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Security chief’s use of plane, helicopter questioned
Eric Eyre and Scott Finn of the Charleston Gazette obtained flight records showing that West Virginia homeland security chief Neal Sharp “flew on the state plane or helicopter to attend meetings, scout disaster training sites and inspect emergency equipment” nineteen times in 19 months and chartered five additional private flights, prompting a state investigation. “All…
Read MorePolice failing to prevent false identifications
Bill Moushey and Nathan Crabbe of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in conjunction with the Innocence Institute at Point Park University, investigated potential wrongful convictions in Pennsylvania, finding that “police failed to follow the steps that can help prevent false identifications.” Many police agencies in the state either were not aware of federal guidelines for eyewitness identifications…
Read MoreMarine Corps issued flawed armor
Christian Lowe of the Marine Corps Times used the Freedom of Information Act to show that “the Marine Corps issued to nearly 10,000 troops body armor that government experts urged the Corps to reject after tests revealed critical, life-threatening flaws in the vests.” The Marines obtained about 19,000 pieces of armor from Point Blank Body…
Read MoreImmigrant women adapting, are as likely to work as U.S. women
Peggy O’Crowley and Carrie Stetler of The (Newark) Star-Ledger, with assistance from Robert Gebeloff, used Census data to show that “immigrant women, who comprise one of four mothers in New Jersey, are less likely to work outside the home — at least when they first arrive. After 10 years, though, they are as apt to…
Read MoreDomestic violence suspects avoid jailtime through pretrial program
Rick Brundrett of The (Columbia, S.C.) State studied records from pretrial intervention programs to find that South Carolina “prosecutors accepted more than 1,800 suspects accused of criminal domestic violence into a program that allows their charges to be dropped over the past five years.” Violent offenders aren’t supposed to be eligible for the program, but…
Read MorePension abuses hurt employees
Michael L. Diamond, with contributions from Paul D’Ambrosio and Nicholas Clunn, Eileen Smith and Peter Spencer of Gannett New Jersey newspapers reviewed the state’s pension program, finding that “while the private sector has sharply cut pension and health insurance benefits, the state has gone the opposite way. New Jersey’s system features generous payouts to retirees…
Read MoreState legislators spend lavishly due to leeway in laws
Jennifer Dixon and Victoria Turk of The Detroit Free Press used state campaign finance records to show that “Michigan legislators have dipped into campaign cash to buy cars, jewelry, expensive gifts and entertainment in possible violation of federal tax codes.” The IRS is investigating whether the spending, which lawmakers defend as necessary, constitutes a personal…
Read MorePoor care at nursing homes leads to light punishments
Jeffrey Meitrodt, Jan Moller and Steve Ritea of The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune used state data to show that “most of Louisiana’s 300 or so nursing homes have been cited since 1999 for mistakes that harmed or endangered residents. But in the sometimes illogical world of nursing home regulation, facilities in Louisiana often pay little or…
Read MorePotential terrorism targets find lax security efforts
David Kocieniewski of The New York Times uses public records to investigate the homeland security threat, specifically along a two-mile stretch, deemed the most vulnerable by terrorism experts. The investigation looked into “… a chemical plant that processes chlorine gas, so close to Manhattan that the Empire State Building seems to rise up behind its…
Read MoreU.S. legislative leaders take frequent trips on corporate jets
R. Jeffrey Smith and Derek Willis from The Washington Post analyzed federal campaign expenditure records to find that top congressional leaders “flew on corporate-owned jets at least 360 times from January 2001 to December 2004.” Members of both parties took part in the practice, although leading Republicans flew more often than Democrats. “The records show…
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