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.