For Immediate Release: December 11, 2023

Contact: Amaury Ávalos, Communications Director, Criminal Justice & Public Safety Cluster, amaury.avalos@phila.gov,(917) 992-9319 

Adara Combs, Victim Advocate for the City of Philadelphia, Appointed to Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency

PHILADELPHIA – On November 29, 2023, Governor Josh Shapiro appointed Adara Combs, Esq., the City of Philadelphia’s Victim Advocate, to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime Delinquency (PCCD). The appointment is in recognition of Combs’ admirable dedication to serving all Philadelphians and tirelessly advocating for victims’ rights. 

“Those who are closest to the pain should be closest to the power, and Adara Combs is a living embodiment of that principle,” Lt. Gov. Austin Davis reflected, when asked about Adara as a choice for the PCCD. “Her personal experience as someone who has lost family members to gun violence shapes her perspective and informs her work leading the Office of Victim Advocate in Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will benefit greatly from her experience and expertise.”

Combs is a former prosecutor who graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and Franklin Marshall College. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts, Combs joined the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Eventually, she took her passion for pursuing justice in the legal system and attended the Beasley School of Law at Temple University, earning her Juris Doctorate. As a prosecutor, Combs focused on victim-centered crimes, where her work eventually attracted the attention of Mayor Jim Kenney, who appointed Combs as Philadelphia’s first Victim Advocate. In this role she continues to lead efforts to elevate the voices of those impacted by violence, after being confirmed by City Council. 

“It is an honor to have been appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime Delinquency by Governor Shapiro,” said Philadelphia Victim Advocate Adara Combs. “My current role as a Victim Advocate in Philadelphia has revealed the stark gap between system intentions and their actual impact on the communities they are meant to protect. Serving on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is an opportunity to address this disconnect. I’m grateful to Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis for the opportunity to serve on PCCD, as well as Representative Jordan Harris and Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson for their support of my appointment. I look forward  to continuing to elevate the voices of our communities and to ensure needs are met with meaningful action, compassion, and strategic planning.” 

PCCD was established by Act 274 of 1978 and serves as the justice planning and policymaking agency for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commission convenes a wide range of experts in the fields of criminal and juvenile justice, victim services, and related professions. In the 2023/24 budget, PCCD received $23,583,000 to support programs and practices that promote justice for all citizens and communities in the commonwealth.

“Governor Josh Shapiro’s appointment of Adara Combs to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is a testament to his commitment to justice,” said Representative Jordan Harris, Majority Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “Combs brings unique experience and unwavering dedication to victim-centered justice, aligning seamlessly with the PCCD’s mission. Her leadership locally and nationally, recognized influence, and commitment to collaborative justice make her a valuable asset to the PCCD. Governor Shapiro’s appointment signifies a strategic move toward a more just and compassionate Pennsylvania.”

Adara Combs began her tenure on the Commission November 27, 2023.