What better time than during a global pandemic, and what better place than a country resonating with cries of “defund the police,” to convene a world-wide virtual conference of people trying to improve practice at the intersection of public health and policing. No, really: I invite you to join in and make LEPH21 a milestone on the path to law enforcement/public health collaboration.
Both fields are old and set in their ways. The world has changed around them, and often seems unappreciative if not hostile. Yet fostering human security and well-being has never been a more urgent challenge. The Global LEPH Association (GLEPHA) stands as a unique and powerful initiative to support cooperation, problem-solving and research to create new possibilities for the delivery of essential social services. As a researcher, I appreciate the chance to hear from a diverse and global set of practitioners, and to share what we are learning in our research on law and public health.
Along with the main conference, my Center for Public Health Law Research is sponsoring a set of satellite presentations and discussions on empirical research on the health effects of current laws and law enforcement practices. This satellite, funded by the National Science Foundation Law and Science Program, is a global gathering of people whose work in public health law research (also known as legal epidemiology) informs practice and policy on law enforcement and public health. All LEPH particpants are invited to register separately for the satellite at no extra cost.
Regards,
Scott Burris, Professor of Law and Public Health, and Director, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University
