''Law and Disorder in Philadelphia'' (also titled ''Killadelphia'') is a 2008 British documentary by
Louis Theroux
Louis Sebastian Theroux (; born 20 May 1970) is a British-American documentarian, journalist, broadcaster, and author. He has received two British Academy Television Awards and a Royal Television Society Television Award.
After graduating fro ...
.
Theroux investigates the high
crime
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...
rates in one of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
' largest cities,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, mainly from the perspective of the local police as well as people affected by, and possibly involved in, crime in the city's low-income neighborhoods.
Reception
The programme was met with a mixed response. ''The Independent'' said "It was a fascinating film, though, in part because of the utter dereliction of this particular patch of the inner city, but also because it confirmed that The Wire had, if anything, understated its portrait of civil breakdown."
''The Times'' described it as "It was a depressing tour streaked with black humour but Theroux seemed out of depth analysing what he saw. He is at his best getting to know and under the skin of his subjects."
See also
*
Crime in Philadelphia
Philadelphia consistently ranks above the national average in terms of crime, especially violent offenses. It has the highest violent crime rate of the ten American cities with a population greater than 1 million residents as well as the highest p ...
References
{{Louis Theroux
Louis Theroux's BBC Two specials
BBC television documentaries
2008 television specials
Documentary films about Philadelphia
Crime in Philadelphia
Fictional portrayals of the Philadelphia Police Department
Television episodes set in Philadelphia
BBC travel television series