The Philadelphia Inquirer's thorough documentation of a city agency's neglect of children it was charged with protecting, Dateline NBC’s compelling profile of a first-year teacher, and The Washington Post's creative use of multimedia to enrich racial dialogue were among the winning entries in the 2007 Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism.

Other news organizations taking top honors in the 13th annual contest were Los Angeles Times/West Magazine, The Seattle Times, MSNBC, Chicago Public Radio, The Sacramento Bee, The Roanoke Times, the Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat, The Hartford Courant, KRIV-TV/Houston, Anchorage Daily News, San Francisco Chronicle and The Independent Weekly in Durham, N.C. Winners will receive a Casey Medal and $1,000 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

More than 700 journalists entered this year’s contest. Judges sought masterfully reported, compelling stories that cut through “compassion fatigue”; socially significant topics; demonstration of enterprise and thorough research; and evidence of story impact.

Apply for the 2008 Casey Medals here>

PROJECT/SERIES 200,000+ circulation
Winner: John Sullivan, Ken Dilanian, Craig McCoy, Nancy Phillips, Melissa Dribben, Clem Murray, Trish Wilson and Joe Tanfani, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Bury Your Mistakes"
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: Lara Solt, Paul Meyer and Stella Chavez, The Dallas Morning News, “Yolanda’s Crossing.”  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: Carol Marbin Miller and Marc Caputo, The Miami Herald, “Guards Seen Beating Teen in Video.” 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.

PROJECT/SERIES 75,000-199,999 circulation
Winner: Beth Macy, The Roanoke Times, "Land of Opportunity"
With the national immigration debate as her springboard, reporter Beth Macy expertly hones in on Hispanic immigrants opening Mexican restaurants, working the fields, hanging drywall and filling classrooms in southwestern Virginia’s Roanoke Valley. She presents many faces and dimensions of a growing population that is still largely invisible in the United States yet bound – by relationships, remittances and dreams – to homelands far away.

Runner-up: Jean Rimbach and Kathleen Carroll, The (Bergen) Record, “Lessons in Waste.” A four-month investigation into fraud and waste in New Jersey’s preschool program – the most ambitious and expensive in the nation – demonstrates masterful dissection of records, crowned with skilled storytelling.

Honorable mention (tie): Jennifer Janeczko Jacobs, The Des Moines Register, “Pain & Fire.” The gripping narrative shows how generations of sexual abuse sparked a teenage girl’s rage and desire for revenge.

Honorable mention (tie): Carol Smith, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, “A Life in the Balance.” Vivid storytelling and a seven-part cliffhanger format underscore the drama that unfolds when a commercial fishing-boat accident threatens the life of Rose Bard and her unborn child.

PROJECT/SERIES Under 75,000 circulation
Winner: George Pawlaczyk and Beth Hundsdorfer, Belleville News-Democrat, "Lethal Lapses"
Through meticulous reporting, the reporters documented how Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services mishandled cases involving 53 children who died in its care between 1998 and 2005. Reporters demonstrated great enterprise – scrutinizing Social Security Administration death records, coroner and police reports, and countless other materials – to connect the dots and identify the child victims. They got beyond confidentiality laws that too often leave the state's most vulnerable wards insufficiently protected and unknown even in death.

Runner-up: Jennifer Torres, The (Stockton) Record, "A Future in the Fields." The series explores the benefits and barriers in schooling nearly 11,000 children of migrant farm laborers in San Joaquin County. It raises key questions and provides some solutions about how to stabilize children’s lives and ensure education.

Honorable mention (tie): Dan Flannery, Sharon Cekada, Wendy Harris, Ben Jones and Jamie Mara, The Post-Crescent, “Motherhood Behind Bars.” The series presents a fresh perspective on the plight of women prisoners by disclosing the alarming use of shackling during childbirth; Wisconsin subsequently ended the practice.

