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Investigative Reporter's Handbook A Guide to Documents, Databases, and Techniques

by: Unknown

Investigative Reporter's Handbook A Guide to Documents, Databases, and Techniques

by: Unknown

ISBN 13:
9780312589974
ISBN 10:
0312589972
Edition: 5th
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 12/03/2008
Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

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Investigative Reporter's Handbook A Guide to Documents, Databases, and Techniques > ISBN13: 9780312589974

Summary

Learn how to use fundamental news reporting and writing skills, from gathering sources and tracking information, to interviewing and pursuing investigative stories on a variety of beats with the Investigative Reporter's Handbook.

Author Biography

Brant Houston is the Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting at the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was the executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism for 10 years. The author of three editions of "Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide," Houston served as managing director of the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting for three years after working in daily journalism for 17 years. He was an award-winning investigative reporter at The Hartford (Conn.) Courant, The Kansas City Star and several news organizations in the Boston area.

Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting. IRE was formed in 1975 to create a forum in which journalists throughout the world could help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques and news sources.

PREFACE

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Part I: The Basics: How to Investigate Anyone or Anything
Chapter 1: The Investigative Process
The Investigative Process
Choosing a Subject for Investigation

The Research Hypothesis

Secondary Sources

Having a "Documents State of Mind"

Human Sources

Research Techniques

Organizing Information

Questioning Conventional Wisdom

The Paul Williams Way
Step 1: Conception

Step 2: Feasibility Study

Step 3: Go/No-Go Decision

Step 4: Base Building

Step 5: Planning

Step 6: Original Research

Step 7: Re-evaluation

Step 8: Filling the Gaps

Step 9: Final Evaluation
Step 10: Writing and Rewriting

Step 11: Publication or Airing of the Story and Follow-up Stories

Chapter 2. Secondary Sources
Newspapers
Finding the Right Newspapers

Stories and Announcements

Legal Notices, Police Reports and Classified Ads

Non-Newspaper Secondary Sources
Broadcast and Cable Sources

Magazine and Newsletters

Reference Books

Dissertations and Theses

Books

Libraries

Search Techniques
Key Word and Citation Searches

Bibliographies

Secondary Source Databases

Chapter 3. Primary Documents
Specific Primary Documents
Using Social Security Numbers

Public Records

Vital Records

The Uniform Commercial Code

Liens and Tax Documents

Primary Documents Databases
Commercial Databases

Government Agency Records

Government Databases

Depository Libraries

Technical and Scientific Sources

The National Archives System

Putting It All Together
Using Primary Documents: A Real-Life Example

Using Primary Documents: A Sample Investigation

Chapter 4. Computer-Assisted Reporting
Finding, Accessing and Using Computer Databases
The Tools of Computer-Assisted Reporting

Finding Databases and Deciding Which to Use

Keeping Databases on Hand

Gaining Access

Local Data Sources
Politics

Business and Economy

Property and Tax Records

Guns and Crime

Education

Courts and Jail

City and County Government

Infrastructure

Accidents

The Environmental

State Data Sources
Federal Databases
Demographic Data

Other Federal Data Sources

Chapter 5. People Trails
Identifying and Evaluating Sources
"Formers" and "Currents"

Whistleblowers

Outside Experts

Locating Sources
Online Tools

Telephone Directories

City Directories

Workplace Directories

Personal Habits

Useful Documents and Records

Mapping Power Structures

Interviewing Sources
Researching the Source

Looking for Credentials Fraud in Resumes

Getting in the Door

Understanding the Source’s Motivations

Preparing Questions

Structuring the Interview

Taking Notes and Following Up

Chapter 6. Writing the Compelling Investigation
The Fundamentals
Writing an Effective Story

Getting the Details

Avoiding Clichés and Stereotypes

Writing from Chronologies and Outlines

Story Structures
Focus and Resolution

Leads: The Opening Sentences

Middles: Flow and Momentum

Point of View and Tone

Endings

Chapter 7. Ethics of Investigative Reporting
Ethics and Accuracy
Fairness and the Law

The Golden Rule

Dilemmas in Reporting
Obtaining Information Covertly

Conducting Ambush Interviews

Exposing Private Behaviors of Public Figures

Using Unidentified and Paid Sources

Writing Ethical, Accurate Stories
Line-by-Line Accuracy Check

Prepublication Review

Part II. Investigating the Government
Chapter 8. Investigating the Executive Branch
The Players and Processes
Understanding Government Agencies

Using the Federal Register

Making Sense of Agency Budgets

Consultants and Contractors

The Contracting Process

Budget and Management Watchdogs

Investigating Federal Affairs
The Top Executive

Cabinet Appointments

Conflicts of Interest

Inspectors General

The Permanent Bureaucracy

Public Affairs Personnel

Public Authorities and Self-Regulatory Organizations

Investigating State and Local Affairs
The Governor

Public Employees

Campaign Finance Corruption

Using the State Register

Chapter 9. Investigating the Legislative Branch
Investigating Congress
Following the Money

Campaign Finance

Lobbyists

Financial Disclosure of Legislators

Resources and Perquisites in Office

Personal Character

Making Legislation

Authorizations and Appropriations

Committees and Oversight

Government Accountability Office: The Research and Investigative Arm of Congress

Investigating Local Legislatures
Following the Money

Lobbyists

Other Paper and People Sources

Chapter 10. Investigating the Judicial System
Approaches to Investigating the Judicial System
The Judicial System as a Political System

Two Tracks: Civil Cases and Criminal Cases

Tracking the Civil Case
Tracking the Criminal Case: From Arrest to Sentencing
Between Arrest and First Court Appearance

