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 "Peace Corps" ...
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20/20 Peace Corps: A Trust Betrayed
An ABC News 10-month investigation into the murder of a young Peace Corps volunteer that led to the discovery of severe flaws in the way abuse is reported within the Peace Corps. ABC's report led to President Obama signing a law that is aimed at protecting the volunteers better.
Tags: Peace Corps; murder; abuse; broadcast
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American Taboo: A murder in the Peace Corps
In this book, the author unravels the truth behind a 25-year-old murder in the Peace Corps. The investigation chronicles how a male Peace Corps volunteer posted to a small island in the South Pacific stalked and killed a female volunteer who had rejected his advances. The man was found to be insane, but when he was returned to the United States under assurances he would be hospitalized for his crime, he went free in a matter of days because he refused to go to the hospital. The investigation also discloses how the Peace Corps tried to suppress the incident at the time.
Tags: BOOK; murder; Peace Corps; Tonga
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Casualties of Peace
A nearly-two year long investigation by the Dayton Daily News discovered widespread violence, including murders, against volunteers in the Peace Corps. "They have died at the rate of about one every two months since 1962," and "reported incidents of assault on volunteers more than doubled since 1991," with women the prime targets of such attacks. This seven-part series -- based on interviews with more than 500 people in nearly a dozen countries and a crime incident database obtained from the Peace Corps after a lengthy court battle -- reveals a disturbing pattern of unsafe conditions that were long masked or even covered up by the Peace Corps. In ten death cases examined by the Daily News, the paper found the "Peace Corps misled families, the public or other volunteers about the circumstances of the deaths." The Corps' policies resulted in sending ill-trained volunteers "alone to some of the most dangerous corners of the world where they may be unsupervised for months on end." These volunteers, frequently young people fresh out of school, receive little to no training about what they will encounter and how to stay safe. The newspaper's investigation also found the behavior of Peace Corps volunteers themselves often puts them at risk. "Alcohol was identified as a factor in nearly one in three assaults since 1999," and "in more than half of the reported rapes since 1990, the attacker was identified as a 'friend/acquaintance.'"
Tags: peace corps; peace; volunteer; volunteering; college; school; goodwill; oversees; foreign; international; government; service; CAR; database; legal; lawsuit; FOIA
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UPI Investigates: The Anti-Malaria Drug Lariam
For several months, UPI investigated severe mental problems associated with Lariam, an anti-malaria drug that has been prescribed to 5 million Americans and 25 million people worldwide. It is also prescribed to Peace Corps volunteers, travelers and U.S. soldiers and side effects from the drug have been even linked to suicide.
Tags: Lariam; malaria; presciption drugs; medication; side effects; FDA; Peace Corps; U.S. soldiers; suicide
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Unstable Element: Suddenly, Small Gaps In Nuclear Security Look Like Chasms
The Wall Street Journal examines evidence that al Qaeda, the organization of Osama bin Laden, has tried to obtain weapons-grade nuclear material. The article looks at the possibilities for terrorists to build nuclear weapons by using resources of current or former nuclear-power countries. Even though the reporters have found the evidence related to al Qaeda to be "sketchy and unverified ... it has sent authorities around the world rushing to shore up security measures that are in some cases surprisingly weak." The story finds that "armed guards at nuclear-weapons depots often lose in exercises with mock assailants," and that "materials for making a nuclear bomb are accessible enough to support a black market."
Tags: Osama bin Laden; terrorism; al Qaeda; uranium; International Atomic Energy Agency; United Nations; Exelon Corp.; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; college students; Energy Department; TNT; Defense Department; U.S. Customs Service; ex-Soviet republics; military; Project on Government Oversight
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The Fall of John B. McCoy
"After the stock price tumbled and the big Chicago deal turned sour, the man whose family had built and run the Bank One powerhouse for three generations abruptly retired. He says his decision was best for the company, and he's at peace with his choice. But the memories - and the pain - surely will linger." John B. McCoy's family had been running the Bank One company for 65 years, ever since its inception as City National Bank in Columbus. In 1997 and 1998 Bank One merged with First USA Corp., and First Chicago Corp. The companies announced it as a "merger of equals," but according to sources from Bank One, it was anything but. Internal tension between employees from the different banks combined with decreased earnings led to McCoy's resignation as Chairman and CEO. Caton looks at what led to McCoy's decision and why some believe he never had a chance as CEO of the combined company.