Norman E. Taylor*
When we launched this peer-reviewed, open-access journal in 2016 (Taylor, 2016), I wrote in my opening Editorial about the dual challenges of discovery and invention.
We may discover that society generally acts in ways that are regular and predictable enough to be defined. But we must also invent the experimental techniques, research methods and organization for testing, exhibiting, and ultimately applying what we learn. In effect, we must invent the means to travel from research, to practice, to the ultimate alignment of the systems that are intended to serve.
In outlining the ambitious mission upon which we were then embarking, I added:
[The Journal stands] to both contribute and gain from wider participation in global efforts to advance new solutions, and to back up those solutions with genuine knowledge, proven practices, and relevant social science research. Together, we can discover and invent, and with the clarity of social science to guide us, we might just change the way we all do business.
In May of 2016, I also offered this: “This Journal emerges into a time of important and necessary discovery.”
Oh, what times they have turned out to be.
Thus, it is with enormous pride on behalf of our full journal team that today I introduce this milestone publication, our first Special Supplement Issue. It is an issue simply packed with the fulfillment of many of those early ambitions. The in-depth lead-off Editorial from our Guest Editors, along with the Editorial from Lauren Jackson, representing our Supplement Sponsor, both do a far better job than I could of positioning the “Envisaging Healthy and Safe Communities: Worldwide Lessons in Police and Public Health Partnerships” research project and the resulting papers. Suffice it to say the scope is truly global, the span of the collaborative models explored is broadly instructive, and the work of the contributing authors is simply equal parts inspired and inspirational.
One of the challenges of publishing a truly global collection of voices in an English-language publication is to balance consistency and readability with the authenticity of the works. We have tried our best to achieve the former with full respect to the latter. It is important, in our view, that the local nuances in language and practice, along with the wide variety of political structures and social realities reflected, continue to come through as clearly as possible. We thank all of the contributing authors for their patience, flexibility, and cooperation throughout all stages of this production. We extend similar thanks to the wide array of peer reviewers for their work in supporting these aims, while ensuring high standards of editorial quality in all of the papers.
In leading this effort, Guest Editors Nick Crofts and Marc Krupanski have been outstanding and tireless in their multiple roles as mentors to the authors, ambassadors for the mission, and curators of an exemplary worldwide collection. In cooperation with Senior Contributing Editor Matt Torigian, they have all passionately championed this project every step of the way.
Our unparalleled publishing team at SG Publishing have held the baton throughout to ensure that every stage of the publication process would remain on track and on tempo, while gently guiding and supporting an enormous cast, yours truly included.
And finally, none of this would have been possible without the generous support of our Supplement Sponsor, Deloitte. As a worldwide professional firm that frequently serves and interacts with the entire spectrum of community safety and well-being sectors, they have clearly recognized the urgency of responding to our times and the importance of advancing a rich and growing body of evidence to support proven and promising practice.
We extend to them our gratitude for helping us all to share, to discover, and to invent our way to better solutions for global society.
The author has continuing business interests that include providing advisory services to communities, police services and related human service agencies.
Taylor, N. E. (2016). Your invitation to a new partnership in discovery and invention. Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being, 1(1), 1–2.
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Journal of CSWB, VOLUME 7, Suppl 1, July 2022