Honorable mention (tie): Will Doolittle, Amanda Bensen, Lisa Bramen, Konrad Marshall, Omar Aquije, Derek Pruitt, Nathan Pallace, Erin Coker and T.J. Hooker, The Post-Star, “Secret Sorrow.” With stories of personal tragedy at its core, The Post-Star's project explores the impact of suicide on family and community; it provides a public service by compiling resource information and providing a forum for discussion.

SINGLE STORY 200,000+ circulation
Winner: Justin Mayo, Jonathan Martin and Ken Armstrong, The Seattle Times, "Failures by State, Caregiver Kept Secret in Child-Rape Case"
Exhaustive investigation and skilled storytelling combine in a devastating account of systemic problems within Washington’s child welfare system. The story goes beyond one terrible anecdote, giving sweep and lasting impact. It’s an increasingly rare example of a newspaper investing brawn and real resources in its watchdog role.

Runner-up: Wendy Koch, USA Today, "Underground Network Moves Children From Home to Home." The reporter dug deep into a difficult-to-access story of vulnerable children being passed among a little-known network of parents.

Honorable mention: Stephanie Simon, Los Angeles Times, “Grief, Gratitude and Baby Lee.” This piece stands out for stands its remarkable narrative about a mother’s agonizing decision to give birth to a terminally ill child.

SINGLE STORY 75,000-199,999 circulation
Winner: Elizabeth Hamilton and Tina A. Brown, The Hartford Courant, "From Pain, Family"
With ongoing debates over the definition of family, Brown and Hamilton offer timely and rare insights into same-sex relationships forged out of painful experiences instead of biological orientation. Thorough reporting addresses controversy head on, drawing out their sometimes wary sources and weaving in expert opinion. Their beautiful writing makes this a fully compelling read.

Runner-up: Marshall Allen and Tiffany Brown, Las Vegas Sun, “A Poor Place To Be a Kid.” Eloquent, empathetic writing characterizes this fresh look at a family’s struggles with poverty amid plenty.

Honorable mention: Ben Goad and Lisa O’Neill Hill, The Press-Enterprise, “Growing Up in the Shadow of Violence.” This smart, important piece explores the cycle of violence while paying attention to social policy choices, such as budget cutbacks and misplaced spending priorities.

SINGLE STORY Under 75,000 circulation
Winner: Julia O’Malley, Anchorage Daily News, "Love, in Translation"
The reporter sensitively conveys a young woman's heavy burdens in interpreting U.S. culture and the English language for her Laotian parents. Through her attentive, even-handed reporting, O'Malley gained the confidence of the family and of the immigrant community; her story buttresses their appeal for more official interpreters. The piece exemplifies the paper’s commitment to covering quiet but important cultural changes. 

Runner-up: Rebecca Vesely and Nicole Hill, The Oakland Tribune, “Tragedy on the Maternity Ward.” The piece raises disturbing questions about the deaths of three newborns and Highland Hospital's rush to expand its obstetrics program; it also sheds light on the harsh economic realities that drive health care decisions and how these affect communities.

Honorable mention: Markian Hawryluk, The Bulletin, “The Ethics of Altering Children.” In this provocative story, reporter Hawryluk thoroughly explores the ethical quandaries that ensnare families struggling to cope with profoundly disabled children.

MULTIMEDIA
Winner: Tanya Ballard, Nancy Donaldson, Tom Kennedy, Dee Swann, Donna Britt, Ju-Don Roberts, Kevin Merida, Robert Pierre, Sari Horwitz, Sydney Trent, V. Dion Haynes, Michel du Cille, Michael Fletcher, David Finkel, Wil Haygood, Krissah Williams, Keith Jenkins, Tamara Jones, Steven Holmes, Neely Tucker, Marcia Davis, Dennis Brack, Richard Morin, Keith Alexander, Lonnae O’Neal Parker, Darryl Fears, Marvin Joseph, Jahi Chikwendiu, Kevin Clark, Nikki Kahn, Beth Broadwater, Dwuan June, Jon Wile, Laura Stanton, Meg Smith, Stephen Crockett, Joe Davidson, Claudia Deane, Nelson Hsu, Ben de la Cruz, Pierre Kattar, Hamil Harris, Sholnn Freeman and Jennifer Crandall, The Washington Post, "Being a Black Man"
This project makes an important contribution to racial dialogue in our nation’s capital, integrating a huge amount of material into an attractive and navigable interface that encourages the visitor to sample, browse and dig deep. The site offers users a panoply of choices including video presentations, audio narratives and opinion blogs.

