Briefing Paper

LEPH2026 Conference Themes: A Structured Analysis

Summary

The 2026 Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference (LEPH2026) adopts vulnerability as its central organising concept, representing a substantive departure from risk-based frameworks that have traditionally shaped police and public health interactions. This briefing paper provides a structured analysis of the conference’s fourteen thematic areas, identifying five coherent domains that reflect the trans-disciplinary character of contemporary LEPH scholarship and practice.

The conference themes, developed under the auspices of the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association (GLEPHA), embody a conceptual shift from individualised notions of risk towards relational understandings of how vulnerability is produced, sustained, and potentially enhanced through institutional responses. This reframing carries significant implications for research priorities, professional development, and policy formation across both sectors.

Introduction and context

GLEPHA, established in 2017, has provided the primary institutional infrastructure for the law enforcement and public health field since the inaugural conference in Melbourne in 2012. The association’s mission centres on promoting research, understanding, and practice at the intersection of these two sectors, recognising what it describes as the recurrent failure of approaches devised within isolated individual sectors.

The LEPH2026 conference in Leeds operates under the overarching theme of ‘vulnerability, policing and public health’. This thematic choice reflects GLEPHA’s foundational principle that societies are only as safe as they are healthy, and they are only as healthy as they are safe. The fourteen conference themes can be analytically grouped into five domains that capture the scope of contemporary LEPH work whilst acknowledging the interconnections between them.

Vulnerability as an organising framework

The conference’s treatment of vulnerability draws upon the ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre‘s conceptual work, which examines how vulnerabilities are produced, exacerbated, and addressed by policing. This framing positions vulnerability not as an intrinsic characteristic of individuals or populations but as emerging from the dynamic interaction between personal circumstances, structural conditions, and institutional responses.

Dimensions of vulnerability

Four interconnected dimensions characterise the conference’s approach to vulnerability. Structural vulnerabilities arise from marginalisation, poverty, discrimination, and exclusion from mainstream services. Situational vulnerabilities emerge from specific circumstances including mental health crises, substance use, or involvement in exploitative relationships. Systemic vulnerabilities are created or exacerbated by institutional responses, including the criminalisation of health issues and fragmented service provision. Intersectional vulnerabilities acknowledge how multiple factors, including race, gender, disability, age, and sexuality, compound to create distinct patterns of disadvantage.

Dynamic and relational characteristics

The conference themes explicitly reject static categorisations of vulnerable populations. Instead, they emphasise how vulnerability is produced, exacerbated, and potentially mitigated through policing and other institutional responses. This aligns with GLEPHA’s acknowledgement that traditional approaches have often, in its formulation, systematically made things worse for those they intended to help. The over-reliance on punishment, coercion, and incarceration has not worked, and the field requires alternative approaches grounded in public health principles.

Implications for practice

This vulnerability-centred approach suggests four guiding principles. First, prevention should take precedence over response, addressing structural conditions that create vulnerability rather than managing its consequences. Second, partnership should replace isolation, recognising that no single agency can address complex, intersecting vulnerabilities. Third, inclusion should supplant exclusion, centring the voices and experiences of those experiencing vulnerability. Fourth, health-based responses should be prioritised over punitive ones, treating vulnerability-related behaviours as public health rather than criminal justice issues.

Thematic domain analysis

Analysis of the fourteen conference themes reveals five coherent domains that structure contemporary LEPH work. These domains are not hermetically sealed categories but represent clusters of related concerns with significant interconnections.

Domain one: Vulnerability and population-focused interventions

This domain encompasses Theme 2 (vulnerabilities in public health and law enforcement), Theme 6 (reducing harm in marginalised communities), and Theme 8 (connective professionalism and intersectionality). These themes reflect the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre’s mission to understand how vulnerabilities are produced, exacerbated, and addressed through policing responses.

The focus includes specific populations: those with mental health conditions, neurodivergent individuals, ageing populations, and marginalised communities. The conference materials identify exploitation by county lines drug networks, online child sexual victimisation, domestic abuse, modern slavery, mental illness, and homelessness as requiring coordinated responses that acknowledge intersectionality and multiple co-morbidities.

