In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Dr. Robert Marbut, a nationally recognized expert on homelessness policy and intervention. With decades of experience advising cities and serving as the Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Dr. Marbut brings deep insight into why traditional approaches are failing and what needs to change.

The conversation explores the complexities of addiction, mental health, and housing policy, while challenging the assumptions that often drive public debate. Eric and Amy bring their own lived and professional perspectives into the dialogue—Eric from his decades in law enforcement and Amy from her work in nonprofit leadership—creating a rich, nuanced discussion about what real solutions might look like.

This episode is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but deeply necessary exploration of homelessness in America—and how compassion and accountability can coexist in lasting reform.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Judge Dave Larson, a nationally recognized leader in reforming how our justice system responds to people disrupting public order. From the bench in Washington State to national advisory roles, Judge Larson has spent decades confronting the courtroom, law enforcement, and community-based service gaps that predictably fail to break patterns of destructive behavior. 

Through candid reflection and storytelling, Judge Larson shares lessons he’s learned about what actually motivates individuals to exit cycles of crime, addiction, and homelessness. He highlights how simple changes, from courtroom culture to the engagement of peers in case management, can dramatically shift outcomes, improve individual lives, and restore public safety.

Eric brings his street-level law enforcement perspective, while Amy grounds the conversation in the current systemic and policy contexts that predictably fail people. Together with Judge Larson, they explore the failures that have kept our systems reactive instead of proactive, how to balance compassion, accountability, and common sense, and the urgency of building criminal justice solutions that tap individual motivations and fundamental humanity.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Nichole Alexander — a powerhouse in the fight for effective homelessness response and a leader whose credibility comes from both lived experience and deep professional expertise. Nichole’s journey from surviving the very challenges she now works to solve, to becoming one of the most respected voices in the field, is nothing short of extraordinary.

Through candid conversation, Nichole unpacks the systemic failures she’s witnessed firsthand, the barriers that keep people from stability, and the changes she believes are essential to breaking the cycle. She and the Bardens dive into the intersection of compassion, accountability, and smart policy, revealing how real change happens when people with direct experience have a seat at the table.

Eric brings a law enforcement lens shaped by decades of navigating the realities of crisis on the street, while Amy offers a perspective rooted in nonprofit leadership and pragmatic compassion. Together with Nichole, they explore the tension, hope, and urgency in building systems that actually work.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Mariela Ruiz-Angel, the founding Director of Albuquerque Community Safety and current Director of the Alternative Response Research Collective at Georgetown Law School. With passion and clarity, Mariela shares how she designed and launched the first independent, cabinet-level alternative first response department in the nation. Today ACS responders have been to over 110,000 calls related to mental health, substance use, and homelessness, and other non-police related issues.

Mariela dives into the challenges of building something from nothing, breaking down siloes and pushing through skepticism, and centering community voices in public safety design. She discusses what it means to show up for the most vulnerable, how trauma-informed response works in real time, and why dismantling segregated systems and advancing coordination is vital to long-term change and meaningful impact.

Amy and Mariela compare notes on their shared challenges myth-busting and navigating cynicism, political agendas, and territorialism – and discuss how to advance this significant movement. With Amy and Eric’s dual perspectives—alternative response and law enforcement—the conversation explores the tension and possibilities in transforming public safety models. It’s a candid, hopeful look at what happens when a city chooses compassion, care, and courage over the status quo.

This episode is about vision, imagination, courage and what is required to truly redesign a dated system.

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, incarceration, addiction, and recovery. Listener discretion is advised.

In Part 2 of their conversation with Jacob Ivan Schmitt, Eric and Amy continue to explore the human cost of cycles that begin in childhood and end behind bars — and what it takes to break them.Jacob shares the raw truths of reentry: trying to rebuild trust, navigating systemic barriers, and confronting the consequences of his past.

He opens up about what accountability means after prison, the work of making amends, and the everyday effort of living a life rooted in service instead of survival.

Together, they examine the cracks in the carceral system, the lack of resources for people who want to change, and how lived experience can be the most powerful tool for reform. Jacob’s story is far from finished — but it’s already reshaping the narrative of what redemption can look like.

Content warning: The following episode contains detailed accounts of childhood abuse, sexual violence, and life inside the prison system. Listener discretion is advised.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Jacob Ivan Schmitt, the founder and Director of Just Us Solutions — a man whose story is shaped by early childhood trauma, addiction, incarceration, and the slow, painful work of transformation.

