local-reporting

College campuses are where many great journalists first were bitten by the investigative reporting “bug” and first experienced the thrills, and challenges, of digging into a complex story. Nothing beats talking to students, faculty, staff and members of surrounding communities, of course. But online databases and sources can provide context and data, and generate new stories and fresh angles.

Listed below are some online databases to get you started. But a bit of background before you dive in:

In August 2013, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder made headlines when he asserted that new approaches were needed in prosecuting low-level drug-related crimes, with the goal of lowering incarceration rates and reducing the overcrowding of prisons, among other things.

Public transportation use varies widely across the United States, from small towns with few transit options to dense metropolitan areas with extensive subway, train and bus systems. Even in cities with similar transit systems, use can vary significantly, and some systems do not efficiently connect where people live to where they work.