“Kids Imprisoned,” a major investigation into juvenile justice, is the 2020 project of the Carnegie-Knight News21 program, a national multimedia reporting project produced by the nation’s top journalism students and graduates. Each year, students selected into the program report in-depth on a single topic of national importance.
This year, 35 journalism students from 16 universities are reporting virtually across the country, examining the juvenile justice system. They will investigate disparities in sentencing and jail time, conditions of juvenile detention facilities and the impact on families, communities and victims. The stories will be published as a multimedia project online and shared with industry publishing partners across the country.
The students’ work began in January 2020 with a video seminar that included reporting and research. Normally, students travel from Phoenix to as many as 30 states during a summer, but the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled remote reporting this year. From their 21 hometowns or home campuses, the students hold a daily video conference with Executive Editor Jacquee Petchel, other faculty advisers and their own reporting team members.
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provides core support for the News21 program.
Individual fellows are supported by their universities as well as a variety of foundations, news organizations and philanthropists that include The Arizona Republic, Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, Knight Foundation, Murray Endowment, Diane Laney Fitzpatrick, Myrta J. Pulliam and John and Patty Williams.
Corrections policy
News21 is committed to accuracy and welcomes feedback from sources and members of the public. Staff members and editors will correct errors of fact and clarify confusing information promptly and in a straightforward manner.
We will note significant corrections and clarifications within packages. We will correct minor spelling, punctuation and grammar errors without notice.
Financial support from
JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION
THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK
ETHICS AND EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM FOUNDATION
DONALD W. REYNOLDS FOUNDATION
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC
MYRTA J. PULLIAM
THE MURRAY ENDOWMENT
JOHN AND PATTY WILLIAMS
DIANE LANEY FITZPATRICK
Contact News21
Email: news@news21.com