An expert on criminal justice and public safety, Rafael Mangual is the Nick Ohnell Fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, and a contributing editor of the Institute’s flagship publication, City Journal. His first book, Criminal (In)Justice: What the push for decarceration and depolicing gets wrong and who it hurts most, was published in July of 2022 by Center Street, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. In 2022, Rafael was elected to the Council on Criminal Justice; and in 2020, he was appointed to serve a four-year term on the New York State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Rafael regularly appears on both national and local television and radio to comment on issues of crime, justice, and safety. His writing on these issues has been featured in a wide array of publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

His expertise is regularly sought by policymaking bodies, including committees of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, before which Rafael has testified on multiple occasions.