From Jail to Courthouse

Initial Appearance in Court

Pretrial Hearings

The Assignment of Judges

Investigating Punishment: Prison, Probation, Parole, Commutations, and Pardons
Gaining Access to Prisons

Prison Conditions

Probation

Parole

Commutations and Pardons

Investigating Juvenile Cases and Family Court
Juvenile Cases

Family Court

Investigating Judicial Operations and Personnel
Court Budgets and Court Operations

Investigating Specialized Courts
Traffic Court

U.S. Bankruptcy Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Military Courts

Chapter 11. Investigating Law Enforcement
Investigating Local Police
Monitoring Individual Law Enforcement Officers

Recruitment

Training

Raises, Promotions and Pensions

The Top Command

Discipline of Wayward Officers

Moonlighting

Police Reporter Edna Buchanan’s Tips

Preventing and Investigating Crimes
Murder

Organized Crime and White-Collar Crime

Juvenile Crime

Investigating Other Aspects of Law Enforcement
Patrol Officers, Dispatchers and 911 Operators

Crime Scene Technicians and Crime Laboratories

Evidence Rooms

Coroners and Medical Examiners

Canine (K9) Corps

Civil Rights and Community Relations

Resources for Investigating Law Enforcement
Crime Statistics

Budgets and Contracts

Records Divisions and Public Information Officers

People Trails

Paper Trails

Chapter 12. Investigating Education
Issues in K-12 Education
Student Test Scores

School Violence and Discipline

Student Retention

Curriculum

Class Size

Technology and Corporate Sponsorship

Special-Needs Students

Race, Class and Gender Equity

School Choice

Investigating School Personnel and Facilities
Teachers

Administrators

School Staff

School Buildings

Approaches to Investigating the Schools
Following the Money

Private Schools

Homeschooling

Vocational and Trade Schools

Issues in Higher Education
Document Trails

Public University Revenues and Expenditures

Accreditation Documents

Enrollment and Retention

Diversity, Disabilities and Affirmative Action

In the Classroom

Outside the Classroom

Part III. Investigating Business
Chapter 13. Investigating For-Profit Businesses
Investigating Companies
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Annual Reports

Federal Regulatory Agencies

State and Local Business Agencies

The Paper Trail: Public Documents

The Paper Trail: Other Document Sources

Human Sources

The Overlooked Resource: Labor

Labor Lawyers and the Courts

Investigating the Workplace
Labor Unions

Labor Relation Boards

Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration

Safety and Health

Wage Enforcement

Pensions

State Employment Securities Divisions

Investigating Licensed Professionals
Finding Licensing Documents

The Licensing Process

Professional Associations as Sources

Investigating the Protectors

Chapter 14. Investigating Non-profit and Religious Organizations
Investigating Charities and Foundations
Where to Begin: Questions and Documents

The Gaul and Borowski Model

Form 990: The Annual Informational Tax Return

Fund-raising Techniques and Conundrums

Foundations

Federal, State and Local Government Regulation

Investigating Religious Organizations

Chapter 15. Investigating Financial Institutions and Insurance
Investigating Financial Institutions
Government Regulators

Banks

Savings and Loans

Credit Unions

Credit Card Companies

Investment Companies and Mutual Funds

Investigating the Issues
Redlining and Community Reinvestment

Insider Transactions

High-Risk Transactions

Money Laundering

Investigating Insurance
Health and Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Auto insurance

Homeowners’ and Other Property Insurance

Commercial and Professional Insurance

Investigating the Players
Company and Their Finances

Agents

State Regulators

The Government as Insurer

Workers Compensation

Chapter 16. Investigating Health Care
Investigating Hospitals
Accreditation and Regulation

Costs and Billing

Hospital Errors

Indigent Care

Ambulances and Other Emergency Medical Services

Investigating Other Care Providers
Veterans Administration Hospitals

Nursing Homes

Mental Health Institutions

Home Health Care Companies

Physicians, Nurses and Other Health Care Workers

Investigating Suppliers and Services
Health Maintenance Organizations

Medical Research and Journals

Pharmaceutical Companies

Pharmacies

Medical Device Companies

Medical Laboratories

Blood Banks

Part IV. Investigating Issues
Chapter 17. Investigating Energy and Utilities
Investigating Utilities
State Regulation

Federal Energy Regulation

Gas and Electric Utilities

Nuclear Power

Water Utilities

Communication Utilities

Cable Utilities

Chapter 18. Investigating the Environment
Investigating the Environment
Regulation: The Environmental Protection Agency

Other Federal Agencies

Using the Toxic Release Inventory

Air Pollution

Water Pollution

Soil Pollution and Hazardous Waste

Chapter 19. Investigating Transportation
Investigating Land Transportation
Cars

Car Inspections and Driving Records

Drunk Drivers

Motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles

Trucks and Buses

Taxis and Limousine Services

Investigating Aviation
Pilots and Flight Crews

Air Controllers and Ground Crews

Airlines

Security

Commuter, Cargo Planes and Government Flights

Using Air Databases

Airports

Investigating Water Transportation
Commercial Shipping

Coast Guard

Regulatory Agencies

Chapter 20. Investigating Real Estate
The Document Trail: Finding Real Estate Records
Ownership

Government Documents

Liens

Mortgage Documents

Issues in Real Estate Investigations
Property Values and Tax Assessment

Landlords and Tenants

Development, Zoning and Rezoning

New Developments

Low-Income Housing

Chapter 21. Investigating the World of the Disadvantaged
Investigating the Issues
Special Challenges

Financial Exploitation

Employment

Children and Families

Homelessness

Health Care

Investigating the Programs
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Child-Support Enforcement

Food Stamps

Other Child and Family Nutrition Programs

Other Assistance Programs

Welfare Reform

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

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