An Announcement from the UK

The Ministry of Justice and the Empirical Legal Research Support Network are holding a half-day conference:

CHANGING THE RESEARCH LANDSCAPE--THE CREATION OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE: IMPLICATIONS FOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IN LAW AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Date: Tuesday 18 December 2007

Time: 2-5 pm (Registration from 1:30pm)

Venue: Royal Statistical Society, 12 Errol St, London EC1Y 8LX

The creation of the new Ministry of Justice fundamentally changes the context for undertaking empirical research into law and justice issues. The traditions and practices of the Home Office were very different from those of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. This conference is a first opportunity for those within the new Ministry to inform the research community about how they see research developing, and the contribution external researchers will make to their research activity.

Details of the programme are still being finalised, but it is hoped that it will include:

1. Keynote address by Professor Paul Wiles
2. Introduction to current and future research priorities by research leaders in the new Ministry
3. Breakout discussion groups to consider specific issues. These could include*:
• Developing stronger relationships between the policy and research communities;
• Developing closer links within the research community (to explore more readily how lessons in one area, e.g. criminal justice, might read across into other areas, e.g. civil justice or family justice);
• The scope for better integration of the research activity of academics and private researchers and research consultancies;
• The role of external funders in the new research environment;
• The future of the Socio-Legal Research Users Forum/other standing links between government and the research community.4. Feedback/Questions and Answers/ Next steps - with commentary from invited academic researchers

Who should attend? Empirical researchers – whether in university, research consultancies, private researchers, and empirical research funders with interests in the justice system

This is an open invitation, but numbers are limited so those planning to attend must register their interest as soon as possible. Places will be allocated on a strictly first come first served basis. Expressions of interest should be received no later than 31st October 2007. Confirmation that you have a place (or are being held on a reserve list) will be emailed by mid November.

*When replying please indicate whether there are other issues that you would like to see discussed in the breakout discussion groups. We will try to accommodate these in the final programme.

All initial replies to Marc Mason @ [email protected]

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Editor's Note: Check out www.homeoffice.gov.uk, www.justice.gov.uk, and <http://www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/socio-legal/empirical/ for additional background info.