Annual Conference Call for Abstracts
Call for Abstracts Submissions
The 2027 Annual Program Committee of the Homicide Research Working Group (HRWG) is seeking abstract submissions for thematic symposia, oral presentations, roundtable discussions, workshops or training sessions, and case studies on research encompassing all aspects of homicide and homicide prevention from a wide variety of disciplines (e.g., criminology, sociology, psychology, public health, nursing, medicine, economics, public policy, forensic science), and focus areas (e.g., youth violence, community violence, firearm-related violence, intimate partner violence, bias homicide, organized crime, homicide trends, homicide investigations, homicide prevention, victimology, criminal behavior, mental health, cross-cultural or historical perspectives). The committee is particularly interested in multi-disciplinary research that informs policy and practice.
Guidelines
Authors may submit proposals for thematic symposia, oral presentations, roundtable discussions, workshops/training sessions, or case study presentations.
Only submissions that follow the provided requirements will be considered. All submissions will undergo a review process, with priority given to submissions demonstrating innovative or rigorous methodological approaches or impactful results or relevance for the field.
Accepted submissions are expected to be presented in-person at the meeting taking place June 1-4, 2027. in partnership with the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Women’s & Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Greenville, SC. We do not anticipate options for pre-recorded or virtual presentations. All presenters must be current members of HRWG and will be expected to pay applicable conference registration fees. Authors of accepted presentations are required to submit a final copy of their presentation materials one week prior to the conference date in order to avoid any technical difficulties and delays during the event.
Note: The conference planning committee will monitor the status of any travel restrictions or other unplanned circumstances and may consider switching to a virtual format. In this event, the committee will keep submitters informed as those details become available. However, submitters should plan for the conference to take place in person.
Important Dates
- Opening of Submissions: Thursday, October 1st
- Submission Deadline: Monday, February 1st
- Decision emails will be sent by Sunday, March 1st
- Final presentation materials emailed to planning committee by Monday, May 24th
- Annual Conference: June 1-4, 2027
All abstracts must be submitted through the online submission system located on the HRWG website. The program committee will not accept emailed abstracts.
Please contact the Program Committee Chair, Michele Covington, at [email protected] with any questions.
Oral Presentation Submission
Oral Presentation Guidelines:
Oral Presentations are brief 10-15 minute oral presentations delivered by an abstract author or team. Presentations will be selected to fill a panel session organized around a specific topic. The final length of the individual presentation will be determined after the final conference schedule is set. Oral presentations are intended to present empirical findings / completed or near-complete work.
Submission Requirements
- Presentation Title
- Name of author(s) and affiliation(s)
- An abstract limited to 400 words organized around the following topic headings:
- Background/Purpose
- Methods/Approach
- Results/Outcome
- Conclusions/Implications
- Limitations/Next Steps
- Submission is only eligible when all work has sufficient maturity (i.e., completed results or strong preliminary findings).
Thematic Symposia Submission
Symposia Guidelines:
Symposia are 90-minute sessions with up to 3 presentations on a similar topic or issue, with the goal of presenting a topic in greater depth and breadth in order to stimulate discussion. These are intended to present empirical findings / completed or near-complete work. The presenters will speak for 20 minutes each, leaving at least 30 minutes for discussion and Q & A.
Submission Requirements
- Symposia proposals should be submitted by one contact person. Those submitting a symposium proposal must identify all speakers and presentations that will occur in the proposed session.
Submission should include:
-
- Session Title
- Short description (400 words or less) of the symposia theme
- List of speakers and affiliations
- 400-word abstract for each paper to be presented in the symposia, organized around the following topic headings:
- Background/purpose
- Methods/approach
- Results/outcome
- Conclusions/implications
- A list of proposed takeaways
- Submission is only eligible when all work has sufficient maturity (i.e., completed results or strong preliminary findings).
Roundtable Submission
Roundtable Guidelines:
Roundtable submissions are more informal and are reserved for presentations that may be in beginning stages or not complete. These can also be used to stimulate discussion surrounding a specific theme or topic or provoke new ideas. These are usually not intended to present empirical findings or completed work. A roundtable discussion can include multiple presenters and a discussant or moderator.
Submission Requirements
- Roundtable proposals should be submitted by one contact person. Those submitting a roundtable proposal must identify all speakers and presentations that will occur in the proposed session.
Submission should include:
- Presentation Title
- Name of all presenter(s) and affiliation(s), specifying the moderator or discussant (if applicable)
- Brief summary of the topic to be discussed (maximum of 400 words) formatting around the following topic headings:
- Description of topic
- Rationale/Relevance
- Methods (if applicable)
- Implications
Case Study Submission
Case Study Guidelines:
Case study session are context-rich “on-the-ground” reports, reflecting how homicide review, intervention, or programmatic work has been done in specific localities or communities, with lessons learned.
Submission Requirements
- Case study session proposals should be submitted by one contact person. Those submitting a proposal must identify all speakers and presentations that will occur in the proposed session.
Submission should include:
- Title of presentation
- Name, affiliation, and short bio of presenter(s)
- Brief summary of 400 words or less organized around the following topic areas:
- Description of the setting
- Objectives/Goals
- Methods/Implementation
- Results/Outcomes
- Reflections/Lessons learned
- Challenges/Take Aways
- Any supplementary materials needed
Workshop / Training Session Submission
Workshop / Training Session Guidelines:
Workshops / training sessions are 90 minute structured, skill-building or capacity-building sessions. These sessions may have more than one instructor. All instructors are required to provide their own materials.
Submission Requirements
- Workshop or training session proposals should be submitted by one contact person. Those submitting a proposal must identify all speakers and presentations that will occur in the proposed session.
Submission should include:
- Title of workshop or training session
- Name, affiliation, and short bio of instructor(s)
- Brief summary of the workshop or training, including proposed format (maximum of 400 words)
- At least 3 learning objectives and expected outcomes
- Target audience (practitioners, academics, mixed)
- If relevant: information about datasets, code, software to be provided or required