Law Commons^™

The Federal Government’S Ability To Respond To A Major Terrorist Attack: Issues, Concerns And Inadequacies In The Disaster Law Construct, M. Jonathan Gil

Michael J Gil

The cunning and zeal of the world’s terrorist organizations require that this country prepare itself for large-scale disaster relief operations. As it stands, the Stafford Act, as well as federal and local government policies are lacking. The federal government has floundered in past situations, and Americans have died as a result. In order to remedy these shortcomings, the government should take two different stances: hands on, and hands off. The hands-on approach is designed to address the shortfalls of past disaster response and the current system, while the hands-off approach is designed to allow the entire relief operation to operate …

Law In The Time Of Cholera: Teaching Disaster Law As A Research Course, Neal R. Axton

Faculty Scholarship

Disaster law is fun to teach but it has a serious purpose. Emergencies will inevitably arise but how society responds to them will determine whether or not they become full-blown disasters. Training law students to adapt to dynamic situations will give them the skills they need in a world facing global warming, resource depletion, and a burgeoning population. By creating a more robust legal system, we can create a more resilient society.

Originally published in the May 2011 issue of AALL Spectrum.