Innovation areas within this domain include neurodivergence-aware policing practices, elder abuse prevention strategies, harm reduction approaches, and multi-agency responses to complex needs. These align with GLEPHA’s ‘Envisaging the Future’ project, which focuses on innovative solutions to issues that have traditionally been criminalised or over-policed.

Domain two: Prevention and early intervention

This domain comprises Theme 1 (violence prevention through LEPH systemic approaches), Theme 4 (trauma-informed approaches and childhood adversity), and Theme 5 (determinants of health and criminalisation). GLEPHA’s ‘Envisaging the Future’ project specifically focuses on partnership approaches that innovatively explore effective and humane ways of responding to social and public health issues that have traditionally been criminalised or over-policed.

The shift from reactive to preventive models requires understanding how adverse childhood experiences contribute to both health inequalities and criminal behaviour patterns across the life course. Trauma-informed practice, which asks ‘what has happened to this person?’ rather than ‘what is wrong with them?’, represents a fundamental reorientation of professional practice.

Implementation priorities include trauma-informed training for frontline officers, early intervention programmes for children and young people, addressing social determinants through multi-agency partnerships, and violence prevention strategies targeting gender-based violence and youth violence.

Domain three: Technology, data, and ethical practice

Theme 3 (artificial intelligence, digital technology, data, and LEPH) constitutes this domain. The integration of AI and digital technologies in LEPH work presents both opportunities and risks, particularly around privacy, accountability, and community trust. This domain addresses the ethical deployment of predictive analytics whilst ensuring equity and inclusion remain central.

Key areas include ethical data sharing protocols between policing and public health, digital surveillance governance frameworks, cybercrime as a public health issue, and responses to misinformation and disinformation. The challenges of algorithmic decision-making in contexts affecting vulnerable populations require particular scrutiny, given the potential for technological systems to embed and amplify existing biases.

Domain four: Systems, partnerships, and governance

Domain five: Organisational health and global perspectives

This domain includes Theme 7 (globalisation of LEPH), Theme 9 (LEPH professional wellbeing), Theme 13 (policing in secure environments), and Theme 14 (police role in resilience and climate change). GLEPHA’s international membership brings together researchers, policy makers, and practitioners across diverse sectors with the explicit goal of embodying the values it works towards equality, inclusion, and respect.

The association’s global reach encompasses partnerships from Mozambique to Australia, demonstrating practical applications of LEPH principles across diverse contexts. GLEPHA’s international case studies illustrate vulnerability as a global phenomenon requiring locally-appropriate responses. Examples include police work to reduce health vulnerabilities among sex workers in Mozambique through rights-based approaches, Australian programmes addressing trafficking vulnerabilities through coordinated support rather than purely punitive responses, and Liberian initiatives tackling vulnerabilities faced by sexual minorities through social protection rather than criminalisation.

Summary of thematic domains

Domain		Conference themes	Focus areas
1	Vulnerability and population-focused interventions	Themes 2, 6, 8	Mental health, neurodivergence, marginalised communities, intersectionality, harm reduction
2	Prevention and early intervention	Themes 1, 4, 5	Violence prevention, trauma-informed practice, adverse childhood experiences, social determinants, diversion
3	Technology, data, and ethical practice	Theme 3	AI governance, data sharing ethics, digital surveillance, predictive analytics, cybercrime as public health
4	Systems, partnerships, and governance	Themes 10, 11, 12	Whole systems change, connective professionalism, workforce development, sustainable funding, policy frameworks
5	Organisational health and global perspectives	Themes 7, 9, 13, 14	Professional wellbeing, global LEPH applications, secure environments, climate resilience, emergency preparedness

Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The LEPH2026 conference themes offer a significant opportunity to advance multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals through integrated law enforcement and public health approaches. The conference’s emphasis on vulnerability, prevention, and partnership aligns directly with the 2030 Agenda’s commitment to leave no one behind, whilst the trans-disciplinary character of LEPH work embodies the interconnected nature of the SDGs themselves.

SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing

The conference’s focus on trauma-informed approaches, mental health responses, and harm reduction directly supports Target 3.4 (reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promoting mental health) and Target 3.5 (strengthening prevention and treatment of substance abuse). Domain Two’s emphasis on addressing adverse childhood experiences contributes to Target 3.8’s goal of achieving universal health coverage, recognising that early intervention in vulnerability pathways has lifelong health implications. The professional wellbeing theme (Theme 9) also addresses the health of those delivering services, acknowledging that sustainable systems require attention to workforce health.

