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 "complainants" ...
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Grandma can’t accept your call: Inmates disconnected by phone costs
This series of stories started with a simple question. Why does it cost so much for inmates to make calls from the Cook County Jail? In the course of my reporting on criminal and legal affairs for WBEZ, the public radio station in Chicago, I had heard numerous people complain about the high cost of phone calls. Some digging confirmed that the price could be as high as $15.00 for 15 minute calls. Three or four calls a week at that price gets expensive even for financially stable middle class folks, but the people paying these fees were mostly the poorest residents in Chicago. That’s because most of the people in the Cook County Jail are there because they and their families couldn’t afford to post bond of a couple thousand, or sometimes even just hundreds of dollars to secure their freedom while awaiting trial. They are the people who are least able to afford such expensive phone calls. A few FOIA requests revealed the scheme (and scheme is the right word… I just looked it up: a crafty or secret plan of action). Cook County gave an exclusive phone contract to a company called Securus Technologies. Securus charged inflated phone rates and their exclusive deal in the jail meant inmates wanting to talk to their families or arrange their defense had no choice but to pay the rates. Securus then paid back to the county 57½ percent of the revenue from the calls. It netted the county about $4 million a year. Securus wouldn’t tell us their take but I imagine they did alright too. All of the money was coming out of the pockets of the poorest residents in Cook County, people who couldn’t even afford to post bond for their freedom. (As an aside, this isn’t just an issue in Cook County. According to its website Securus provides the phone systems for 850,000 inmates in 2,200 jails and prisons across the country.) Our reporting shed public light on a hugely profitable contract that no one was paying attention to. We documented the lives of the impoverished people getting hammered by the policy and then turned the hammer on the local elected officials to ask them to explain how this was a good policy. The public officials responded in a way that once again proved the genius of democracy. Our efforts and the results are detailed in subsequent answers below.
Tags: prison inmates; phone calls; fees
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Inside Amazon's Warehouse
The article investigates the working conditions of Amazon warehouses, in which workers are forced to endure inhumane treatment while facing the risk of getting fired if complaining. It exposes how a company like Amazon can wield their significant leverage over workers in bleak job market.
Tags: amazon; warehouse; pennsylvania; work; conditions;
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"Greed v. Guardianship"
This investigation reveals serious flaws in the Maricopa County Probate Court. Families have complained of being "violated" by their court appointed guardian, which was most often the Sun Valley Group. Families accused SVG of taking control of their finances, selling anything of value and keeping the money. Some were even kept from visiting sick loved ones who had been placed in care facilities.
Tags: Sun Valley Group; probate court; Maricopa County; Arizona Supreme Court; public records; court documents; guardianship
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Kirby Investigation
The Kirby Vacuum has been around for decades and the selling tactics and tricks have been the same since the beginning. The salespeople go door-to-door, where they normally sell to elderly consumers and involve high pressure pitches. The investigation reveals that the salespeople normally won’t leave until they sign a contract and many stay for hours upon hours till the contract is signed. Further, many people have filed complaints with various agencies, complaining of the selling tactics used by these salespeople and yet nothing has been resolved.
Tags: households; homeowners; machine; salesmen; company; business; distributors; carpet; cleaning; nationwide; unethical
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Theme Park Lawsuits
This investigation looks at a secretive but very critical aspect of theme parks in Florida. This aspect is “how and how often people get hurt in theme parks, and what happens to them if they complain”. Private parks aren’t required to disclose or provide a description of non-fatal injuries and it has become a voluntary action to actually report these injuries.
Tags: federal; state; local; laws; regulations; safety; public; rides; lawsuits; inspections; memorandum of understanding; tourists
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Moldy Metropolis: Homeowners Struggle with Leaky Concrete
Poorly built condominiums and the homeowners are now seeing the consequences of the poor construction. The condominiums have severe mold problems, which is a result from using a material called split-free concrete block. The story reveals the lack of building inspection since the blocks should be built without leaks and inspected for leaks. Furthermore, if the homeowners complain to the city, they are held accountable for the code violation.
Tags: masonry; developer; real estate; market; condos; water; housing boom; ordinance; city council
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Danger Creek
Reporters for KGAN-TV discovered that the water downstream from the Linn County Airport was heavily polluted with toxic chemicals. The water produced a putrid stench that had the people of Cedar Rapids complaining for years. Acting on a tip, KGAN-TV tested the water and delivered the shocking results to the airport and the Department of Natural Resources.
Tags: DNR; Linn County Airport; pollution
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"Wild Rides"
When the Toyota Prius broke onto the automobile scene, it quickly became wildly popular and well-known for being environmentally friendly. But the zippy, "green" car had a dark side. Owners complained of "unintended acceleration" that often caused wrecks. Despite complaints, Toyota ignored its customers and suggested the problem was caused by an unwieldy floor mat. Paul Knight investigates.
Tags: Toyota; Prius; unintended acceleration; floor mat; hybrid; green vehicle
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Police Complaints Rising
Brutality complaints were on the rise at three area law enforcement departments; they had increased by 25 percent in the last five years. Complaints about other officer misconduct, such as rudeness or harassment, also were on the rise. Few citizen complaints were validated by the departments, which investigated the complaints themselves. The majority of complaints were deemed unsubstantiated and in many cases they were classified as false, which subjected the complainant to possible criminal prosecution.
Tags: civil liberties; law enforcement; police brutality; search and seizure; excessive force; civil rights activists
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The CDC, FEMA and formaldehyde
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, people who moved into trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency almost immediately complained about the air quality in them. As complaints mounter, FEMA had an agent of the center for Disease Control conduct a test of the formaldehyde found inside the trailers. Joaquin Sapien explains why it took more than two years for the government to admit that formaldehyde levels in many of the trailers were high enough to increase the risk of caner and repiratory illnesses.
Tags: formaldehyde; Federal Emergency Management Agency; FEMA; Hurricane Katrina; Center for Disease Control; CDC; housing; FEMA trailers; air quality; environment; health