Before we set out to look for news sources about criminal justice topics, it's important to have some context in mind. What is news? What is journalism?
"Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It is also the product of these activities." -American Press Institute
What are some characteristics of trustworthy news sources? What kind of information is shared in news stories? Who writes the news?
Journalists who write about crime and public safety gather and convey sensitive and complex information. The sensitive nature of this information compounds when it involves minors or historically marginalized populations. What is a journalist's responsibility?
News articles:
News Analysis:
Feature articles:
Credit: News or opinion? By Christine Photinos (permission to use via Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Investigative Journalism:
Editorials:
Opinion pieces:
Reviews:
Credit: News or opinion? By Christine Photinos (permission to use via Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Try multiple searches with similar or related terms
Having trouble finding articles from competing view points? Try adding keywords such as:
One of the advantages to searching in newspaper databases is the ability to filter your results by article type, date, geography, and more.
Search with keywords that describe your topic in Google's single search bar. Select the "news" button above your list of results.
If you are asked to subscribe in order to read the content, check to see if Jerome Library has a subscription. Follow the steps below.
These are some selected criminal justice online news resources. I found these by searching for keyword combinations such as: "criminal justice" news. What, if any, advantages exist when the journalist specializes in criminal justice?
The I'm VAIN acronym is one way to remember some criteria with which to evaluate news sources.
For further explanation, see the News Evaluation link below.
Also, consider the code of ethics written by the Society of Professional Journalists. Has the journalist made a good faith effort to follow this code of ethics?
Look for more information about the author of the news article. [Google them].