The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "Harris County" ...
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"DWI Death Capital"
KHOU-TV set out to answer a frightening question: Why is Harris County, Texas "the DWI death capital of the country?" Employees of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission revealed "little-known amendments" that offer immunity to bars and bartenders "from civil liability" or "state administrative action" that could result from the state law that prevents over-serving alcohol.
Tags: Safe Harbor; TABC; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; dram shop; liquor distributors; drunk driving; bartender; public records; Texas Public Information Act; Harris County
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"Domestic Silence"
Domestic violence is out of control in Ohio. This investigative report finds that men "charged with domestic violence" multiple times in multiple years only served an "average of two weeks" behind bars. Since 2000, the request for restraining orders has doubled in the state of Ohio. Reporters also found that the state spends $1 billion a year in "medical and social services" to pay for domestic violence.
Tags: domestic violence; restraining orders; civil-protection order; Franklin County; abuse; Marian Harris; Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence; Ohio Domestic Violence Network
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For Their Own Good
This story exposes juveniles, who are to serve trial as adults, are being held in isolation for over 20 hours a day. This process can last months or years while these juveniles wait for trial. The jail provides "less than the required minimum amount of education and physical activity". This story also revealed that judges and county officials weren't aware of the treatment of these juveniles. Though, state juvenile justice advocates were aware of the process, they did nothing to stop it.
Tags: Harris county; juveniles; solitary confinement; adults; judges; Texas; youth; prisons; jail; justice department; kids
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A Dangerous Lesson
Schools in Harris County were found to be hiding reports of campus crime from the state agency, in addition to watering down the seriousness of offenses ranging from assault charges to weapon and drug possession. One school didn't have any reports on paper of fighting or drug possession for an entire year.
Tags: school shooting; student code of conduct; sexual assault; misreporting; No Child Left Behind;
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The Email Trial
After requesting records from the Harris County Sheriff's Office to investigate possible corruption of the local County Commissioner, over 750,000 emails were deleted.
Tags: e-mail; slave labor; surveillance; ranch house; text message; shredding;
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Rejecting the Vote
The right to vote may have been illegally taken away from thousands of qualified citizens in Harris County, Texas. A Republican politician was found to prevent potential voters from getting on the voting rolls in an attempt to stop Democratic candidates from winning.
Tags: Paul Bettencourt; Vote Registrar; re-election; drivers license; polling; fixed election; voting;
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Off to Work We Go?
KTRK-TV investigated the "work habits and use of campaign contributions by one of the state's most powerful public officials, Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole." They uncovered evidence that Eversole was "rarely working, and misusing campaign funds for personal use."
Tags: state government; campaign funds; campaign contributions; politics; Texas; government contracts
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Run Over by Metro
Spivak’s four-month investigation looks into fatalities and serious injuries caused by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, which provides the area's public bus service. Included were profiles of survivors and families of victims, detailing their physical, psychological and financial hardships."
Tags: public transit; metro; bus; safety; First transit
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The Buck Stops Nowhere
KTRK investigates the number of crimes committed by illegal aliens, finding that the crime rate has grown largely because of lenient methods of dealing with immigrants accused of breaking the law. More than 12,000 non-citizens were charged with crimes in 18 months, including "murders tied to illegal immigrants who had been deported and returned, or had been jailed repeatedly and released without deportation." Also, the station found there were "dozens of sexual offenses committed by illegal immigrants that had been released from jail instead of" being deported. The station also found that Harris County kept the arrest of criminal aliens secret from the federal government.
Tags: Illegal immigrants; deportation; criminal offenses; lenient jail sentences; Harris COunty
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For Love or Money?
Digging through millions of marriage licences in Harris County in particular and Texas in general, the authors found an alarming number a questionable unions based on money and not love. Of particular concern was marriage being used by terrorists as an entry ticket into the US.
Tags: Marriage fraud; Harris County; Texas; marriage licences