Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano says U.S. faces an eventful fall
Kind of unfortunate headline, though. I don’t think she was actually predicting the total collapse of the United States. Yet.
If so, well, you read it here first, folks.
And, by the way, we reporters don’t write the headlines.
For press coverage of Blood in the Fields, go here.
Reporting on traumatic events
• When Crime is Just the Beginning of the Story
• Bringing What’s Buried in Folders to Life
• Strategies for Reporters Coping with Stress
Coverage of Julia Reynolds’ work at the 2009 Aftermath Conference at Harvard in Nieman Reports.
How we report on youth violence, a guide
From Chicago is the World
Gang prevention strategies
Project Ceasefire
Sandip Roy interviews Julia Reynolds, Prof. Victor Rios of UC Santa Barbara and Stockton Peacekeepers Jose Gomez and Ralph Womack on San Francisco’s KALW 91.7 fm show “Your Call,” about Project Ceasefire and other strategies to deal with gang and youth violence. Oct. 14, 2009
Operation Knockout II
California Watch reports on Julia Reynolds’ coverage in the Monterey County Herald of Operation Knockout, the April 2010 take-down of Nuestra Familia associates in Salinas, and revives an earlier interview with one of the gang’s entrepreneurs.
by Michael Montgomery, California Watch, Apr 28, 2010
Operation Knockout Meets Ceasefire
In a television interview and panel with fellow Bay Area reporters, Reynolds discusses the April 22, 2010 Nuestra Familia takedown in Salinas. Hosted by Belva Davis, KQED-tv, “This Week in Northern California” Apr 23, 2010
Operation Knockout I
Radio interview with Julia Reynolds on the day of the Knockout raids in Salinas and how Ceasefire might help with the aftermath.
by Cy Musiker, KQED-fm, Apr 22, 2010
Nuestra Familia: Our Family
Radio interview with reporters Julia Reynolds and George Sánchez about the surprising origins of the NF and California’s gang wars
by Ben Adler, KAZU-fm, Apr 28, 2006
Documentary Goes Inside Nuestra Familia
by Brenda Moore, Monterey County Herald, Dec 2, 2005
Documentary Examines Salinas Gang Problem
Reporters follow current, former gang members
KSBW-TV, Nov. 11, 2005
Exposé: America’s Investigative Reports
This clip from the documentary was featured on PBS’s Web site.
Guns
Outed by Public TV Web Site, Fleeing Arms Dealer is Nabbed
Current Newspaper
June 24, 2002
The NAFTA Gang episode
In late 1999, our tiny bilingual magazine el Andar was threatened with a $10 million defamation lawsuit by one of Mexico’s most powerful families, the Hanks — over an article by yours truly, titled “The NAFTA Gang.” We refused to retract our reporting and with the support of first amendment groups and press coverage here and abroad, the family backed down within a year.
Drug War on Trial
by Mark Schapiro, The Nation, Sept 6, 2001
U.S. Based Hispanic Magazine Stands Ground Against Powerful Mexican Family
By Mary Jo McConahay, Pacific News Service, Oct. 22, 1999
Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable
A few quotes that resonate:
As a long-time Internet geek who’s also a long-time reporter, I found this essay reassured me about journalism in ways most ‘Net fanatics haven’t been able to (As in, no, citizen journalism is not going to save us).
From overcrowded prisons to life without parole for juveniles and problematic witness protection — our justice system offers plenty to write about.
The guns of Pacific Grove: Unraveling a police commander’s arms dealings | The Monterey Herald
The silent empire: the state’s largest for-profit jail health care provider | The Monterey Herald (funny how they change headlines on the web for search engine optimization)
Experts slam Monterey County Jail conditions | The Monterey Herald
(yes, they re-named our newspaper)
Series on prison mental health | The Monterey County Herald
Reasonable Doubt in a Cold Case | The Monterey County Herald
The Long Journey: Johnny Angel Martinez’ search for redemption | The Monterey County Herald
Down for Life series | The Monterey County Herald Day 1 • Day 2 • Day 3
>>PDFs Day 1 • Day 2 • Day 3
Down for Life series | KAZU-fm Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3
Multimedia: A Long Night’s Wait at Salinas Valley State Prison
Witness Protection Not a Guarantee | The Monterey County Herald
Murder Victims’ Families Find Solace | The Monterey County Herald
Since 2002, I’ve reported on the Nuestra Familia and the law enforcement efforts to bring it down.
The NF is one of the nation’s most violent and sophisticated gangs, a drug-dealing mafia that for more than three decades has exerted powerful control over the West’s agricultural towns. In the Salinas Valley, second, third and now fourth generations of children are literally being born into this gang and raised to be criminals. My work chronicles the gang’s power and a community’s struggle to defeat it.
Nuestra Familia, Our Family | The PBS documentary
Our award-winning film about a father, a son, a gang and the FBI.
The FBI’s largest case against Nuestra Familia, with trials still underway.
The Operation Valley Star Archive — all stories
Girlfriends, wives and sisters are an integral — and often expendable — part of gang organizations.
Women Caught up in Gang Life | Monterey County Herald
Prison Gang Tied to Soledad Killings | Monterey County Herald
When people ask me how to end gangs, I usually say something useless like “end poverty first.” But there may be more immediate hope for stopping some of the killings. The Boston Ceasefire violence reduction strategy is gaining support and believers. I’m one of them.
Ceasefire: A series on the innovative program to stop gang shootings | Monterey County Herald
I also continuously cover solutions to gang and youth violence, as well as prison and reentry issues as my regular beat at The Monterey County Herald.
In the world of gunrunning, money drives the engine. What starts with an illegal but booming worldwide arms trade ends with misery around the globe – including teen deaths in Northern California.
South Florida’s Elusive Arms Baron | Frontline/WORLD
The Guns of Opa-Locka | The Nation
Youths, Gangs and Guns | KQED-TV and Oakland Tribune
I also contributed reporting to these investigative projects:
Gun Land | NOW with Bill Moyers
Gun Runners | Frontline/WORLD
Critics: Terrorists Manipulate Loopholes in U.S. Gun Laws | NPR’s All Things Considered [ram audio]
Gángster en un campo de lechugas (Gangster in a Lettuce Field) | El Puercoespîn, Argentina May 2010
High-flying Investor Goes Into Free Fall | San Francisco Chronicle
Daniel Ellsberg: Whistleblowers wanted here | The Monterey County Herald
I also contributed reporting to these investigative projects:
Locked Down | American Radio Works
Gangs Thrive In Maximum Security | 60 Minutes