SDG 5: Gender equality

Violence prevention through LEPH systemic approaches (Theme 1) directly addresses Target 5.2 (eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls) and Target 5.3 (eliminating harmful practices). GLEPHA’s international case studies, including work on gender-based violence in organised crime contexts, demonstrate how police and public health partnerships can develop more effective responses to intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and trafficking. The intersectionality theme (Theme 8) ensures that gender is understood in relation to other axes of disadvantage, supporting nuanced responses to gendered vulnerabilities.

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

The conference’s treatment of vulnerability as produced through structural conditions rather than individual characteristics directly engages with Target 10.2 (empowering and promoting social, economic, and political inclusion) and Target 10.3 (ensuring equal opportunity and reducing inequalities of outcome). Theme 6’s focus on reducing harm in marginalised communities addresses the disproportionate contact that disadvantaged populations have with both criminal justice and health systems. The conference’s attention to Indigenous and First Nations communities, Black and racialised minorities, and other marginalised groups reflects Target 10.2’s emphasis on inclusion irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic status.

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Theme 14’s focus on police roles in resilience and climate change connects directly to Target 11.5 (reducing deaths and economic losses from disasters) and Target 11.b (implementing integrated policies for inclusion, resource efficiency, and disaster risk reduction). Urban violence prevention, a central concern of LEPH partnerships globally, supports Target 11.7’s goal of providing universal access to safe, inclusive public spaces. The whole systems change theme (Theme 11) offers frameworks for the integrated urban governance that sustainable cities require.

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

SDG 16 represents perhaps the most direct alignment with the conference themes. Target 16.1 (significantly reducing all forms of violence) is central to Domain Two’s prevention focus. Target 16.2 (ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and violence against children) connects to the conference’s attention to childhood adversity and exploitation. The vulnerability framework’s critique of punitive approaches supports Target 16.3’s goal of promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice. Theme 3’s focus on ethical technology use addresses Target 16.10 (ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms). The partnerships theme (Theme 10) directly supports Target 16.6 (developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions) and Target 16.7 (ensuring responsive, inclusive, and representative decision-making).

SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

The conference embodies SDG 17’s emphasis on partnerships as the mechanism for achieving sustainable development. GLEPHA’s global membership, spanning over 30 countries, demonstrates Target 17.16’s call for enhanced global partnerships that mobilise and share knowledge and expertise. The data sharing themes within Domain Three support Target 17.18 (enhancing capacity-building support for reliable, disaggregated data). Theme 7’s focus on the globalisation of LEPH contributes to Target 17.9 (enhancing international support for capacity-building in developing countries). The conference itself, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers across sectors and nations, exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships that Target 17.17 identifies as essential for sustainable development.

Integrated approaches to interconnected goals

The value of LEPH approaches to SDG advancement lies not only in addressing individual goals but in recognising their interconnections. The conference’s vulnerability framework demonstrates how health inequalities (SDG 3), gender-based violence (SDG 5), structural discrimination (SDG 10), unsafe communities (SDG 11), and weak institutions (SDG 16) are mutually reinforcing. Interventions that address vulnerability at its roots, rather than managing its symptoms through siloed responses, offer the integrated approaches that the 2030 Agenda requires.

GLEPHA’s principle that societies are only as safe as they are healthy, and only as healthy as they are safe, encapsulates this interdependence. The conference provides a platform for developing the evidence base, professional networks, and policy frameworks needed to translate this principle into practice across diverse national contexts.

Cross-cutting principles

Equity and inclusion

All themes emphasise addressing marginalisation, with particular attention to Indigenous and First Nations communities, Black and racialised minorities, and people with lived experience. This aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (good health and wellbeing), 10 (reduced inequalities), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions).

Evidence-informed practice

The themes reflect a commitment to research-led innovation, evaluation, and continuous improvement in LEPH partnerships. GLEPHA’s mission to facilitate formal research and disseminate what is learned provides the institutional foundation for this evidence-informed approach.

