Ben Graham

Dr. Benjamin A.T. Graham is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at University of Southern California, a principal investigator in the Security and Political Economy (SPEC) Lab and Research Director for the Law Enforcement Work Inquiry System (LEWIS). He leads the Everyday Respect research project, a multidisciplinary team building innovative, open-source AI tools grounded in diverse community perspectives. The team applies those tools to answer urgent empirical questions about the foundations of legitimate policing, the determinants of (de)escalation, and patterns in the quality of policing provided across communities. Core aims include transparency, accountability, and learning, with a focus on police traffic stops.