Truth is hard to find at crime scenes, with narratives that clash and power dynamics that are hard to illustrate.
Our reporters write about situations fraught with emotion, misunderstanding and tension. We seek context from the police, witnesses, victims, the accused and family.
Our goal is for the story to be fair to everyone involved and helpful — not harmful — to the communities we cover. But we can miss the mark. It’s critical for our newsroom to examine how we perpetuate myths or stereotypes because the potential for added and lasting pain is acute when we overhype or miscast details of a crime.
You've told us when stories have caused undue harm. We've listened and are changing as a result.
