Mark Obbie's Blog, page 20
August 16, 2014
A modest proposal
The story in this morning’s local newspaper was like so many other crime briefs. As I read it, I had the same feelings I imagine most others would have: disgust, mainly. But then I had a question that I doubt many reporters ask in such cases. First, the basic facts: A former teacher pleads guilty […]
Published on August 16, 2014 10:40
August 15, 2014
On the newsstand: 8/15/14
Today’s good reads in criminal-justice journalism, with an emphasis on longform narrative stories on crime and original reporting on crime victims and reforms in sentencing and prisons: First the Ferguson, Missouri-related stuff: Radley Balko shares the fruits of his reporting and his police sources’ experience on the failures of brute-force policing and tactics (like those used […]
Published on August 15, 2014 13:50
August 14, 2014
On the nightstand: 8/14/14
Today’s good reads in criminal-justice journalism, with an emphasis on longform narrative stories on crime and original reporting on crime victims and reforms in sentencing and prisons: Laura Norton Amico, the founder of Homicide Watch, describes the lessons she has learned as she prepares to hand it off to a successor yet to be named. […]
Published on August 14, 2014 12:57
The journo-dinosaur speaks
Another breaking-news crisis, another round of social-media celebration of itself. Count on seeing and hearing in the days ahead more posts like this, claiming that all we need to know about #Ferguson comes to us via Twitter. A few thoughts about that: The events in Ferguson, Missouri, demand two things: a steady, real-time gaze at […]
Published on August 14, 2014 04:38
August 12, 2014
On the nightstand: 8/12/14
Today’s good reads in criminal-justice journalism, with an emphasis on longform narrative stories on crime and original reporting on crime victims and reforms in sentencing and prisons: Back to Steubenville, Ohio, and its infamous rape case. Amanda Hess brings an understanding of prisoner reentry and the harm that journalists can do when they tells stories to shame […]
Published on August 12, 2014 14:11
What led up to #Ferguson?
As the traumatic aftermath of Saturday’s shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri, wears on, there’s no shortage of commentary on the general context for the community’s anger. Here’s one eloquent example by Kara Brown at Jezebel, writing about the history that stokes community resentment. Criminal-justice advocates are filling their social feeds and […]
Published on August 12, 2014 03:42
August 11, 2014
On the nightstand: 8/11/14
Today’s good reads in criminal-justice journalism, with an emphasis on longform narrative stories on crime and original reporting on crime victims and reforms in sentencing and prisons: Heavy coverage of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, in the hometown paper makes only cursory references to the history of police-community relations and why residents got so angry so […]
Published on August 11, 2014 13:59
August 10, 2014
On the nightstand: Sunday, 8/10/14
Today’s good reads in criminal-justice journalism, with an emphasis on longform narrative stories on crime and original reporting on crime victims and reforms in sentencing and prisons: Ben Poston and Joel Rubin use ambitious and transparent data-crunching tactics to show how the LAPD has cooked its crime-stats books, downgrading an estimated 1,200 recent serious crimes […]
Published on August 10, 2014 17:16
A caution flag
The controversial racetrack fatality involving Tony Stewart hits close to home in two ways: I live close enough to that track in Canandaigua, New York, to hear the whine of the cars’ engines on a quiet night. And, given my interest in criminal justice journalism, I was shocked and primed to comment on fans’ rush to […]
Published on August 10, 2014 13:15
August 9, 2014
A survivor’s story, well told
Reporter-columnist Leslie Linthicum of the Albuquerque Journal wrote a news feature last December that deserves belated attention on this blog for a few reasons: It’s in the sweet spot that I focus on: a victim of violent crime, telling her story of survival. It illustrates a point, interesting perhaps only to writing nerds, about narrative structure. […]
Published on August 09, 2014 04:46