Impact
Journalism in the Public Interest
Latest Stories
The VA Will Now Let Some Administrative Staff Work From Home
After New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica reported that the VA was not allowing telework, the agency reversed course. Some workers remain skeptical that the policy will be implemented.
Justice Dept. Says It Will Investigate Deadly Conditions at Four Mississippi Prisons
The agency’s Civil Rights Division decided to act after a letter from prison reformers citing stories by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting and ProPublica.
Local Accountability Journalism Still Has a Huge Impact
Between the Local Reporting Network and ProPublica Illinois, our work shows that state leaders across the country are listening and things can change.
Alaska’s Public Safety Officer Program Is Failing. Can It Be Saved?
A big part of Alaska’s law enforcement crisis is a program that recruits residents of remote villages and trains them to work as police. Now, a group of state legislators is proposing nine ideas to rescue the program.
After Our Reporting, Connecticut Officials Are Taking On Housing Segregation
In one of the most segregated states in the nation, the governor and legislators are calling for new measures to entice towns to build more affordable housing.
California Governor’s Budget Makes Stronger Jail Oversight a Priority
After an investigation by McClatchy and ProPublica, Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted a budget that would give more authority to the board that oversees jails.
How a Police Officer in Iowa Helped Protect an Alaskan Police Force — From Thousands of Miles Away
He read our story about Alaska’s policing problems and began raising money to send supplies to the small Police Department in Savoonga. His efforts may save his fellow officers’ lives.
We Found Villages That Hired Criminals as Cops. Now Officials Want It To Change.
The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica found small Alaska cities have employed police whose criminal records should have prevented them from being hired. Now, the state board is working to ensure they meet basic hiring standards.
We Investigated Magistrates. Now, Lawmakers Want to Overhaul the System.
State lawmakers in South Carolina are proposing changes to how lower-court judges are selected after a Post and Courier-ProPublica investigation. The probe found a system that places connections over qualifications.
We Reported on a Nonprofit Hospital System That Sues Poor Patients. It Just Freed Thousands From Debt.
After an investigation by MLK50 and ProPublica, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is erasing debt for unpaid hospital bills owed by more than 6,500 patients. Our reporting found the hospital had profited by aggressively pursuing patients who couldn’t pay.
Justice Department Will Fund More Prosecutors, Jails and Cops in Rural Alaska
To improve what it calls a public safety emergency, the DOJ detailed how it will spend $10.5 million. Alaska Native advocates want long-term reforms to increase their role in local justice systems as well.
We Reported on Troubled Prisons. Now, Officials and a Gang Have a Shared Goal: Reform.
Following our reporting, top Republicans and Democrats want to take a closer look at Mississippi’s prison system. Meanwhile, one gang says it has turned in more than 250 weapons to show it’s against violence.
Lawmakers and Students Say Professors Who Sexually Harass Should Face Stronger Consequences
After NPR Illinois and ProPublica found that several University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign professors who violated policies were allowed to quietly resign and take paid leave with their reputations intact, lawmakers called for reforms.
“Humbled”: Nonprofit Christian Hospital Dials Back Aggressive Debt Collection and Raises Wages After Our Investigation
MLK50 and ProPublica found that Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare sued thousands of low-income patients, including dozens of its own employees, over five years. The hospital system just announced major policy changes in response.
Nonprofit Christian Hospital Suspends Debt Collection Lawsuits Amid Furor Over Suing Its Own Employees
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is reevaluating its policy after an MLK50-ProPublica investigation found that it had filed 8,300 lawsuits in the past five years, including against many of its own employees.
Millionaire CEO of Nonprofit Hospital That Sues the Poor Promises Review of Policies
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare promised a policy review after an investigation by MLK50 and ProPublica found it had sued 8,300 patients — including its own employees — over medical debt. Its CEO has not responded to our questions.
After Serious 911 Mishaps, Rhode Island Will Now Pay for Better Training
Lagging rates of cardiac arrest survival and bystander CPR in Rhode Island could soon improve if lawmakers approve a budget allocating $220,000 to strengthen 911 call taker training.
New Jersey Task Force Examines Tax Breaks for George Norcross Projects
A task force appointed by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy says it will investigate projects connected to the state’s top political boss.
After Baby’s Death, Rhode Island 911 Operators May Receive Enhanced Training
The governor supports a recommendation from the state police superintendent to have all 34 telecommunicators and eight supervisors in the 911 emergency center certified in emergency medical dispatch.
Two Indiana Police Officers Face Federal Charges in Videotaped Beating of Handcuffed Man
The charges come after ProPublica and the South Bend Tribune exposed details of the abuse and published the video. “The alleged actions by these individuals went against everything in the oath they took to serve and protect,” the FBI said.
