Across the United States local journalists are attempting to reform their approach to covering crime, moving away from “If it bleeds, it leads” and toward explanatory and accountability reporting.
Newsrooms are implementing policies designed to encourage deep reporting on public safety trends. And, they are discouraging common journalism habits that can amplify false stereotypes, like rampant use of police mugshots, or relying on police press releases as the sole source of information for stories.
While this movement is still nascent, progress is visible.
