With
over 100 victims daily and untold human and economic costs, the overdose crisis
is one of the most formidable societal challenges of our time. In contrast to
prior drug-related crises, this opioid “epidemic” has elicited a response many
have characterized by health-oriented, rather than punitive, approaches. It was
not until recently that additional attention has been leveled against
increasing reliance on criminal law, law enforcement, and coercive tools now
being mounted to combat this public health challenge. This panel brings
together a group of diverse scholars, all of whom research criminal and other
legal strategies to address health challenges. Drawing on brand new empirical
analyses, political developments, and recent judicial decisions, the panel will
provide interdisciplinary insights and critiques of emerging “hot” trends in
legal landscapes, prosecutorial strategies, surveillance programs, and policing
interventions increasingly deployed to tackle the overdose crisis. Issues
covered will include data privacy in view of expanding government surveillance,
reliance on harsh sentencing, empirical analysis of legal immunity statutes,
and the use of discretion in innovative law enforcement programs. A discussion
of implications for better calibrated legal tools and policing strategies in
addressing the crisis will conclude the panel.