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 "red tape" ...
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Des Moines Register Reader's Watchdog
The Des Moines Register Reader's Watchdog column that takes on issues faced by individual Iowans who are at wits’ end and can't get answers from public officials, businesses and the justice system. Watchdog reporter Lee Rood's job is to give voice to readers who present important issues, to investigate all sides of those issues and to seek solutions that eluded others. This is a unique effort that both engages readers and values traditional watchdog reporting. At a time when journalists are seeking to remain relevant, build credibility and engage readers, she has launched this initiative that focuses not on the stories that she thinks are important, but on issues that are critical to our readers. In the past year, she wrote more than 60 columns, digging into watchdog issue brought to her by Iowans. Her work has put a new spotlight on wrongs that needed righting. Her work has led state lawmakers to propose legislation that requires Iowans to call 911 if they are present at the scene of an overdose. She has prodded the state attorney general's office to develop a plan to enforce laws that require companies to have worker's compensation insurance. She has fought through red tape for readers who didn't have someone in their corner to do so. Lee Rood's bold move to launch a new form of watchdog journalism for the Des Moines Register has made Iowans' lives better. Online, this body of work lives at DesMoinesRegister.com/ReadersWatchdog.
Tags: Public officials; businesses; justice system
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Not What the Doctor Ordered
The Blade's investigation showed how patients are increasingly being harmed when insurers interfere with doctors' orders. Of the 920 doctors who responded to an online national survey about insurers, more than 99 percent reported that insurers had interfered with their hospitalization, referral, prescription or testing decisions. Interviews with about 100 doctors and their patients illustrated how insurers are becoming more aggressive in shaping patient care, eroding the doctor-patient relationship and putting people in danger.
Tags: insurers; prescriptions; health care; patient care; bureaucracy; red tape; referrals; public health;
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Bad Reception
Cities around the country are learning the best way to stop cellular companies from erecting numerous tall cell towers in their city is to mire the company in meetings and red tape. The article discusses how the cities, local residents, and cell phone companies see the issue and how it came about in the first place.
Tags: cell phones; cell towers; cell phone towers; reception; city planning; cellular; wireless; antennas; electromagnetic fields
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Code Blue, Code Red
An investigation by WMAQ-TV revealed that "repeat drunken driving offenders, domestic batterers, cocaine dealers, burglars, stalkers and other violent criminals" all work as Chicago police officers, firefighters and paramedics. "During a yearlong investigation, (WMAQ-TV) conducted background checks on eighteen thousand police officers, firefighters and paramedics. After obtaining internal employee lists for both departments, (WMAQ-TV) began checking individual records the only way possible -- by looking up each name individually. ... The unprecedented investigation uncovered 139 firefighters and paramedics with drunk driving arrests. ... (WMAQ-TV) uncovered 200 other firefighters with criminal records, from burglary to sexual assualt, who are still on the job. ... In the Police Department, (WMAQ-TV) found at least 100 officers on the job despite drunk driving arrests. Also uncovered, police officers drinking in front of superiors and officers drinking while on the job. ... One of the most startling discoveries: 80-percent of the cases involving a Chicago police officer arrested by another Chicago police officer for DUI, was simply thrown out of court."
Tags: Chicago; police; firefighters; drunk driving; criminal records; officers; DUI; TAPE; TRANSCRIPT
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Red Cross Investigation
CBS investigates "widespread mismanagement and fraud" the Red Cross has been grappling with. Based on internal memos and audits, the series reports on how Joseph Lecowitch, head of the New Jersey chapter stole more than one million dollars. Other findings are that many chapters have not remitted their Sept. 11 donations to national headquarters; chapters are dipping into the National Disaster Fund "for unnamed purposes;" blood has been taken from donors who said they tested positive for AIDS or were not properly screened; and suspected transfusion-related diseases are not investigated.
Tags: Elizabeth Dole; lobbying; FDA; safety; health; embezzlement; fraud; charity; 9/11; TAPE; TRANSCRIPT
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Menu for Success
Government agency red tape often requires administrative hearings to sort out. But lawyers who think the looser rules of the process serve up easier work are likely to be in for a surprise.
