Author

Dana DiFilippo comes to the New Jersey Monitor from WHYY, Philadelphia’s NPR station, and the Philadelphia Daily News, a paper known for exposing corruption and holding public officials accountable. Prior to that, she worked at newspapers in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and suburban Philadelphia and has freelanced for various local and national magazines, newspapers and websites. She lives in Central Jersey with her husband, a photojournalist, and their two children.
‘Zombie drug’ the newest hurdle in the fight to reduce drug deaths
By: Dana DiFilippo and Daniella Heminghaus - May 16, 2023
Drug deaths are down, but New Jersey's drug fighters say the horse sedative xylazine creates new challenges to ensure the death toll doesn't rise.
Protestors blast gender-affirming care, sex ed in schools, more
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 15, 2023
About 60 people rallied in Trenton for parental choice, complaining about school sex ed standards, legislation on transgender care, and more.
New report on police misconduct underscores disparities in cop discipline
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 12, 2023
Police watchdogs say details missing from a new state report on police misconduct prove why full transparency is needed.
Officer misconduct on the rise, as more face major discipline, report shows
By: Dana DiFilippo, Nikita Biryukov and Sophie Nieto-Munoz - May 10, 2023
Major discipline against law enforcement in New Jersey crept up in 2022, with corrections officers the busiest offenders, a new report shows.
Critics of Gibbstown plan for liquefied gas transport warn of global-warming impact
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 9, 2023
A plan to move liquefied natural gas by truck and train to Gibbstown for overseas export would spew tons of greenhouse gases, a study found.
Rutgers unions ratify contracts, ending strife-filled spring
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 8, 2023
Most of the 9,000 faculty members who called a historic strike last month voted to ratify union contracts Monday.
Shifting policy on prison placement of transgender people sparks scrutiny
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 8, 2023
Most transgender people in New Jersey prisons are not housed in facilities that match their gender identity, data shows.
Lawsuits cost New Jersey taxpayers $177 million last year
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 5, 2023
New Jersey settled almost 400 lawsuits in 2022, paying out $177 million. At the same time, the state took in $435 million in cases it filed.
New Jersey Supreme Court again affirms public’s civil rights in warrantless police searches
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 3, 2023
Police cannot search someone's property or belongings without a warrant unless "exigent circumstances" exist, the N.J. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
Local police flout state rules to discourage public reporting of police misconduct, report finds
By: Dana DiFilippo - May 3, 2023
Local police practices appear intended to discourage complaints against cops, especially among some segments of the population, the report says.
In ‘marquee’ Senate primary, two former allies compete for GOP nod
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 28, 2023
Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer is challenging Sen. Ed Durr for his seat in the GOP primary in South Jersey's 3rd legislative district.
Lags in criminal justice reporting raise reformers’ concerns about transparency
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 27, 2023
Delays plague public reporting of police major discipline and other metrics the Attorney General oversees, sparking transparency concerns.