Resource Center

Stories

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 "fatalities" ...

  • Methadone and the Politics of Pain

    The Seattle Times has found that since 2003, at least 2,173 people in Washington have fatally overdosed on methadone, a narcotic that is both cheap and unpredictable. More so, Medicaid recipients account for about 8% of Washington's adult population but 48% of the methadone deaths.

    Tags: methadone; Medicaid

    By Michael J. Berens; Ken Armstrong

    The Seattle Times

    2011

  • Fatal System Error

    The book details the inner workings of the criminal internet hackers and their links to government.

    Tags: internet; hacking; cyber criminals

    By Joseph Menn

    PublicAffairs

    2010

  • Coppell Mayor Murder-Suicide

    After the mayor of a Dallas suburb fatally shoots her daughter and then kills herself, the Dallas Morning News delves deep into the womens' lives and emerges with a different picture.

    Tags: Dallas; Coppell; Jayne Peters; Corinne Peters; city; public official

    By Brandon Formby; Erinn Connor

    Dallas Morning News

    2010

  • Grounds for Removal

    The four-year investigation detailed the government oversight of the nation's largest statewide natural gas pipeline system. Regulators rarely gave penalties, even in cases of fatal gas explosions.

    Tags: gas; natural gas; environment; pipeline; oversight

    By Brett Shipp; Mark Smith; Billy Bryont; Michael Valentine

    WFAA-TV (Dallas)

    2010

  • Grounds for Removal

    This investigation reveals lax government oversight of the nation's largest statewide natural gas pipeline system. It shows Texas regulators failing to conduct proper oversight and rarely penalized gas companies after fatal gas explosions.

    Tags: gas; pipeline; gas company; public safety; oversight

    By Brett Shipp; Mark Smith; Billy Bryant; Michael Valentine

    WFAA-Dallas, Tx.

    2010

  • Disaster Ahead? Deregulated Dams

    A Tennessee law allows old watershed dams to be downgraded to farm ponds from high-hazard dams, exempting them from state safety inspections. The reporter discovered 13 of these dams were downgraded in 2008. The lack of oversight poses serious consequences because fatalities are likely to occur should one of the dams fail.

    Tags: dams; farm pond; regulation; inspection; safety; public safety

    By Dan Morris

    Sun (Jackson, Tenn.)

    2010

  • "Killer Roads"

    Reporter Thomas Hargrove analyzed road segments across the United States to identify dangerous and potentially fatal flaws in the highways. He found that highway fatalities are on the rise, and the cause of these deaths is becoming more and more unclear. Some of the most dangerous roads can be found in California, Arizona and Nevada.

    Tags: US Department of Transportation; Scripps Howard; Pacific Coast Highway; San Bernardino

    By Thomas Hargrove; Jason Bartz

    5280 (Denver)

    2010

  • 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

    By Scott Powers

    Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)

    2009

  • Jeep Grand Cherokee Investigation

    Currently, there are “three million Jeep Grand Cherokees on the road today”. Furthermore, they have been involved in “hundreds of fatal fire accidents in the past 11 years”. The investigation revealed a flaw in the vehicle; the fuel tank is located in the rear of the vehicle. This flaw is the main cause of these fatal deaths. After these accidents had occurred, the automaker has relocated the gas tank in a more secure location and since then zero accidents have occurred.

    Tags: Chrysler; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; SUVs; consumers; automobiles; crash; damage; defect; auto safety; transportation

    By Steve Daniels; Silvia Gambardella; Paul Furr; Tres Bruce

    WTVD-TV (Durham, N.C.)

    2009

  • Fatal Care

    “At least 22 children died from 2004 to 2008 despite clear warning signs from the Bureau of Child Welfare they were at risk”. A number of reasons were to blame for the deaths of these innocent children. The reasons include: workers making these “fatal mistakes” were reassigned instead of being fired, the parents mistreating their children were never punished, and secrecy in the Bureau persisted.

    Tags: Milwaukee; county; kids; preventable; social service; social workers; turmoil; caseworkers; guardians

    By Gina Barton; Crocker Stephenson

    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    2009