Raised around chaos and exposed to drugs early, Jacob illuminates what happens when family dysfunction and physical and psychological abuse are routine and normal. He speaks openly about how his addiction and untreated mental health issues related to his criminal behaviors, his experiences in foster care, treatment, jails and prisons, and his journey to rehabilitation.

Together, they dig into myths around recovery, the limits of the current criminal justice system, and why support and stability are essential for real change. Eric brings decades of law enforcement experience, and Amy offers a compassionate lens shaped by crisis systems reform — creating space for a nuanced, raw, and powerful conversation.

This is part one of Jacob’s story — and it’s one you won’t forget.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Patrick Arney, Executive Director of Weld — a Seattle-based reentry organization helping people transition out of incarceration with dignity, support, and purpose.

Patrick brings a rare combination of lived experience and sharp insight to the table. Once caught in the same systems he now works to reform, Patrick shares how he rebuilt his life and became a leader within one of the region’s most respected reentry programs. The conversation explores the deep flaws of the criminal justice system, the stigma surrounding people with records, and the real ingredients needed for long-term change.

What does true support look like for someone coming out of prison? Why are so many reentry programs set up to fail? And how does someone go from being behind bars to building better systems from the outside?

Patrick’s story is not just about second chances — it’s about what happens when the people most affected by broken systems lead the way in fixing them.

This one is full of honesty, heart, and hard truths.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Joe Barsana, King County Drug Court Manager and President and Co-Founder of the WA State Therapeutic Court Alumni Association. What begins as a conversation about the blurry line between crime and crisis quickly becomes a masterclass in why we fail to help people to change and maintain recovery.

Joe brings insight forged from decades churning through the criminal justice system in a perpetual cycle of crime and addiction — explaining how it really feels to live on the streets and the hopelessness that accompanies repeated arrests and overdoses. Eric and Joe discuss how police officers are often tasked to be the first responder to addiction, homelessness, or mental illness, and inadequacy of the criminal justice system to address root causes of these behaviors. He talks openly about his experience navigating drug diversion court twice, the crucial difference between sobriety and recovery, and how and when people successfully change and sustain a new way of thinking and being.

Together, they tackle controversial questions: What role should police play in recovery? Why does fentanyl keep winning? And how do we stop confusing treatment with punishment?

Does “tough love” work? This episode just might make you think!

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy sit down with Staci James—visionary leader, advocate for sensible drug policy and overdose awareness, and Executive Director of Hope Movement Coalition. What begins as a spirited debate between Eric and Amy about whether jail bookings actually serve as a deterrent, quickly deepens into a conversation about dignity, disruption, and the broken systems surrounding addiction.

Staci brings a powerful voice to the table—one grounded in the loss of her beloved son to Fentanyl and frontline experience in the path forward after devastating loss. She discusses the impact to family and friends, the pointlessness of these deaths and the purpose she’s found in being there for others.  She acknowledges the guilt felt by those left behind. She explains the stigma, shame and sense of responsibility often assumed by survivors. With clarity and conviction, she challenges old assumptions and makes the case for a new way forward: one where intervention doesn't end with a jail cell, but begins there.

Together, the Bardens and Staci unpack the tension between law enforcement, public perception, and political pressure—especially in a world that often flips its stance on justice overnight. This episode asks hard questions about deterrence, redemption, and what truly helps someone break the cycle.If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to find purpose in tragedy, this conversation will challenge your thinking.

In this episode of Bombardened, Eric and Amy Barden sit down with Dave Durocher—Executive Director and co-founder of The Other Side Academy. Dave shares his firsthand insights into breaking the cycle of addiction and criminal behavior through a radically different approach to rehabilitation. With a background in working with individuals often labeled as "lost causes," Dave explains how The Other Side Academy offers a no-excuses, real-world program that challenges the deeply rooted behaviors preventing meaningful change.

Dave delves into the philosophy of peer accountability, the critical importance of confronting behaviors rather than just symptoms, and why the focus needs to shift from treating addiction to addressing the mindset behind it. He also touches on the flaws in the current system, questioning why conventional approaches have failed to create lasting solutions for those struggling with addiction and homelessness.

Eric and Amy bring their unique perspectives—his from a law enforcement background, hers from the nonprofit sector—to reflect on the larger issues at play. Together, they explore the contradictions in current addiction treatment models and the crucial role of community and personal responsibility in breaking cycles of harm.

This episode is a powerful conversation about redemption, accountability, and the need for systemic change. It's a reminder that sometimes, the hardest paths lead to the greatest transformations.