Runner-up: Marcus Chan, Jason Johnson, Jim Herron Zamora, Justin Beck, Gus D’Angelo, Lacy Atkins, Dan Jung, Chris Heredia, Peter Fagan, Michael Collier, James Irwin and Charles Burress, San Francisco Chronicle, “Oakland: A Plague of Killing.” This informative, poignant package tracks and uncovers many of the reasons behind Oakland’s escalating homicide rate.

Honorable mention: Colin Crawford, Gail Fisher and MediaStorm, Los Angeles Times, “Blighted Homeland.” This impressive entry, replete with photo galleries and maps, reveals how waste from Cold War-era uranium mines contaminated parts of the Navajo Nation.

OPINION
Winner: John Diaz and Pati Poblete, San Francisco Chronicle, Foster care editorials (2006)
This well-argued set of editorials details how the state and federal government reneged on a promise to support foster kids striving to attend college and live independently. The wake-up campaign got results: It convinced Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to significantly increase investments in the state’s foster care system.

Runner-up: RiShawn Biddle and Tim Swarens, The Indianapolis Star, “Juvenile Injustice.” In-depth reporting shows how dysfunction in the state’s juvenile justice detention system sets back troubled kids; it also helps readers see how they can help.

Honorable mention: Lorraine Ahearn and Betsi Robinson, News & Record, “Survivors’ Prayer" and other columns. Ahern uses old-fashioned shoe leather to immerse herself in her community and writes eloquently about public policies that sometimes worsen situations for already-disadvantaged individuals.

MAGAZINE
Winner: Douglas McGray, Los Angeles Times/West Magazine, "The Invisibles"
McGray finds a creative, compelling and fresh angle in the immigration debate. “The Invisibles” documents the lonely underground community of illegal immigrant students in the University of California system. Diligent reporting and empathetic writing produces a rare look at a group of high-achievers with a bleak future: Despite their academic accomplishments, the students’ lack of documentation destroys opportunities post-graduation.

Runner-up: Stephanie Banchero, Chicago Tribune, “Doing the Home Work.” Too few stories focus on the plight of single fathers; this one is beautifully written, meticulously researched, unflinching and fair. It shows the impact of smart, tough social programs and workers.

No honorable mention

NONDAILY
Winner: Mosi Secret, The Independent Weekly, "Dreams Deferred"
The reporter conveys the complexities involving Derrick Steele’s struggles to overcome addictions to find meaningful, legal work through a Durham jobs program. Secret also shows how the program falters through lack of funding and commitment, leaving participants unsteady and on the edge.

Runner-up: Nina Shapiro, Seattle Weekly, “They Could Be Citizens and They Might Be Deported.” Shapiro offers a disturbing glimpse inside a deportation system that rips families apart and treats immigrants – some of whom might be U.S. citizens – as if they were convicted criminals.   

Honorable mention: Sarah Fenske, Phoenix New Times, “Flunk’d.” Fenske’s clear-eyed probe of a school devoted to homeless children reveals its failure to provide them with a good education; she constructed a convincing case for closing it.

PHOTOJOURNALISM
Winner: Renée C. Byer, The Sacramento Bee, "A Mother's Journey"

A MOTHER'S JOURNEY – Renée C. Byer presents a window into the emotional, physical and financial toll that cancer takes on young victims and their loved ones. The sheer depth, quality and longevity of this sustained effort sets it apart, as Byer followed one mother throughout the final year of her son’s life and captured moments of exaltation, fear and finally despair. Her piece bears witness to the unfolding drama of a child’s life. (Renée C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee)

Runner-up: April Saul, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Kids, Guns and a Deadly Toll"