Tags: administrative hearings; administrative law; government agencies
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Feed 5: Best of Show and Tell
1) Jennifer Kraus (WTVF-Nashville) This story exposes problems at the Nashville office of international charity "Feed the Children." In a four-month investigation, WTVF-TV's undercover cameras caught the charity's staff loading up their personal cars with donated items and taking the items home. 2) Deborah Sherman (WFXT - Boston) Costa Rican trips for child sex. Actually spoke with girls who used to get paid by American tourists for sex. Focuses on one area man charged with this crime. 3) Anna Werner, David Raziq (KHOU-Houston) KHOU-TV reports that "You're in physical pain. You need help. So you go to your doctor expecting needed relief and comfort. But what if in the process of treating you, you realize this healer's touch has become 'sexual?' That's what dozens of Houston women claimed happened to them when they were referred to a local health professional, a professional they claimed used their trust to molest and even rape them. His name is Shin Higashiura and he claimed to be a Master of Shiatsu, also known as acupressure, a Japanese massage therapy that promises health benefits...." 4) Jilda Unruh (WCCO-Minneapolis) An investigation reveals that automatic door sensors can't detect certain colors. The doors often close on elderly people, causing them harm. 5) Tom Merriman/Jeff Harris (WEWS-Cleveland) The story investigates how state-trained lifeguards perform on state beaches as compared to privately trained lifeguards on private beaches. Follows both teams though a simulation. The state team fails horribly and never recovers the dummy planted for them to rescue. 6) Jim Schaefer; Shellee Smith (WXYZ-Detroit) WXYZ-TV discovered that the leaders of Highland Park, a poor city surrounded by Detroit, had virtually ignored a major problem in the 911 emergency response system while continuing to enjoy the relatively expensive perks of their jobs. While claiming there was no money in the budget to fix the problem, the mayor leased a brand-new Lincoln with city cash. Undercover video found citizens at risk, fire fighters in danger and no one helping. 7) Drew Griffin (KCBS-Los Angeles) "The Real ConAir" Investigation reveals department of corrections transporting convicts on commercial flights. Passengers are not told who's sitting beside them. Planes are forced to land because of disturbances during the flight. A girl is sexually assaulted by one of these convicts. 8) Robb Leer; Maria Tomasch (KSTP-Minneapolis) Inmates can change their names on the taxpayer's dime. 9) Jeremy Rogalski; Bill Dutton; Gerry Lanosga; Kathleen Johnston (WTHR-Indianapolis) WTHR-TV reports that "a source mentioned to us that numerous DUI cases were being dismissed because police witnesses fail to appear in court... After we crunched a slice of our county's criminal justice data ... We found thousands of DUI cases - nearly one in ten - thrown out because cops didn't show..." 10) Wes Williams; C.J. Ward (KPNX-Phoenix) Security guards with criminal records have a "License to Steal." 11) Tony Kovaleski; Matt Goldberg (KPRC-Houston) Ninety-eight guns were discovered in schools in 10 of Houston's largest school districts -- that works out to 5,864 students per gun. 12) Phil Williams; Chris Clark (WTVF-Nashville) WTVF-TV's investigation into the backgrounds of school teachers found more than three dozen convicted felons working in Metro Nashville-Davidson County schools. 13) Chris Halsne; Kim Albro; Dave Weed (KWTV-Oklahoma City) Voters handed Oklahoma City Schools a 93 million dollar bond in 1993 to improve schools. The money is now gone, but many projects remain unfinished. KWTV-TV's investigation found millions of dollars in waste, fraud and mismanagement. 14) Laure Quinlivan; Jeff Keene; Ken Fulk; Mark Shafer; Scott Diener; Stuart Zanger (WCPO-Cincinnati) WCPO-TV's investigation "... to monitor County officials as they began spending nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money... earmarked to build two, new sports stadiums for our city's professional sports teams, the Bengals and Red. As (the) investigation enters its third year, work on the first stadium is two-thirds complete and ground will soon break on the second. Already, our investigation has revealed broken promises, manipulation of numbers in official reports, political cronyism in contract awards, creation of 'pass-through' companies and other questionable and possibly illegal activities...." 15) Jim Barry; John Campbell; Sam Zeff; Jennifer Snell; Denise Haley; Brad Naw (WTXF-Philadelphia) After transit union strike crippled Philadelphia's bus and subway service for forty days, WTXF-TV investigated the region's transportation agency - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. SEPTA is one of the largest and most expensive transit systems in the county. This investigation exposed a widespread culture of laziness and dishonest work habits that was allowing hundreds of buses with potentially dangerous problems out onto the street each day. 16)Darcy Spears; Kim Kruger (KVBC-Las Vegas) "Taken for a Ride". Taxi drivers getting kickbacks for taking clients to certain bars/stripclubs.
Tags: TAPE; Investigative reporting; computer-assisted reporting; IRE; FOI; CAR; no transcripts
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Open Door Policy
This NBC News Dateline investigation uncovers "dangerous lapses in security at various motel chains across the country." It points to several examples of rapes, sexual assaults, homicides and robberies that have happened in well-known motel chains. The reporters reveal that there are "brand name motels with chronic crime problems," and that "along with the random crimes committed by violent predators .... organized burglary rings that target and stalks motel guests." The investigation finds that in recent years "hotel security had improved immensely, while motel security had not."
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; security; hotels; motels; lodging; FBI; law enforcement; tourism; Family Inn; Red Roof Inn; Super 8 Motel
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WCPO I-Team Stadium Investigation
A WCPO investigation into the construction of two sports stadiums using tax dollars reveals that officials involved with the project have misused funds and have gone $45 million over budget, with six months to completion. WCPO began its investigation into the construction of the new stadiums for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cincinnati Reds three years ago.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Cincinnati Bengals; Cincinnati Reds; stadiums; Paul Brown; tax dollars; waste; budget
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NYPD Strip Searches: Though illegal, practice continues
"A year after the city began keeping records, documents show at least 20 people have sued the city for wrongful strip searches, claiming $57 million in damages. Those strip-searched include people arrested for offenses like driving with a suspended licenses and running a red light.
Tags: radio; CASSETTE TAPE; police; lawsuit; discrimination; civil rights; victims' rights; Dept. of Corrections; illegal strip searches