Dr. Joshu Harris

Biography

Joshu Harris is a lecturer at Penn Carey Law and a prominent advocate for community safety and justice reform. With a decade of experience shaping local and national policy, he has been actively involved in initiatives that address gun violence and opioid crises. His work has been featured in major media outlets including NBC News and The Washington Post. In his local capacity, Joshu serves as the deputy director of strategy at Philadelphia's Office of Public Safety, where he played a crucial role in implementing the city's community safety strategy, leading to the largest drop in homicides and non-fatal shootings in local history. He is also the chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Gun Violence and has co-founded the ABA’s presidential Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws. Joshu earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and has clerked for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College with a degree in American Studies. A proud resident of Fishtown, Philadelphia, he balances his professional life with being a public school parent and an advocate for local community initiatives.

Research Interests