Project or Series: 200,000 plus circulation
2009 Casey Medals
Winner: "The Smokestack Effect: Toxic air and America’s schools," USA Today
USA Today spent eight months investigating the impact of industrial pollution on the air outside schools and its toxic effect on children. The project deserves top recognition for its commitment to a demanding, nationwide investigation as well as its exemplary use of database and computer-assisted reporting. The team used the government’s own database and research and then mobilized their own resources to gather comprehensive data on air quality to analyze exposure and toxicity. The project is a prime example of both public service journalism and classic investigative reporting.
Winner: "The Cruelest Cuts: The human cost of bringing poultry to your table," The Charlotte Observer
This series on the poultry industry pulls the curtain back on many hidden issues: worker safety, industrial food production, immigration violations and lax government oversight. The Observer’s team spent 22 months analyzing government safety data, reviewing thousands of pages of documents and interviewing more than 200 poultry workers, many of whom were undocumented workers and afraid to speak out. By holding the powerful accountable, The Charlotte Observer’s enterprising investigation shows why strong local newspapers are so vital.
Honorable Mention: "Chemical Fallout," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was one of the first to take on the issue of chemicals in consumer products. The series set off a frenzy of legislative activity around Biphenyl A and other chemicals used in plastic baby products. Eventually, it led to a ban on BPA in some states and restrictions on another class of chemicals, known as phthalates.
2008 Casey Medals
Winner: "Hidden Hazards," Chicago Tribune
This series features very aggressive gumshoe reporting on the serious problems for children posed by unsafe products – and on the woeful inadequacy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This is journalism at its best – a reporter following a hunch that leads down one hell of a highway. Everything is here: great writing, poignant human stories, document trails, revelations of malfeasance and public service. The fallout will be felt for years, and children will undoubtedly be a lot safer.
Winner: "The Match," Newsday
This project shed a great deal of light on the science and ethics behind a challenging procedure: when parents create a baby who can become a medical donor for a gravely ill sibling. The articles and the accompanying photographs take readers on a powerful voyage into a very personal corner of one family’s life, with far-reaching implications. Gaining the trust of this family was a remarkable feat – and led to remarkable journalism.
2007 Casey Medals
Winner: "Bury Your Mistakes," The Philidelphia Inquirer
In this effective series, the Inquirer thoroughly documented the Philadelphia Department of Human Service’s callous neglect of abused children it was charged with protecting. When officials refused to provide information on many cases, the reporters combed neighborhoods to give the stories scope and depth. Response was significant: Moved by the children’s stories and nailed by the hard-nosed reporting, state legislators toughened laws and city officials had no choice option but to clean house at the agency.
Runner-Up: "Yolanda's Crossing," The Dallas Morning News
Artfully written and filled with rich details, the project gives a clear picture of sexual violence experienced by one young woman and speaks for others whose stories remain in the shadows.
Honorable Mention: "Guards Seen Beating Teen in Video," The Miami Herald
Beyond their dogged coverage of breaking news – the discovery of a video documenting a teen’s fatal beating in detention – the Herald reporters dug into the deeper story of an abusive system and helped bring about its demise.
about this award
The Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism recognize exemplary reporting on children and families in the U.S. More than 4,500 journalists have competed for Casey Medals since 1994.