Criminal Justice Reporter
The Arizona Republic/ azcentral.com , part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is seeking a is seeking a curious, skilled, persistent reporter to dig into criminal justice issues.
A critical re-examination of law enforcement and prosecutorial practices is under way in Arizona, with Phoenix under scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Justice. It’s a city that has seen a disproportionate number of deaths at the hands of police, in a county where prosecutorial practices tend toward max charging and courts tend toward max sentencing, in a state where the unhoused often are treated carelessly by authorities and where the prison system is under legal scrutiny for the quality of its health care and the safety of its facilities.
The beat will prioritize the criminal justice concerns of everyday people, particularly Black, Latino and Native Americans who have been historically vulnerable to police violence and prosecution. The priority will be examining how authorities plan to address these well-documented systemic problems.
The reporter will work with others on a team to provide frequent authoritative coverage of police agencies, courts of all levels and the corrections system. We want to cover policing and criminal justice through a governmental accountability lens with nuanced representation of the challenges our community faces and rebuild trust with neglected communities.
The successful candidate will be able to find and turn breaking news quickly, but also dig deep and seek a wide perspective, cultivate diverse sources and devote resources to debunking myths and stereotypes. The successful applicant will have experience in covering law enforcement; an ability to earn the trust of authorities and community members; deep knowledge of public records and datasets; and a determination to provide reporting that champions and critics of law enforcement alike recognize as comprehensive, sophisticated and fair. The reporter must work collaboratively and effectively in a team environment and always demonstrate an awareness of and adherence to the highest journalistic ethical standards.
The position comes with strong onboarding support, training opportunities and limitless career advancement.
Responsibilities
Report quickly, clearly, and accurately and deliver news, via stories, video, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other methods available to reach our audience.
Use metrics to inform story choices and shape beat strategies.
Identifies top crime stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential.
Cultivates a beat, knowing the ins/outs of the beat and its key players. Has a genuine interest in people and ability to build trust.
Writes and/or produces multimedia content that appeals to key audience targets and maximizes user experience on digital and social platforms to reach readers where they spend their time and attention.
Jump on breaking news. Research, write, report, photograph, video and/or voice a variety of stories.
Engage on social media with sources and audience.
Experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate storyforms.
Monitor real-time news and sniff out the most important and fascinating stories important to our audiences in addition to pursue enterprise/investigative work to uncover stories that no one else is reporting.
Demonstrate fast news judgement on an ongoing basis.
Collaborate with others and work with a team on the biggest stories.
Requirements
Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Some amount of experience in journalism.
Strong command of AP style and grammar.
Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."
Comfort using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to enhance reporting and promote stories.
Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
Able to work occasional late nights as needed by the news cycle.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check, motor vehicle record check & drug screen.
Application Instructions
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
Your resume – one to two pages.
A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.