Book Launch

In recent years, the UK has seen the emergence of a new approach to violence reduction—the public health approach. This method prioritises early intervention and holistic support to prevent violence upstream. This movement, based in part on the success story of violence reduction in Scotland, has led to the founding of more than twenty Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales, and more than £200m of funding to support evidence-based interventions.

In this one-off event, in association with the Mannheim Centre for Criminology, we launch the findings of a new book, The Public Health Approach to Violence Reduction: Stories, Movements & Hope (OUP, 2026), that interrogates the past, present and future of the public health approach. We interviewed nearly 200 people, from all walks of life - from former First Ministers to community organisers, young people to senior civil servants - to ask a simple question: what lessons can we learn from the past to inform the future? Although the question was simple the answers are more challenging. We argue for the need for a revolution in violence reduction - to build a new movement for change that connects the dots between policy and the street.

But this isn’t about looking backwards. In this event we are bringing together some of the leading voices in violence reduction policy and practice, to prompt honest discussion about the future of violence reduction in the UK. Across two panels, we’ll bring arguments from the book into dialogue with policymakers and leaders from community organisations.

Please come along and join the conversation. There will be a drinks reception to follow.

Outline of the event

Introduction by Tim Newburn (London School of Economics)

Book talk

Alistair Fraser (University of Glasgow)

Keir Irwin-Rodgers (Open University)

Fern Gillon (University of Strathclyde)

Panel 1 - Violence reduction policy

Susan McVie (University of Edinburgh)

Lara Snowdon (Public Health Wales)

Lib Peck (Director, London Violence Reduction Unit)

Panel 2 - Community-based youth practice

Luke Billingham (Open University and Hackney Quest)

Emily Cutts (G20 Youth, Glasgow)

Joyclen Brodie-Mends (Buffong MBE, RISE 365 London)

Drinks reception

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