The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "probate court" ...
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"Greed v. Guardianship"
This investigation reveals serious flaws in the Maricopa County Probate Court. Families have complained of being "violated" by their court appointed guardian, which was most often the Sun Valley Group. Families accused SVG of taking control of their finances, selling anything of value and keeping the money. Some were even kept from visiting sick loved ones who had been placed in care facilities.
Tags: Sun Valley Group; probate court; Maricopa County; Arizona Supreme Court; public records; court documents; guardianship
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The Price of Living
The Post and Courier discovered one South Caroline probate court had been financially exploiting the very people it was designed to protect.
Tags: elderly; probate court; estate; exploitation; guardian
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Probate Court: A Troubled System
The investigation exposed a corrupt system within Arizona's probate courts that permitted lawyers and for-profit fiduciary businesses to take advantage of the welfare of vulnerable adults. The Arizona Republic found that in many cases, lawyers appointed to protect the welfare of incapacitated adults were actually paying themselves enormous fees out of their assets of these individuals. Judges, state regulators, and social service agencies violated court orders, disregarded procedure, and failed to keep this from happening.
Tags: probate courts; legal system; court corruption; elderly; welfare
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Nevada DUI
This investigation found a number of frightening facts, which could change many lives. One of the first findings is “judges have not been following a 1997 law that requires them to order the installation of interlock devices for all offenders convicted of DUIs causing death or substantial bodily harm.” Also, many previous offenders were convicted of a second DUI and had blood alcohol levels (BACs) considered of those with an alcohol abuse problem. Further, found that DUI offenders released from prison didn’t have their licenses restricted for three years after the conviction.
Tags: drunk drivers; laws; Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV); interlock devices; prosecutors; parole officials; probation officials; death; harm; courts; convictions
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Unequal Justice
An investigation into Texas's justice system revealed that at least 120 killers were put on probation instead of required to spend time in prison. Texas employs a legal system which "scholars nationwide diagnosed as broken," in which juries made sentencing decisions based "as much on likes and dislikes as on facts." Also, judges repeatedly gave freed killers a second chance on probation violations because "they viewed probation as a chance for reform, not punishment."
Tags: legal system; courts; justice; death penalty; probation; murderers; killers; probation violations; juries; sentencing
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A Life Sentence
The Post-Dispatch looked at prisoners in Missouri and Illinois who had been paroled in the last decade after originally receiving long prison terms -- some in excess of 100 years. Many of those were sentenced before laws imposing mandatory minimum prison terms, and the luckiest served a small fraction of their sentences. No one in Missouri did more than 36 years, including those who were sentenced to multiple, consecutive life terms.
Tags: law enforcment; parole; jail; inmates; judicial system; courts; Missouri Board of Probation and Parole; prisoners
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Criminal Justice Chaos
This story compilation addresses numerous problems within the Texas Department of Corrections. Investigators found violations of government policies, parole officers with disciplinary problems, repeated employee negligence and even some of the worst criminals slipping through holes in the system to find new victims.
Tags: Texas; department of corrections; criminal justice; courts; probation and parole; crime; law enforcement; prisons; public safety; criminals
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Young and In Trouble: Different Paths for Punishment (part 1) and The Challenge of Rehabilitation (part 2)
This investigation exposed "a huge racial imbalance between the number of white and black youths sent to adult prison in the Bay area, statewide and nationally." The review focused on teens ages 13-17 sentenced to adult prison. Most of the youths sent to adult prison were black; white juvenile delinquents were more likely to be sentenced to house arrest or be put on probation. These articles look at possible hidden causes for the disparity, like the fact that police spend more time in black neighborhoods so are more likely to catch black criminals than white ones. The article also explores the idea that the records don't reflect racism; rather, the situation shows how poor delinquents are more likely to end up in adult prison. The article discusses how being in adult prison affects kids differently than being in a youth-oriented rehabilitation program.
Tags: prison; jail; incarceration; juvenile delinquents; teen court; YES; racial discrimination
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Show and Tell Tape #1
2004 IRE National Conference (Atlanta) Show and Tell Tape #1 features the following stories: 1)Phil Williams (WTVF-Nashville) A hidden camera investigation proves that special interest lobbyists are buying Tennessee lawmakers. 2)Stephen Stock (WESH-Orlando) An investigation into new home inspections found inspectors conducting too many inspections daily with a passing rate as high as 99 percent in one county. 3)Anna Werner and David Raziq (KHOU-Houston) Children as young as 11-years-old were being physically abused at the juvenile probation department in Harris County, Texas. 4)Tony Pipitone (WKMG-Orlando)The Brevard School District in Orlando requested additional funding from the federal government for poorer schools but put that money toward helping the district as a whole. 5)Brian Collister (WOAI-San Antonio) A national report claimed that San Antonio police were among the best in the country for not targeting minority motorists, but an investigation proved police officers skewed the data. 6) Jacqueline McLean (KGMB-Honolulu) A cemetery that hasn't been licensed in nine years makes room for more bodies by removing old ones. 7) Chris Halsne (KIRO-Seattle) Mapping software found 605 sex offenders living near day cares statewide. None of the day cares were ever notified. 8) Bog Segall (WITI-Milwaukee) Many inmates use their phone privileges to call their victims, intimidating them in the hopes they won't show up at trial. 9)Larry Posner (Inside Edition) An investigation into Pitts, one of the largest door-to-door magazine sellers in the country, found the company charging high rates, abusing employees and hiring felons. 10)Randy Travis (WAGA-Atlanta) This undercover investigation found a state court judge having 19 drinks and then getting in his car to drive. 11)Jim Strickland (WSB-Atlanta) This investigation exposed forgery and fraud by an Atlanta Booting company. 12)Bebe Emerman (KIRO-Seattle) A problem with the powercord of one brand of oscillating fans was linked to 20 house fires. 13)Elisabeth Leamy (WTTG) This story discusses the lives of those held in concentration camps and the Nazi tattoos they received.
Tags: tape; show and tell; investigative; Atlanta; no transcripts; IRE
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Criminals' assets help task force
From the questionnaire, "The story examined asset forfeitures by a drug task force and found that cash and property were used to strike deals for leniency, and that deals were made because the task force needed money to keep its federal grant and survive." In many cases, probation was offered in return for the defendants agreement not to fight forfeitures in court.
Tags: Seizures; justice; forfeiture; district attorney; plea bargain