Implications for research and practice

The LEPH2026 conference themes carry substantial implications for both academic inquiry and operational practice. As the field matures under GLEPHA’s stewardship, there is an increasing imperative to develop robust evidence bases whilst simultaneously translating research findings into practical interventions. This section outlines the key priorities and mechanisms through which research and practice can be advanced in tandem.

Research priorities

Four research priorities emerge from this analysis, each addressing critical gaps in the current evidence base. First, evaluation studies of trauma-informed policing interventions are required to build the evidence base for these approaches. Rigorous randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs should assess not only individual outcomes but also systemic effects on police-community relations and service integration. Second, longitudinal research on vulnerability trajectories and intervention outcomes would enhance understanding of how vulnerabilities develop and can be addressed across the life course. Such research should employ mixed methods approaches that capture both quantitative indicators and the lived experiences of those navigating vulnerability. Third, implementation science studies of partnership effectiveness would support the translation of promising approaches into routine practice, examining the contextual factors that facilitate or impede successful LEPH collaboration. Fourth, digital ethics research in LEPH contexts would address the challenges posed by emerging technologies, including algorithmic bias, surveillance implications, and the governance frameworks needed to ensure equitable outcomes.

Beyond these four priorities, the conference themes also point towards emerging research agendas in climate-related vulnerabilities and policing responses to environmental crises, the mental health and wellbeing of LEPH professionals themselves, and comparative international studies that examine how different national contexts shape LEPH implementation.

Practice development

Practice development needs span workforce development, organisational change, and systemic transformation. Training programmes integrating public health perspectives into policing education must move beyond one-off sessions towards sustained professional development that reshapes occupational cultures and decision-making frameworks. Policy frameworks supporting multi-agency working require attention to information governance, resource allocation, and accountability structures that often impede effective partnership. Community engagement strategies prioritising lived experience demand authentic co-production rather than tokenistic consultation, ensuring that those with direct experience of vulnerability shape service design and delivery. Technology governance ensuring ethical AI deployment requires cross-sectoral dialogue about acceptable uses, transparency requirements, and redress mechanisms.

These developments require sustained investment and cultural change within both policing and public health organisations. Leadership commitment, resource allocation, and performance frameworks that incentivise collaboration rather than silo-based working are essential preconditions for meaningful progress.

Summary of research and practice priorities

The following table summarises the key research and practice priorities emerging from the conference themes, identifying the relevant domains, methodological approaches, and expected outcomes.

Priority area	Research approach	Practice implications	Related domains
Trauma-informed policing	RCTs, quasi-experimental designs, mixed-methods evaluation	Training curricula, response protocols, supervision frameworks	Domains 1, 2
Vulnerability trajectories	Longitudinal cohort studies, biographical narrative methods	Early intervention targeting, lifecourse service planning	Domains 1, 2
Partnership effectiveness	Implementation science, realist evaluation, comparative case studies	Governance frameworks, funding models, co-location strategies	Domain 4
Digital ethics in LEPH	Algorithmic audit studies, participatory design research, legal analysis	AI governance policies, data sharing protocols, transparency mechanisms	Domain 3
Workforce development	Competency mapping, training evaluation, organisational culture studies	Curriculum reform, CPD programmes, leadership development	Domains 4, 5
Global LEPH applications	Cross-national comparative studies, policy transfer analysis	Context-sensitive adaptation, international networks, knowledge exchange	Domain 5

Conclusion

The LEPH2026 conference themes demonstrate the maturation of law enforcement and public health as a field under GLEPHA’s leadership, moving from ad-hoc collaborations towards systematic, evidence-informed approaches. The adoption of vulnerability as the central organising concept represents a substantive theoretical and practical development, shifting attention from individual deficits towards the institutional and structural conditions that create, sustain, or ameliorate vulnerability.

This reframing positions LEPH partnerships as having the potential to transform not just individual outcomes but the broader social conditions that shape community safety and wellbeing. The conference themes reflect a field that is confident in its theoretical foundations whilst remaining attentive to the practical challenges of implementation across diverse global contexts.

Professor Stan Gilmour KPM

GLEPHA Fellow

References and resources

LEPH2026 Conference: https://leph2026.org/

Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association: https://glepha.com/

ESRC Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre: https://vulnerabilityandpolicing.org/