May 9As two inmates escape from a Philadelphia prison, deeper problems come to lightTwo inmates identified as Ameen Hurst, 18, and Nasir Grant, 24, escaped from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC) at 8301 State Road in the Northeast around 8:30 p.m. Sunday by cutting a hole in a fence surrounding a recreation yard. A citywide manhunt is underway for the men, one…Ariel Benjamin Mannes5 min readAriel Benjamin Mannes5 min read
Mar 27Ben Mannes: City leaders condemn police officer over false accusationUpdate: Four days after Police Commissioner Outlaw originally tweeted about the incident, she replied to her own tweet and provided a statement that cleared the officer of the accusations of using a racial slur. + + + Last Friday, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw tweeted about “concerning behavior” regarding an arrest…Police6 min readPolice6 min read
Feb 3Ben Mannes: Not just Memphis — How we can learn from the death of Tyre NicholsThe murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Memphis police officers has again brought about a national conversation about police brutality. …Ben Mannes8 min readBen Mannes8 min read
Jan 9Ben Mannes: The curious case of Omar DennisOn March 7, 1994, amid the bloody years of the crack epidemic, seventeen-year-old Omar Dennis of North Philadelphia had gotten into a fist fight with 21-year-old Chalmos Jones at 20th and York Streets. He lost. …Crime4 min readCrime4 min read
Dec 21, 2022Ben Mannes: Krasner’s latest scandal — missing victim fundsMany cities that backed the “ defund the police” movement are caught between the harsh realities of high crime and understaffed public safety agencies, while placed in the precarious position of serving a political base with an irrational hatred of law enforcement. This is the position Philadelphia’s political leaders found…Crime5 min readCrime5 min read
Dec 8, 2022Ben Mannes: Questions about the accuracy of Philadelphia’s homicide statisticsAt the time of the writing of this article, the Philadelphia Police Department reports a year-to-date homicide total of 482, a decline of 41 murders from this date last year. Normally, a eight percent decline in murders would be great news in a city that desperately needs some. …Crime3 min readCrime3 min read
Nov 29, 2022Ben Mannes: Rising crime is a referendum on identity politicsOn Nov. 20, 2022, FOX 29’s Steve Keeley reported that there were four homicides in just the last six weeks in the small Delaware County borough of Yeadon. …Criminal Justice6 min readCriminal Justice6 min read
Oct 12, 2022Philadelphia Police Department’s accreditation is up for revocation again | Ariel Benjamin MannesThe Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Committee (PLEAC) has informed the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh police departments that their accreditations are once again in jeopardy, after those agencies narrowly escaped having their accreditations revoked at a PLEAC board meeting in the summer. Broad + Liberty first reported on July 21 that the…Philadelphia5 min readPhiladelphia5 min read
Sep 21, 2022Ben Mannes: Rising crime’s impact on the midterm electionsAs violent crime skyrockets in many of America’s largest cities, Philadelphia included, public safety has become a major concern for voters who report not feeling safe in their communities. According to a Gallup poll from earlier this year, a majority of Americans worry a “great deal” about crime. …Ariel Benjamin Mannes5 min readAriel Benjamin Mannes5 min read
Sep 7, 2022Ben Mannes: Is Krasner violating the civil rights of Philadelphia police officers?Crime has risen each year since the election of District Attorney Larry Krasner, and state legislators have called for greater oversight and transparency in the District Attorney’s Office. At the same time, law enforcement unions are calling for possible civil suits, impeachment, or corruption investigations considering an apparent double standard…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
