Millions of people disappear every year, according to the International Commission on Missing People, and organized crime is involved in many of these cases. The violence associated with drug trafficking in particular, but also wildlife smuggling, resource theft, human trafficking, and other criminal rackets, plays a key role in many of the disappearances. Journalists act as both a deterrent to this kind of criminal conduct and as public-minded investigators, particularly where the rule of law has broken down.At its most sophisticated, organized crime is transnational, highly organized, and often systemic. It features in everyday life, infiltrating systems and groups that are essential to society. Disappearances are often a byproduct of this criminal activity.
TikTok, a video-sharing site where users can post videos of themselves dancing, lip syncing, and doing viral challenges, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. While many posts are focused on jokes and music, TikTok has surpassed 2 billion downloads and is popular around the world, which presents opportunities for the open source research community to use the platform in investigations. This guide explains how.
When Jeff Gerritt first started asking questions about deaths in Texas jails, he was told “it’s not news for someone to die in county jail.” But his reporting and the Op Ed pieces that resulted from it led to a Pulitzer Prize, a rare win for a scrappy thrice-weekly paper in an era where the journalism industry is seeing increasing cutbacks and layoffs.
Italy’s first center for investigative reporting was created in 2012 with very little resources. Since then it has become a well-established player in the Italian media landscape. The group has grappled with financial challenges, threats, and intimidation, but have big plans for the future. Michele Barbero profiled Investigative Reporting Project Italy for GIJN.
How do freelancers carry out a yearlong investigation when they only get paid at the end? Investigative reporter Samantha Sunne has a tiered approach to keep you from spending precious time and resources.
Early this February, we launched a new series on investigative tips and tools to add to our Resource Center for journalists worldwide who want to dig deeper and ask tougher questions. Now, this compact set of crash seminars featuring leading experts with insights on how to better investigate has been translated into four additional languages and will be released over the coming weeks.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be rolling out our new video series on investigative tips and tools. This compact set of crash seminars features leading experts with insights on what investigative journalism is, as well as how to follow public records, investigate with data, understand financial records and the best online search strategies.
INVESTIGATIVE RESOURCES
IN YOUR INBOX
Our fortnightly bulletin brings you the latest from GIJN, useful tips, tools and the best investigative stories around the world.
