Search results for:
Honduran murderer equipped and vetted by US
“The Associated Press uncovered this week that a Honduran military unit charged with murdering a 15 year old boy had been trained, equipped and vetted by the United States.” “The first story told the painful narrative of the victim’s father tracking the killers. The second story dug into the U.S. response to this and other…
Read MoreBehind the Story: An information gap in child abuse cases
There were signs of problems before 15-year-old Jeanette Maples died of starvation and abuse in Oregon in December 2009. Although child services had been involved in the case, residents were shocked to find that Maples death had not been prevented. Oregonian reporter Michelle Cole wanted to know what, if anything, could have been done to…
Read MoreBurglaries misclassified as thefts in Milwaukee despite evidence
A new Journal Sentinel investigation found more than 900 cases that should have been classified as burglaries but were marked as thefts by Milwaukee police since 2006, showing Milwaukee’s crime data problems extend to property crimes. Reporters Ben Poston and John Diedrich found had the cases been properly coded, the tally of burglaries would have been 2.4% higher than reported…
Read MoreIRE trains South African journalists as part of Power Reporting conference
By Megan Luther African journalists face different reporting barriers than their colleagues in the U.S., yet they share the desire to learn investigative techniques. IRE traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa at the end of October to train reporters at the annual Power Reporting: The African Investigative Journalism Conference. More than 200 journalists attended the three-day conference, which included typical sessions…
Read MoreKCRA finds California parolees cutting off GPS monitors
A KCRA Investigation following missing parolees found a serious flaw in the state’s prison realignment plan. Sexual predators are supposed to be monitored by GPS under California’s Megan’s Law. But KCRA has obtained a wanted list of parolees who either cut off or never showed up to wear their GPS monitor. More than a thousand are…
Read MoreReuters finds vicious circle of self-interest sank a California city
When San Bernardino filed for bankruptcy in August, the mayor blamed the city council and the police and fire unions. The unions blamed the mayor. Yet on close examination, the city’s decades-long journey from prosperous, middle-class community to bankrupt, crime-ridden, foreclosure-blighted basket case is straightforward—and alarmingly similar to the path travelled by municipalities around America’s…
Read MoreUndercover investigation of private global club
“A 41 Action News investigation went undercover to learn about private club, the Global Information Network. After speaking to diehard members and vocal critics of this worldwide club, the questions turned to the leader of this secret society that claims to put thousands of dollars in your pocket.”
Read MoreAtlanta police wanted helicopter replaced in 2001
“The Atlanta police helicopter that crashed Saturday night, killing two officers, was a Vietnam War-era chopper that city officials 11 years ago said had outlived its useful life.” This investigation by Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the council approved funds for a new helicopter, but the helicopter in question was still being used.
Read MoreJust 1 in 10 Indianapolis residents recycle. Why is that?
“Just 10 percent of households participate in curbside recycling. That means Indianapolis, which has been striving since 2008 to become ‘the most sustainable city in the Midwest,’ has one of the most underused recycling programs in the nation for a city its size.” The investigation by Kate Jacobson of The Indianapolis Star points out that the…
Read MoreF in attendance for city schools
A Chicago Tribune investigation analyzed internal student-level attendance data from the Chicago Public Schools and found that nearly 32,000 K-8 grade students — or roughly 1 in 8 — missed four weeks or more of class during the 2010-11 year, while the cash-strapped district does little to stem a devastating problem. To assess the total…
Read More