.do experience.
In Person Sessions are held where the youth hear from victims about the devastating impact of gun violence and listen about lessons learned from community members with lived experiences in the criminal justice system.
Youth Presentations are the final step where the youth present to judicial officers, probation officers and their families about what they have learned from the program, how they plan to apply what they have learned to make better choices, and their goals for the future.
AALM: Tell us about the program’s impact in its first year.
LB: Preliminary results indicate participants have reported that they have an increased safety awareness regarding guns, growth in problem solving and emotional control, and they have learned new skills that will help them become a better version of themselves.
AALM: What plans do you have to expand the project in the future?
LB: Currently, eligibility for the program entails those youth who are first-time gun possessors and those cases that do not involve a victim. We are in the process of working on Project SAFE 2.0 to create a program for those youth whose offense involved a victim and those youth who have prior gun possession adjudications. The program will have the same structure as Project SAFE but will have additional requirements and components.
AALM: Tell us a bit about your involvement with NCJFCJ.
LB: I have been a member of NCJFCJ for the last three years and it has been a great source of information and innovation. Every conference I go to, I come back with at least one idea to implement in our court system in hopes of being able to better serve our youth and families.
AALM: Are there any other projects or organizations you’re looking to get involved in?
LB: Yes! One of the projects we are working on now is to align with the latest research, Crossroads in Juvenile Justice, indicating that informal processing of youth leads to better outcomes when compared with those youth with similar offenses who are formally processed.
AALM: You were appointed to the bench in 2014, tell us about the transition to the bench and your growth as a judge over the last 10 years.
LB: I am constantly thinking about ways to improve our services to the people we serve. I have also come to appreciate the diverse lived experiences that bring people to our court and have recognized that many are facing difficult times. I have learned the importance of kindness and respect in every encounter I have with them – they will remember that and hopefully have a positive view of our court system regardless of the outcome of their case.
AALM: You’ve served on the juvenile bench since 2020 and served as the juvenile presiding judge since 2022. Tell us what you enjoy most about your work with juveniles and what challenges you the most.
LB: I love how juvenile court can be a place for healing and hope.
AALM: How is juvenile court different than family court? What do you miss about family court? Or civil court? What is an aspect of working in the juvenile court over the others that you most enjoy?
LB: Family Court involves divorce and custody disputes whereas juvenile court involves parents struggling to safely parent their children and/or children who have made bad choices. The main goal in delinquency cases is rehabilitation and the main goal in dependency cases is typically family reunification. The focus in juvenile court is more positive in terms of bringing families together and giving parents, youth and our community hope for the future.
AALM: Do you have any advice for lawyers coming before your bench?
LB: Advice for lawyers is the same advice I think about for myself – the three Ps. Preparation, Passion and Purpose. Be prepared: Know your case and the law. Be passionate: Demonstrate to your clients and the court that you care. Be purposeful: Convey your words and argument in a way that conveys why your position should prevail.
AALM: Do you have any advice for lawyers who would like to sit on the bench?
LB: Work hard, be involved in your community, and build a network of professional and personal connections.
AALM: What is some of the best advice you’ve received?
LB: Keep your promises.
AALM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
LB: Project SAFE has been a true team effort, and I am deeply grateful to our system partners for helping us create this program and to our dedicated probation officers whose hard work makes this program continue to function as a positive force for the youth and our community.
