Bio
Jonathan Ben-Menachem is a Ph.D student and Paul F. Lazarsfeld Fellow in the Sociology department at Columbia University. His research interests include political economy and punishment, with a particular focus on non-coercive institutions and social relations that make communities safe. Before joining Columbia, Jonathan worked at the Fines and Fees Justice Center, where he designed and managed the organization’s Clearinghouse, a research library documenting American fines and fees practices & efforts to end related harms. He is also a journalist and commentary contributor, primarily focused on policing, incarceration, fiscal austerity, and the politics surrounding these topics. His writing has been published by The Appeal, Slate, Shadowproof, and Current Affairs.