Immediate response to natural disasters relies on our criminal justice professionals to be part of the emergency response team. As shown with more intense hurricanes impacting coastal areas, ice storms in Texas, fires in California, heatwaves in the Northeast and Midwest with many of these communities further stressed from other threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of attention has been focused on issues pertaining to infrastructure and economic sustainability with less attention on the criminal justice system. This webinar is a conversation to discuss impending threats and the challenges climate-related disasters pose for law enforcement, prison systems, defense agencies, government offices, and communities. Compounding threats in our natural environment may lead to new expectations for emergency responders, new situations, a rise in crimes or actions committed under duress, and pose new expectations to community groups, homeowners, landlords, first responders, and emergency response agencies. Existing decision-making tools allow law enforcement agencies to identify strategies for planning and policy development. Exploring lessons learned and potential recommendations to address these challenges and identifying how natural hazards and public health threats are relevant to practice.

Free to attend the live webinar event.