KIDS, GUNS AND A DEADLY TOLL – In a staccato, portrait-driven approach, April Saul gives a face and a story to every child killed by guns in the Philadelphia area in 2006; as reader and legislative response to the project attests, these images cannot be ignored. (April Saul/The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Honorable mention: Jeff Widener, The Honolulu Advertiser, "Homeless on the Waianae Coast"

HOMELESS ON THE WAIANAE COAST – Photographs of homeless families living on the beach detail the plight of those pushed from their homes by rising housing costs. (Jeff Widener/The Honolulu Advertiser)

RADIO
Winner: Julia McEvoy and Chicago Public Radio staff, "Chicago Matters: Valuing Education"
This yearlong project provides a powerful public service, accomplished with depth, breadth and creativity. The series takes a broad look at education but drills into issues and individual stories that relate to policy and practice, covering a spectrum of the community. In addition to the radio presentations, the production team convened community outreach meetings, developed a mentorship program for rookie reporters and launched an interactive Web site – complete with blogs, essays and student artwork. (The above link is to Chicago Public Radio’s 2006 Web site, which has since been redesigned. Please visit the current site.)

Runner-up: Beth Fertig, Wayne Schulmister and Karen Frillmann, WNYC Radio/New York, “Disabling Diplomas.” A set of excellent, rigorous and beautifully told stories about special education capture the intersection of education, policy and family.

Honorable mention (tie): Rori Gallagher, Victoria Mauleon, Kathryn Baron and Ingrid Becker, KQED Public Radio/San Francisco, “The Language of Learning.” This six-part series about immigrant students learning English in the California public school system is deeply informative, well written and beautifully produced.

Honorable mention (tie): Judy Woodruff and Neva Grant, NPR, “Generation Next.” The series about the country's 42 million 16- to 25-year-olds is rich and moving – and ultimately, uplifting and hopeful.

TELEVISION: SHORT FORM
Winner: Greg Groogan, Mark Muller and Aprille Meek, KRIV-TV, "Special Ed – Broken Promise?"
KRIV did a masterful job telling a story that illustrates the tension between what special education children need and what school systems are often willing to provide – a topic outinely dismissed as "too hard to tell." The team took on a Texas school system and reported the difficulty faced by some parents who sought a “free and appropriate” education for children who need special education. Eschewing the glitz or flash of a “special report,” KRIV showed enterprise in reporting on American education.

Runner-up: Don Dare and Dave Wignall, WATE-TV, "Community in Crisis." WATE’s exploration of the deplorable living conditions of a trailer park in Kentucky revealed the trailer park’s unfathomable ‘rent to own’ contracts and examined the role of the owners, city and lawmakers to ensure improvements.

Honorable mention: Linda Winslow, Susan Dentzer, Murrey Jacobson, Liz Callan, Bob Hartman and Lete Childs, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, “Changing the Odds.” This report provides a solid medical explanation of the type of leukemia 4-year-old Tara Koon battled and explains the immense significance of clinical trials, in which more than half of child cancer patients are treated. 

TELEVISION: LONG FORM
Winner (tie): Izhar Harpaz, Shayla Harris and Hoda Kotb, Dateline NBC, "The Education of Ms. Groves"
This piece shows the impact of teachers such as Ms. Groves, whose devotion to underprivileged students improves their chances for productive futures. It took impressive commitment for Dateline to follow this young, relatively untrained educator for an entire school year. The one-hour program captures the struggles facing teachers and students alike, yet maintains a sense of optimism about the state of education in our country.

Winner (tie): Karen Grau, Scott Hooker, Elise Warner, David Lynn, Michael Alberts, Terra Abroms, P.J. Wilson, Jason Monroe, Brian Dockter, Douglas Dillon, Steve Starnes, John Whalen, Bray Merritt, Scott Boutte, MSNBC, "No Place for a Child"
Stories about foster children are usually predictable in their storylines, but this documentary takes the unusual step of looking inside the courtrooms that rule the children’s lives. The producers provide a thorough and unflinching portrait of families involved in foster care. Happy endings seem elusive, but this production allows outsiders to perhaps understand why.

No runner-up or honorable mention.