Professor Doctor Jonathan P. Shepherd, D.D.Sc., Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Director of the Institute for Crime, Security and Justice Innovation
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Professor Dr. Jonathan P. Shepherd graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from King’s College, University of London, a Master’s degree in specialist training in Oral Surgery from the University of Oxford, and a Doctorate from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. He served as Director of Cardiff University’s Violence Research Group for 22 years.
Professor Dr. Shepherd’s significant achievement was development and implementation of the “Cardiff Model for Violence Prevention”
Due to injuries from various violent incidents, which constitute a significant public issue in the country, there have been substantial losses in terms of injuries, lives, and emotional, psychological impacts, as well as economic consequences. Research findings by Professor Dr. Shepherd have shown that severe crime problems lead to a high number of patients seeking treatment in hospital emergency departments. However,
most of these incidents, up to 75%, are unreported, leaving law enforcement and authorities unaware of them. Consequently, a data linkage was established between hospitals and the police to analyze frequent incident locations, times, as well as the scale and types of violence. This led to the creation of the Cardiff Model, which can
be effectively used for planning violence prevention. The number of patients needing emergency department services significantly decreased by 42%, helping to reduce healthcare costs related to injuries considerably.
The Cardiff Model was developed between 1997 and 2001, and first implemented in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, and later in London. It proved highly effective in reducing the impact of violent incidents, leading to its adoption throughout United Kingdom and later in multiple other countries, including Australia, the Netherlands, South Africa, Colombia, Jamaica, Canada and the United States. The World Health Organization has used it for violence prevention among children, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also applied it.
The Cardiff Model is now recognized as a vital public health tool and innovation for reducing community violence. It has significantly helped decrease loss of life and property, enhanced the quality of life in various communities, and gained acceptance across continents, benefiting the health of hundreds of millions worldwide.