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The death of people at the hands of police officers affects not only the individuals involved but the well-being of the community at large, and a tally of such fatalities can and should be maintained for public health purposes, a group of Harvard University researchers has written. Wading into the intersection of several highly charged public debates, a group of public health researchers has written that law enforcement-related deaths -- both of police officers and of members of the public -- are not strictly a criminal justice concern. (Healy, 12/8)

Mass shootings and police shootings have spurred calls for authorities to take action to reduce the violence. But policymakers may be stymied by the dearth of public health research into both gun violence and deaths that involve the police. One big obstacle: congressional restrictions on funding of such research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Right now, the CDC studies all kinds of violence. There's a program on child abuse and youth violence, and the public health agency collects data on suicides and sexual assaults. (Kodjak, 12/8)