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 "South America" ...
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A Question of Security
The "investigation discovered allegations of overfilling and security gaps at three major facilities in South Florida- the Miami Metrorail system and the Juvenile Assessment Center and a major hospital. All have contacts with Wackenhut, one of the largest security companies in America. The publicly funded contracts involve millions of dollars. Not only did we observe unfilled posts first-hand, but guards, former guards and supervisors went public detailing a pattern of fraud."
Tags: security; fraud; city government; contracts; transportation; health care; hospital; guards; Wakenhut
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Rep. Weller's Land Deal
Illinois Rep. Jerry Weller failed to disclose the extent and the true cost of his property investments in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, an apparent violation of House ethics rules. Weller's misstatements about his real estate activity were particularly extensive in 2005, when he served as a key Congressional advocate of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
Tags: federal government; foreign investments; CAFTA; South America; real estate
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Slaves in Amazon Forced to Make Material Used in Cars
In Brazil, Peru and Bolivia hundreds of thousands of unemployed men and women are being recruited for slavery. The workers for the slave-camps make charcoal, while being forced to live without housing, electricity or plumbing, and without pay.
Tags: slave labor; Amazon; South America; labor camps; malaria; tuberculosis; Whirlpool; Nucor; Latin America; Ford; General Motors; Nissan; Toyota; car companies
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Crossroads of Crime
"In a two part series, Trish Regan investigated counterfeiting (Part I) and terrorist fundraising (Part II) in the wild-west jungle town of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Although Ciudad del Este is largely unknown to Americans, intelligence officers regard the region as a lawless frontier, which is perhaps the most dangerous place in the Western Hemisphere. Located deep in the heart of South America and known as the tri-border region because it borders Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, Ciudad del Este has become a safe haven for counterfeiters and terrorist organizations."
Tags: terrorism; money; fundraising; counterfeit; South America; Middle East; Hezbollah;
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Biggest Burden of War are Shouldered by Small Towns, USA, and Struggling South Carolina Town Has Lost 3 To War.
These stories show that the burden of the Iraq war is falling disproportionately on small town America. As of May, 2004, 46 percent of the Americans killed in the war were from small towns outside of metropolitan areas. The reporters offer several explanations for this, such as people in small towns going into the military more often because they don't have as many career choices as people from big cities. The situation is illustrated by the sidebar on a town in South Carolina.
Tags: war; high school; military; recruitment; national guard
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Neediest Kids Get Newest Teachers
This analysis of personnel records "showed that the elementary schools with the highest poverty rates in South Puget Sound's major urban school districts have a higher proportion of beginning teachers than the lowest poverty schools in the same districts." Similar situations occur throughout America. This teacher experience gap might have serious consequences beyond its impact on individual children.
Tags: No Child Left Behind; education; classroom
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Who's Hispanic?
A lack of precise definition of the word "hispanic" has caused confusion and some ruffles in the past. The National Journal chronicles the various definitions and approaches to "hispanic" and reasons as to why Alberto Gonzales might be Bush's favorite candidate for the Supreme Court, after all. The author explains in detail why the Portuguese and the Haitians have still not been included under the now-famous umbrella of "hispanics".
Tags: Hispanic; Portuguese; Spain; Brazil; South America; Cardozo; Gonzales; Latino; Caribbean; Haiti
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Quick Cash
The Sun-Sentinel series on pawnshops and burglary. "In South Florida, which suffers one of the nation's highest property-crime rates, pawnshops are a fast, easy outlet for crooks to convert stolen property to cash--like ATMS for burglars." Reporters also looked at the connection between the Fort Lauderdale area having one of the highest burglary rates in the country, while also being home to one of the highest concentrations of pawnshops in the U.S.
Tags: Cash America; pawnshops; property crime; burglary; stolen property
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Tuxedo Junction
Discover tells the story of Dee Boersma, a penguin specialist who is determined to help penguins in Patagonia. The story looks at the Magellanic Penguin Project, one of the world's largest studies of avian life. The report provides insight on penguins' living habits, and refutes some of the tourists' wrong perceptions about the aquatic birds. "Boersma's research and public opinion have convinced oil companies to alter their tankers' routes - and even to help fund her satellite-tracking research," Discover reports.
Tags: environment; wildlife; birds; Magellanics; Wildlife Conservation Society; migration; oil; Punta Tombo; South America; Patagonia
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Reservation Crime is Out of Control
The Argus Leader reports on the increasing crime rates on several South Dakota Indian reservations, rates that "surpasses crime in some of America's major metropolitan cities." Officials believe most of the crime is due to alcohol abuse. "In 1998, Pine Ridge authorities made 9,000 arrests for public drunkenness-roughly one for every five residents and made another 780 arrests for drunken driving. . .Tribal, state and federal officials stress that two other key factors contribute to crime: Extraordinarily high unemployment rates . . . and huge numbers of people living in poverty." Reporter Lee Williams examines these issues along with how local police officers and the community are trying to stop it.
Tags: crime; Indians; reservations; Bureau of Indian Affairs; police; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol; Tobacco and Firearms; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Prisons; gangs